LI Nurse Born With Cleft Lip Running, Raising Money For 'Smiles'

STONY BROOK, NY —When Margaret Kroll hits the streets of New York City to run a grueling 26.2 miles next month, she will feel lucky. The Stony Brook University Hospital surgical nurse and Suffolk County resident was born with a cleft lip and palate in South Korea and will be running to help children all over the world with the same condition.

Kroll was adopted at six months old by an American family and was able to receive needed corrective surgeries, a little late but not enough to cause her permanent issues. Many babies around the globe are born with the same congenital abnormality in places unequipped for the relatively simple necessary surgeries.

Smile Train, the charity Kroll will run for, says 1 in 700 babies globally are born with a cleft palate, which left uncorrected can cause problems eating, speaking and even hearing.

"My experiences having surgeries at a young age definitely inspired me to enter the medical field," Kroll told Patch.

In second grade she underwent a major surgery that left a lasting mark on her, her seventh lifetime surgery up to that point.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she used running as a stress release and signed up for the New York City marathon in 2020, her first ever. But the pandemic canceled her race, so she decided to go out and run 26.2 miles in her neighborhood that day anyway.

This year, on November 7, Kroll will run her first official marathon.

"I knew I wanted to run for an organization I care about," she explained. Smile Train helps train local practitioners in cleft lip surgeries in Africa, Asia and South America so they can continue providing the service after the nonprofit has left.

"I like how they don't just go in and do the surgery and leave," Kroll reflects.

Having timely surgery can prevent children from experiencing issues with eating and speech so Smile Train's approach appealed to her.

So far she has raised over $4,000 for the cause.

"I have really supportive and generous friends and family."

And as for the 26.2-mile distance, Kroll isn't worried.

"I've been putting in the time and the miles and crossing those New York City bridges will, I think, carry me through."