Remembering Margaret Frame, Who Changed the World One Stitch at a Time

Smile Train UK, along with our entire global Smile Train family, mourns the loss of Margaret Frame, a truly one-of-a-kind Smilemaker, who passed away near her home in Keighley this month at age 86. Her life is a sparkling example of the power each of us has to make an enormous difference in the world right from our hometowns.

Margaret loved children and was always looking to help them in any way she could. Though she did not have a cleft herself, learning how basic treatment could completely transform a child’s life deeply moved her. She was particularly impressed by Smile Train’s model of empowering local healthcare workers the world over to provide top-notch cleft care in their own communities and was keen to do anything she could to help.

For Margaret, that thing was knitting. Knitting made her smile, though she found her greatest pleasure was in seeing her crochet creations bring joy to others. Eager to weave her two passions together, she spread the word about Smile Train to her close-knit circle of friends and got them hooked on the cause, too. They held regular meetups to knit and natter, then sold their stock to local hospitals and markets. Over the course of 18 years, they stitched together more than £17,000 for Smile Train!

But still, she longed to do more. She couldn’t stop thinking that there might be children who had never seen a hospital before going in for cleft surgery without a stuffed friend to cuddle. So she sewed teddy bears just for them.

A few of these teddies once accompanied Smile Train UK Director Ian Vallance on a trip to visit patients. He’ll never forget the smiles they brought, like a big, loving hug to children in rural Kenya straight from Margaret in Keighley.

“We were extremely saddened to hear of Margaret’s recent passing and send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones,” Ian said. “Her tireless commitment, passion, and support for Smile Train was outstanding and has directly helped us to transform the lives of children with clefts globally each year. Her kind generosity meant the world to us, and we could not be more grateful. She leaves behind a legacy that will help to create new smiles for generations to come.”