In just a couple of days, Madison Colberg will be on her way to represent the Valley and Alberta in the Miss Universe Canada Pageant, and whether she wins or loses, she has made an impact on her community and Operation Smile.
Leading up to the pageant Madison set a goal of raising $5,000 for the charity, and thanks to the support of the community she more than doubled that total.
“A sum of just over $12,000 was collected in donations for Operation Smile and I cannot begin to express my gratefulness for those who helped me make a difference for these children,” said Colberg.
She explains, the cost of a surgery for Operation Smile to help a child born with a cleft palate is $240. With the amount of money collected, no less than 50 lives will be changed, dramatically.
“To some, 50 may seem small considering thousands of children are affected by cleft lip and palate, however, to a person who knows first hand the difference a surgery makes - I cannot begin to describe the jubilation for these children. A smile, a new life and a miracle will be given,” she said.
She described her personal story with others as she fundraised:
A cleft, a surgery, a scar, a miracle-this is what I have been given. My name is Madison Colberg and I am an extremely blessed 19-year-old girl living in the small town of Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.
My first meal was through a specially designed bottle that was a tube since I could not suck out of a regular bottle. I had my first lip and nose surgery when I was less than 3 months old. At 1, I had my palate repaired. By the time I was five I had four operations on my palate, nose and lip as well as bone grafting from my hip to repair my gum line.
Beginning at the age of nine, I started wearing various retainers, braces and elastics. I will have all the dental regime due to the cleft completed March, 2015.
At the age of 17, I received a surgery that consisted of breaking my jaw and realigning it and then again grafting bone from my hip to support my upper lip. This was a major surgery and I could not speak properly or eat solid foods for three months. On April 21, 2014, I received my final nose surgery. My journey will end in March 2015, after my final orthodontic work will be complete.
I was blessed to be born in Canada and receive outstanding medical treatment, however, I realize that millions of children around the world do not have access to a surgery - a surgery that only costs $240.00 in their country but has the value of a new life.”
The pageant is just around the corner, Madison will be flying to Toronto at the end of the week for the pageant taking place May 21. While most would be feeling the pressure, Madison is relatively calm.
“I’m really not nervous. I think it is good not having the experience because I don’t have any expectations, so I am going in there with a completely open mind,” she said.
So far, the experience has been great for Madison.
“Even if it ended right now, I have gained so much confidence wise. I showed myself that I can just put my mind to something and go for it,” she said.
Madison is the daughter of Kelly and Heather Colberg of Drumheller.
