President’s Message

Welcome to Discover the Smile Foundation’s Website! Discover the Smile was founded by a group of families who felt passionate about the need to make our children’s healthcare facilities warmer, more welcoming, and just plain fun for children and their families. Bringing smiles to the faces of children, especially those who are sick or who are scared about entering a hospital, is our simple goal - and our greatest reward.

In order to transform hospital environments, Discover the Smile - through carefully selected professional artists, designers and builders - procures custom-designed, interactive and artistic exhibits for permanent placement in hospital lobbies, waiting areas, playrooms and specialty units. Through these exhibits and artwork, we aim to make hospitals magical places where the pain, worries and stress associated with hospital visits can disappear, even if only for a short time.

The immediate benefits of our efforts are obvious: a bit of joy on a tough day; more relaxed young patients who are likely to be more cooperative and may respond better to treatment; and parents and other family members who find themselves smiling and laughing on days when they never thought they would or could. The long-term benefits may not be so obvious, but they are just as important. Wonderful and attractive state-of-the-art environments will result in superior hospitals, thus attracting the very best medical talent to serve our community and our children.

Our first initiative is working closely with Schneider Children’s Hospital, part of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. With an international reputation for excellence, Schneider Children’s Hospital, located in New Hyde Park, New York, is currently the destination for sick children worldwide. Discover the Smile has also installed artwork in the pediatric department of Schneider Children’s Hospital’s North Shore University Hospital Campus.

Discover the Smile’s supporters include individuals, families, small businesses and major corporations. We offer our supporters the opportunity to dedicate all or parts of our exhibits with customized naming plaques. Whether through monetary donation or by helping to create the artwork within our Fun-Art Initiatives, we offer our supporters the opportunity to become a meaningful part of their community, and teach their children the values and joys associated with giving.

I hope you will review the rest of our website and view our video to learn more about Discover the Smile and all the exciting exhibits we have created.

Lisa Martin
President and Founder