Hi, my name is Natalie, and this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever written.

I’m 22 years old, and every day I look in the mirror wondering what it would feel like to finally see a smile I’m not ashamed of. I know that for some people braces are just a normal part of growing up. Unfortunately, my family could never afford orthodontic treatment when I was younger, and now I’m trying to fix, on my own, something that should have been treated years ago.

My mother is retired, and my father already works hard to pay for my medical school education. They have always done everything they could for me, but braces have simply never been something our family could afford. I don’t blame them—I know they’ve sacrificed so much so I can have a future.

I’m studying medicine because my dream is to become a doctor and spend my life helping other people. I want to make people feel healthier, safer, and more confident. Sometimes it feels ironic that while I’m working toward helping others, I struggle to smile confidently myself.

Living with my bite has affected much more than my appearance. I think about it every single day. I notice it when I speak, when I meet new people, and especially when someone asks me to smile for a photo.

Sometimes I catch myself covering my mouth when I laugh without even realizing it. Other times, I avoid smiling altogether because I don’t want people to notice my teeth. It’s exhausting to constantly think about something that most people never have to think about.

More than anything, I dream of the day when smiling feels natural instead of something I have to hide.

This treatment is also about my health. Correcting my bite would improve my oral health and help me breathe more comfortably, as I also struggle with enlarged adenoids. Braces are the first step, and later I’ll need jaw surgery to fully correct my bite.

I’m not asking for luxury or something cosmetic just for the sake of appearance. I’m asking for the chance to finally begin treatment that would improve both my health and my confidence.

There is another part of my story that is difficult to talk about.

When I was 12, my family tried to save money by choosing a more affordable dental treatment. It was the best decision they could make with the resources they had at the time. Sadly, during that treatment I lost one of my teeth.

For the past 10 years, I’ve been living without it. Every time I smile or look in the mirror, I’m reminded of something that could never be fixed because we simply couldn’t afford the treatment I truly needed. Braces would finally allow me to begin correcting my bite and create the foundation for replacing that missing tooth in the future.

Every donation, no matter how small, brings me closer to that first appointment. And if you’re not able to donate, sharing my campaign would mean just as much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I truly hope that one day I’ll be able to look in the mirror, smile without hesitation, and remember that it was made possible because kind people believed in me.