Patients Dedicated parents Jeremy and Lidia knew their son, Jonathan, needed cleft care to live a full life. They traveled for hours to neighboring Guatemala to get it. April 28, 2026 When Jonathan was born with a cleft condition in Placencia Peninsula, Belize, the doctors explained that his untreated cleft palate could prevent him from speaking clearly. When his father, Jeremey, asked about treatment, he was told it wasn’t available in Belize. With no cleft specialists available in their country and limited access to essential surgical care, they weren’t sure how to get Jonathan the care he needed. Jeremy and Lidia, Jonathan’s mom, searched for about six months before contacting Operation Smile in neighboring Guatemala. The impact was immediate. “We got a sense of relief right away,” Jeremy shared, “like anything was possible.” But the journey was far. Operation Smile’s location in Guatemala City was 13 hours from the family.…