TESS Unlimited

Casa
Guatemala
Antigua
TESS Unlimited

A non-profit organization established in 2008, dedicated to providing Comprehensive Cleft Care for children born with a cleft lip and/or palate in Guatemala.

The Gift of Smile Project

Since 2008, we have helped over 4000 children in Guatemala born with a cleft lip and/or palate, which are openings in the lip and roof of the mouth, by financing their needed surgeries and pre- and post op care. The life of a child with a lip deformity is extremely difficult as it is prone to illness because their respiratory system is exposed. Most babies we find are e

xtremely malnourished since breastfeeding is challenging due to the deformity. Poverty also leads to less milk production for the mothers, and buying milk powder is too expensive. A child with a visible deformity will most likely not go to school because the families are ashamed for their child to be seen. Tess Unlimited searches children and adults with lip deformities in Guatemala. Before surgery is considered, the baby needs to have the correct weight and strong health level. To accomplish this, the child will follow our Milk Project in which we provide milk, special feeding bottles and medicines to the families in order to prepare it for surgery. When the baby is malnourished, the child goes directly to the hospital through our Hospital Project in which we finance their needed care. After the first surgery of closing the lip, one year needs to be considered before the second surgery of closing the palate takes place. Following the surgeries, after-care is needed consisting of speech therapy, dental care, psychological care and check-ups. All the steps taken in the child’s journey are supported and financed by us. With our help the child will be more likely to get an education, a more healthy life and at the end of their journey, a beautiful smile on their face! For more information about our projects, please visit www.tessunlimited.com

15/06/2026

Rhinoplasty is more than just surgery. Sometimes the physical change may seem small to others, but for the person who undergoes it, the impact can be life-changing. It's about confidence, feeling comfortable in your own skin, and embracing the best version of yourself.

This is one of the reasons we started our new photography project, capturing our young adult patients after their rhinoplasty journey.

Asunción was one of our models. She had her surgery last year and returned this year for her one-year follow-up appointment. Everyone was in awe of her result—not only because of the beautiful outcome, but because of the confidence and happiness she radiated.

She is truly beautiful inside and out. And if Vogue or Victoria’s Secret don't book her soon, they're missing out. 😉 HUGS Foundation Inc.

15/06/2026

Rhinoplasty Week is here!

This week, 30 teenagers and young adults will receive rhinoplasty surgery, and we’re also welcoming back patients from last year for follow-up visits.

One of those patients is Selvin, who underwent rhinoplasty surgery and a lip revision last year. Seeing his confidence and happiness today is truly inspiring. His results are amazing, and we are so grateful to our talented surgeon, Dr. Marcelo, for the amazing surgery.

We look forward to another incredible week! HUGS Foundation Inc.

14/06/2026

A day that stays forever in your heart. 🥹✨

Today, we stepped away from our usual routine and spent a very special day with the patients who will be having rhinoplasty surgery this week. We enjoyed an amazing day at a recreational center filled with laughter, delicious food, singing, and even a few dance moves that are probably best kept between us. 💃🕺

We firmly believe that healing is also about connecting, laughing, creating memories, and feeling supported. Because beyond the surgery itself, we want every person to feel like part of a family that walks alongside them every step of the way. 🩷

We had an incredible time and are excited to support them throughout their journey this week as they begin this new chapter. ✨🙏

09/06/2026

🎉 We have amazing news! 🎉

Our surgeon, Dr. Bruno Wehncke, has been awarded the prestigious Chang Gung–Smile Train 2026 Scholarship at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. We are incredibly grateful to Smile Train Latinoamérica and the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) for making this incredible opportunity possible.

Bruno will be leaving next month and will return at the end of October. During his time in Taiwan, he will complete a three-month fellowship in cleft lip and cleft palate surgery, gaining advanced skills and experience that will greatly benefit the patients we serve.

The NCF Fellowship within the International Cleft Program is designed to support craniofacial professionals by providing advanced training opportunities that strengthen local expertise and improve access to high-quality cleft and craniofacial care around the world.

We are so proud of Bruno and incredibly excited about what this means for the future of Tess Unlimited. This opportunity represents a major step forward for our cleft community in Guatemala and will help us continue providing the highest quality care to children and families in need.

