There is nothing more distressing than the thought of a child in pain. When children suffer from illness or disease, our hearts tell us that it is not fair, it is not right.

Developments in modern medicine have dramatically improved child health in many areas. Unfortunately some kids are still missing out.

Children suffering from rare diseases and conditions are often the victims of a lack of funds. Due to their very rarity, research into these diseases has difficulty gaining funding and support from the government, pharmaceutical industry and high profile charities.

SMILE is helping to fill this gap.

Our immediate mission is to support research into the diagnosis, treatment and/or cure for rare childhood diseases or conditions and to help afflicted families.

Many parents have to give up work and move far away from their home, other children, friends and support network when their child is diagnosed with a rare illness. The cost of treatment can be huge, and ongoing costs for equipment, medication and care can be crippling. SMILE will ease this financial burden with the introduction of our Family Relief Program, offering grants to families struggling with these costs.

We may not be able to fund research into all rare childhood diseases, but each dollar spent will make a difference in the long term to alleviating the suffering of these children, whether it be one child, one hundred or one thousand. Coupled with the potential for medical breakthroughs in treating common diseases as a result of this research makes for an unbeatable combination.