With a smiley-faced golf ball, smileytheball.org is raising money and awareness for children with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial conditions. In support of the cause, a number of PGA TOUR players are getting involved. According to Dave McCracken, founder of smileytheball.org, there were about 100 players with Smiley the Ball hanging from their staff bags at the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open this fall in Las Vegas. In additions, players on other tours, including PGA TOUR Champions, have adopted Smiley the Ball on their bags. Proceeds from the golf balls, which come in various product options on the website, go directly to Shriners Hospitals for Children, according to McCracken. “We’ve got over 200 players now that are supporting the program,� McCracken told PGATOUR.COM. “A portion of the proceeds go directly to the Shriners Hospitals, and it goes directly to the cleft lip and cleft palate unit. So it’s a ball with a smile that’s benefitting children’s smiles.� McCracken says that he has two acquaintances who have children born with cleft lip, and that 1-in-600 children are born with cleft lip or cleft palate. In support of these children, McCracken started smileytheball.org about two years ago. “It’s one of those things when you look at the ball, you realize you did something that’s going to help a child out,� McCracken said. “It just doesn’t change [the child’s] life; cleft lip and palette is pretty serious. “When these surgeries are done for the children, it not only changes their life, but it also changes the lives of their families, friends, and extended beyond that. It’s something we’re very proud of.� Peter Malnati is one of the many players supporting the cause, and Shriners Hospitals holds a special place in his heart. “I’ve got Smiley the Ball with me this year, which is cool because I’m all about raising awareness and getting some attention for Shriners Hospitals,� Malnati said. “All the events on TOUR are pretty amazing … but this event is special to me because I have an older sister, who’s one of my best friends in the whole world and someone I really look up to a lot. When she was born, she had a clubbed foot. She was treated at the Shriners hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. One foot is a size and a half smaller than the other, but that didn’t stop her. She was a varsity letter winner at Duke University on the track team. Actually, I think she set a school record for the high jump at one point. “The treatment she had the Shriners played a big part in her life and the life that she lives. Shriners played a big part in that, so this event will always have a special place for me.� Each July is Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month, and so earlier this year, Shriners Hospitals for Children told the story of then nine-month-old Max, who had been treated by doctors in Boston after being diagnosed with a cleft. After a couple of surgeries, Max is happy and active, according to the website. “We loved his initial smile,� said one of his parents, “but Shriners gave us a whole new smile to fall in love with.� With the holiday season approaching, July doesn’t need to be the only time to think about children born with these conditions. Thanks to Smiley the Ball, golfers can make it a year-round awareness. For more information about cleft lip and cleft palate, click here.
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