The International Day of Families is observed every May 15th to honor the importance of families.
With help from dedicated volunteers around the world, Operation Smile is able to help families live healthier and happier lives. Two sisters from a family in Louisville, Kentucky, Ainsley and Ellie, are dedicated to helping other families and inspiring others to do the same.
Ainsley and Ellie Wuerth are sisters from Louisville, Kentucky who are both heavily involved in volunteering for global nonprofit, Operation Smile. Ainsley, the older of the two siblings, first became involved through the Operation Smile Club at Assumption High School. Inspired by her older sister’s efforts with the nonprofit, Ellie also joined the Operation Smile Club once she started high school and has since been a staunch advocate for the nonprofit.
“I love volunteering with my little sister because we help each other to get more involved and drive each other's passions. Now that I am in college, Ellie has taken over leadership of our high school club, and I have been so proud of the work that they are doing,” said Ainsley.
For Ellie, volunteering with Operation Smile has proven to be an incredibly rewarding experience. “It’s hard to believe that we can help families across the world while being in Kentucky,” said Ellie. “It truly feels like a privilege to both me and my sister to have the opportunity to change someone's life for the better. I hope that through our service we can make a difference, just like Operation Smile has made a difference in our lives!”
Since their beginnings with Operation Smile, the two sisters have remained dedicated to helping the organization however they can. In March of 2020, Ainsley served on an international medical mission to Oujda, Morocco. Ellie continues to lead the Operation Smile club at Assumption and encourages her classmates to get involved through candygram sales, service projects and attending leadership conferences. She aspires to one day participate on a mission trip with her older sister.
While one cleft surgery can bring immediate transformation to a child’s life in as little as 45 minutes, Operation Smile is committed to providing patients with health that lasts—being there to offer patients additional surgeries, dentistry, psychological services, speech therapy and other essential cleft treatments. Its training and education programs elevate local surgical standards and entire health systems to aid safe surgery and strengthen a global network to reach more people earlier in their lives. You can learn more about its transformative and healing work by visiting operationsmile.org or by following @operationsmile on social media.