Rasamjot and Hargun: Sisters in Cleft Care

When Kuldeep became a mother, she quickly discovered the reasons to avoid low-quality cleft care.

Her first daughter, Rasamjot, was born with a cleft lip and palate. The medical team offered a single treatment option: 15,000 rupees for surgery. It was expensive, and the family had limited resources, but Kuldeep and her husband, Jagtar, were determined to help their baby girl.

“Unfortunately, the result was not great. She was not even given general anaesthesia during the procedure”, Kuldeep recalls.

On top of that, Rasamjot needed further cleft treatment. But her family could not afford to keep paying for pricey procedures that yielded subpar outcomes.

Fortunately, several months later, Rasamjot’s aunt saw a poster advertising Smile Train-sponsored cleft care at nearby Amandeep Hospital. Kuldeep took Rasamjot for an initial consultation. Immediately, she noticed a difference in the quality of attention they received.

“Compared to the other hospital where we had to pay, there was a drastic contrast in the level of care, devotion, and compassion of the doctors and nurses. It meant a lot to my family. It is how we understood we could continue Rasamjot’s treatment, especially as we were on a tight budget”, Kuldeep says.

Rasamjot received safe, high-quality cleft surgery at Amandeep, completely sponsored by Smile Train. From then on, the family knew exactly where to go for cleft care they could trust.

Amandeep and Smile Train also proved critical several years later when Kuldeep gave birth to her and Jagtar’s third daughter, Hargun, who had a cleft lip.

“Having gained experience with Rasamjot, we already knew the way forward with Hargun, and that she was in good hands”, Kuldeep says.

Hargun successfully underwent multiple cleft surgeries at Amandeep, all with the support of Smile Train.

“If I compare her experience with Rasamjot’s surgery outside Amandeep Hospital, Hargun had much more support from the medical staff. She felt more comfortable after the surgery”, Kuldeep says.

The family grew particularly close with Karan, the Amandeep social worker who assisted them throughout Hargun’s entire healing journey, offering specialised feeding instruction, emotional support, and so much more.

“Karan is like my son. He helped us along the way and was at our disposal all the time”, Kuldeep says warmly.

Today, Rasamjot is in Year Eleven and Hargun is in Year Five. Their favourite subjects are English and maths. When Hargun grows up, she wants to become a teacher.

Rasamjot continues to receive comprehensive cleft care at Amandeep, including orthodontic treatments and speech therapy.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Smile Train, for contributing so much to my daughters’ lives”, Kuldeep says.

"I pray for you. I pray that all children in the world are healthy. I hope you continue your initiatives that changed our own lives for good”.