An Evening Celebrating Four Decades of Cleft Care, Community, and Impact
Austin Smiles – The Austin Plastic Surgery Foundation is celebrating a remarkable milestone this fall with its 40th Annual Wish Upon a Smile Gala, presented by AO2 Skin, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the breathtaking Starlight Terrace at The Oasis on Lake Travis. Beginning at 5:00 PM, this special anniversary celebration will honor four decades of providing life-changing surgical and post-surgical care to children born with cleft lip and palate in Central Texas and across Latin America.
For 40 years, Austin Smiles has brought together medical professionals, volunteers, donors, families, and community partners to ensure children born with cleft lip and palate have access to the comprehensive care they need to thrive. Since its founding, Austin Smiles has served more than 10,000 patients, transforming not only smiles, but the health, confidence, and futures of children and families throughout the communities it serves.
The 2026 Gala will be led by Gala Co-Chairs Dina Melhem and Blanca Ibarra and will feature an unforgettable evening overlooking Lake Travis, including dinner, an open bar, a lively auction, and a special live performance by Grammy Award-winning Grupo Fantasma. The evening will be emceed by Yvonne Nava of KVUE.
The celebration will also recognize two individuals whose leadership has been woven into the fabric of Austin Smiles since its earliest days. Dr. Fred Wilder and Dr. William “Bill” Gorman, both founding surgeons of Austin Smiles and current members of its Board of Directors, will receive the 8th Annual Cullington, Fox, Beckham International Service Award.
Dr. Wilder and Dr. Gorman began their work providing cleft care locally, working alongside Austin Smiles’ other founding surgeons and supporting the Central Texas Cleft Lip and Palate Team. In 1988, their vision helped Austin Smiles expand its reach beyond Central Texas with its first international medical mission to Mexico. Over the decades, those missions grew to include communities in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and other countries throughout Latin America.
Today, Austin Smiles has conducted more than 100 international medical missions, and Dr. Wilder and Dr. Gorman remain pivotal members of the organization’s legacy and leadership. Their decades of service have helped build a model of cleft care that continues to reach children both locally and internationally.
The 40th Annual Wish Upon a Smile Gala is an opportunity to celebrate that legacy while looking toward the future. Guests can participate in an online auction and raffle, support Austin Smiles through donations and sponsorships, and help ensure children born with cleft lip and palate continue to receive the care they deserve. Supporters who cannot attend in person can still participate in the celebration, with thousands expected to watch the livestream beginning at 6:30 PM on Austin Smiles’ Facebook and YouTube platforms.
Austin Smiles’ work extends far beyond surgery. In Central Texas, the organization provides wraparound support and social and emotional services to hundreds of children and families each year, helping address the many challenges that can accompany a cleft diagnosis. Internationally, medical mission teams provide surgical care alongside dental, speech, and other essential services, working with local partners to create a continuum of care for children and families.
A cleft lip and/or palate can affect a child’s ability to eat, speak, communicate, and thrive. With timely, comprehensive care, children can overcome many of these challenges and grow into healthy, confident, and productive adults. For four decades, Austin Smiles has been committed to making that care possible.
The 40th Annual Wish Upon a Smile Gala is more than an evening of celebration. It celebrates the surgeons who started the mission, the medical professionals and volunteers who have carried it forward, the families whose lives have changed, and the community that still believes every child deserves the opportunity to smile.
After 40 years and more than 10,000 patients served, Austin Smiles is celebrating how far the organization has come—and inviting the community to help shape the next chapter.
Tickets, sponsorship opportunities, donations, raffle information, and auction details are available at onecau.se/wish2026.