We will keep you updated on Bruno’s journey and experiences in Taiwan over the coming months.

Congratulations, Bruno! We are cheering you on every step of the way! 🇬🇹✈️🇹🇼❤️

08/06/2026

Today is Speech Therapist Day, and we want to celebrate the incredible work of our speech therapists!

One of our therapists, Gilberto, is spending the day providing speech therapy in Huehuetenango. Today he met with Brillith, who has been part of our program for 11 years, since she was just a baby.

During her session, Gilberto asked her a few questions, and we had no idea her answers would be so beautiful. The video is entirely in Spanish and does not have subtitles, but even if you don't speak Spanish, you can hear and see something truly remarkable: Brillith's speech.

She underwent VPI (speech improvement) surgery some time ago, and we are absolutely amazed by her progress. Her speech is clear, confident, and a testament to years of dedication, therapy, surgery, and hard work.

Today, we celebrate not only our speech therapists but also patients like Brillith, who inspire us every day with their determination and resilience.

We are so incredibly proud of her!

08/06/2026

A little while ago, we shared the story of these beautiful twin girls as they underwent surgery. Recently, we had the joy of seeing them again, and just look at how precious they are!

What makes these photos even more special are the proud smiles on Mom and Dad's faces. Their journey has not always been easy, but seeing their daughters healthy, growing, and thriving makes every step worthwhile.

The girls continue to be part of our milk program, and we couldn't be happier with how well they are doing. Watching them flourish is exactly why we do what we do.

Thank you to everyone who helps make stories like this possible. 💕

05/06/2026

Onesimo is a twin who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Sadly, his brother passed away when he was only a few days old.

Despite a difficult start, Onesimo has shown incredible strength. He has already received his cleft lip surgery and next week he will travel from Petén to undergo his cleft palate surgery.

The coming weeks will be very busy for our team. Over the next three weeks, we will be performing 25 cleft palate surgeries with our local surgical team and 30 rhinoplasty surgeries in partnership with HUGS.

We are in full preparation mode as we get ready to provide life-changing care to these patients and their families. Please keep Onesimo and all of our upcoming patients in your thoughts as they prepare for their surgeries.

We look forward to sharing their journeys and celebrating their successes. 💙

01/06/2026

Such a special story!

Our wonderful Yuri is one of our health promoters and speech therapists, and she brings so much love and passion to everything she does.

A few months ago, we were planning to expand our work into a new region of Guatemala where Tess Unlimited has not yet been active. Our health promoter and speech therapist, Estuardo, started building relationships there. He visited the national hospital, met with the director, and began laying the groundwork for future support. But the region is still several hours away, and when babies are born with cleft conditions, immediate support is so important.

Then something incredible happened.

At the very same time Estuardo was visiting the area, Yuri's niece who lives in this new area for us, gave birth to a beautiful baby. The family had no idea during the pregnancy, but the baby was born with a cleft lip and palate.

Of course, they were welcomed into the Tess Unlimited family with open arms. Estuardo was able to visit them right away, provide a special feeding bottle, and offer the support every family deserves in those first critical days.

Even more amazing, this family became our very first connection in this new region, helping us reach other newborns and families who may need our support in the future.

What are the chances? It truly feels like this was meant to be. ❤️

28/05/2026

We promised you… and it’s finally here! ❤️🎬

The documentary about our incredible Lidia is done.

Lidia has had a very difficult life, but she is the biggest example of strength, independence, kindness, and beauty inside and out. Today, she is a strong, big-hearted, and inspiring young woman who continues to touch the lives of everyone around her. ✨

So grab a warm coffee, a glass of wine, something tasty to snack on, and enjoy Lidia’s story.

And afterwards, please let us know what you think about our amazing Lidia. ❤️

25/05/2026

¿Están listos? 👀✨
(That means: “Are you ready?” in Spanish 😉)

Do you remember bombshell Lidia, who we posted about last week? ❤️

She has an incredible story, and very soon we will be sharing it with all of you.

Are you ready to get to know Lidia?

Dirección

Callejón 4
Antigua
03001

Teléfono

+50240954147

Página web

http://www.tessunlimited.com/

Notificaciones

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