Replicating Willy Sikora’s infectious joy and unshakable optimism would be difficult for most — especially anyone dealt the same hand.

The Glenwood Springs High School senior was born with a severe bilateral cleft lip and palate. But instead of letting that define him, he’s using it as a force for change, helping children across the globe face the same condition with courage and hope.

On Wednesday, Sikora will travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to volunteer with Operation Smile, a global nonprofit that provides cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in underserved communities. He’ll assist with patient screenings, offer emotional support, and share his personal journey — all as part of a weeklong clinic aimed at transforming lives, one smile at a time.

“I’m super excited,” Sikora said. “A lot of people with cleft have gone on these missions before me. Being able to talk with patients and families and reassure them that everything will be OK — that’s what it’s all about.”

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common craniofacial differences worldwide, often affecting a child’s ability to eat, breathe, speak and thrive socially. Left untreated, it can lead to lifelong physical and emotional challenges.

Operation Smile, founded in 1982, works in more than 40 countries, combining life-changing surgeries with education and long-term care. According to the nonprofit, the average cleft surgery takes just 45 minutes and costs about $240. Each year, more than 6,000 volunteers contribute to the cause.

Brigett Magee Clifford, vice president of student programs at Operation Smile, said student volunteers like Sikora play a vital role.

“Our student teams pull everything together,” she said. “It’s not just about education — it’s about play, comfort and connection. When kids walk into a room full of others who look like them, something shifts. They relax. They smile. It becomes a safe place, and that’s what Willy helps create.”

Sikora’s journey with Operation Smile began in 2020, but his connection runs deeper than advocacy. Born Xi WenHao in Yunnan, China, he was abandoned as an infant when his biological parents likely couldn’t afford the surgeries he needed. At just three days old, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. He survived — barely — and was later adopted by John and Patti Braceland-Sikora, longtime Roaring Fork Valley residents.

“Like many children around the world, my biological parents probably didn’t have the means to pay for all the surgeries and medical treatment I would need,” Sikora wrote in a GoFundMe campaign supporting his Bolivia mission. “They had to make what was perhaps the hardest decision of their lives — to admit me to the hospital and walk away, hoping and praying I would someday get the care I needed.”

Today, Sikora plays violin, excels in school and dedicates himself to sharing the message that cleft doesn’t define a person. He recently attended Operation Smile’s International Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., where he learned how to make a “before-and-after” picture book showing cleft patients what’s possible after surgery.

“It’s about helping families see that a normal life is not only possible — it’s real,” he said. “My friend used her own picture book to explain the surgery and the impact it had. It made a big difference. That’s what I want to do, too.”

Sikora estimates that a child is born with a cleft condition every three minutes globally. Operation Smile estimates more than 5 million people living with cleft conditions in the countries it serves.

For Sikora, that statistic isn’t just a number — it’s a call to action.

“Cleft doesn’t stop you from doing anything,” he said. “And I want to be proof of that.”

To support Sikora’s mission or learn more about Operation Smile, visit operationsmile.org. Donations to his personal campaign can be made at gofundme.com/f/help-willy-sikora-transform-lives-with-cleft-surgery. Any funds raised beyond his travel needs will go directly to Operation Smile.