1001Smiles.com: How a little boy who lost his own life ended up giving life-changing surgery to 1,000 suffering children...

   Sean's "1001 Smiles" Project   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                April 27, 2010: happy b-day, little buddy

 

Sean Denlinger was a happy, special-needs toddler in preschool when he fell victim to a series of tragic medical mishaps at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Florida (USA).

 

After spending one year living in three different hospitals trying to survive horrible complications that followed these initial mishaps, Sean finally lost his fight after indescribable suffering. He was 3 years old when he died.

 

Sean's parents. Michele and Chad Denlinger, filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital MDs hoping to win a settlement that could help other children and ensure Sean had not died in vain.

 

Researching charities that could make a direct impact on the most children,  Sean's family decided to donate possible funds to Smile Train, which provides free cleft lip/palate surgery in 60+ countries.

 

After six long years of a very painful legal battle, Sean's parents accepted

an out-of-court settlement that would fulfill their greatest wish: to give

FREE CLEFT LIP/PALATE SURGERY TO 1,000 CHILDREN on behalf of little Sean

New Years Day 2010,  (Varanasi, India) Sean's family was finally able to meet some of the children whose lives were repaired, giving Sean's incredible tragedy the most profound meaning anyone could have ever imagined.
 

 

Sean's "1001 Smiles" Project:

 

Celebration at GS Memorial Hospital- Varanasi, India

(Hosted by Smile Train and GS Memorial Hospital)

Expecting to just meet a few kids in their hospital beds, we walked in to the surprise of a packed room of SOME of our "1001 Smiles" kids who had just had clefts repaired (still a bit sore), parents, Smile Train surgeon Dr. Subodh Singh and community supporters- all waiting to celebrate a New Year's Day ceremony for our family and Sean. Throughout our time in India, Smile Train Region Director Satish Kalra, Program Managers (featured on "Amazing India Pics" toolbar) and GS Memorial treated us like FAMILY rather than donors .

Thank you, Brian Mullaney, Michele Sinesky and Satish Kalra of Smile Train- for blessing us with the joy of this day.

 

 

 

There were many more pictures taken and more kids there that afternoon,

but these are just a few main highlights of this beautiful day.

 

We waited so long for this moment; only a few persons truly know how much we endured to get here. We wished they could share in this day...

To actually hold some of the children whose lives were repaired as a result of our own son's loss was too overwhelming to describe.

 

Also overwhelming: the grateful parents who offered up their children for us to hold because they knew why they had finally been helped.

 

We feel like we've left part of Sean behind in India- living on in all these incredibly sweet children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through one small boy's inspiration and Smile Train's ingenuity: the 1,000 children helped will now

have a chance at HAPPINESS and a more normal life: school, friends, employment, even to marry someday.

 

 

 

Meet Smile Number "1001" !!

 

 

The ripple effect of

Sean's "1001 Smiles" Project

can never be measured, but it is certain

that future generations will be created

where none would have even existed...

 

 

... making this a story that truly has no end.

 

 

 

WAY TO GO, LITTLE BUDDY.

 

 

 

 

1/18/10: This website is privately hosted/maintained and is a work in progress, still under construction.