Run for Smiles: Michael Dehal’s Journey with the Chicago Marathon — and on to London

Michael Dehal believes he has found the secret to success: Routines.

Every day, Michael wakes at 5:00 AM, meditates for 30 minutes, prays at his local Sikh temple for 20 minutes, runs a 5K, and then heads downtown to his office as a Senior Portfolio Manager at Dehal Investment Partners of Raymond James Ltd, an independent investment company in Toronto.

"Working in financial markets means constant pressure — clients, meetings, calls. That morning routine keeps me balanced," he says.

But in 2025, that routine evolved into something even greater.

From Challenge to Confidence

Michael was born with a cleft lip and palate. Though he grew up in Canada with access to top-tier healthcare, his journey was far from easy: multiple surgeries, eight years of braces, and countless hours in speech therapy.

In school, Michael was bullied, shy, and withdrawn. He avoided speaking because he was too self-conscious to raise his hand.

"I always got 0 out of 10 in participation," he recalls. "I hid behind my dad because I was so worried about how I looked and spoke."

But his father refused to be his hiding place. He knew Michael was as capable as anyone. His cleft just meant he would need to work even harder.

“When you have a cleft, you learn resilience, you learn grit,” he said.

Michael went on to earn an MBA in finance, become a certified public accountant, and build his own successful practice.

A Global Voice in Finance, Grounded by Experience

Today, Michael travels the world to speak on market trends and makes regular appearances on BNN Bloomberg, Reuters, and CNBC — a trusted expert in predicting how people will react to the unexpected.

But despite his global platform, his cleft story keeps him grounded. It reminds him daily of the importance of giving back.

Initially, his philanthropy focused on supporting orphanages in Punjab, India, where his family has roots. But one moment shifted everything: seeing a baby photo of himself before cleft surgery.

“That was an ‘Oh, wow’ moment,” he said. “I was really taken aback.”  

That led him to Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity. Soon, he traveled to India to see their work firsthand. 

A Smile Train Connection

In India, he met a mother holding her baby with a cleft, overwhelmed with fear. Michael shared his own story with her — and saw her shivers turn into a smile.

"My experience in India was exactly what I was looking for in a cleft charity," he said. "Smile Train supports children through every stage — surgery, speech therapy, orthodontics, dental care, and more. That full-journey approach sets them apart."

Inspired, Michael joined the Board of Smile Train Canada Foundation to bring together his lived experience, leadership, and professional network to make an impact.

The Power of Shared Experiences

In July 2025, Michael attended his first Cleft Con, Smile Train’s annual community event. There, in Orlando, he found something he never had growing up: a cleft community.

“It was my first time being in a room with so many other people who have a cleft. Sharing stories, you could see there was such a common denominator among us. We all grew up telling people, ‘I got into an accident, that’s what my scar is.’ I wish we had had something like this when I was growing up.”  

Running for Smile Train: the Chicago Marathon

With his purpose clearer than ever, Michael took on his next challenge: running the 2025 Chicago Marathon with Team EMPOWER, Smile Train’s global endurance athletics community. 

Naturally, he prepared by setting a routine. He carved out time to run mornings, weekends, even on work trips to other countries — always while wearing his Smile Train shirt so people would ask about it.

Then he injured his knee — just a week before race day.

He ran the race anyway. When the pain grew intense, he thought of his father, who passed away a few years ago. “He taught me resilience, kindness, and strength growing up with a cleft,” Michael said. “Every step I took was in his honor.”

When the pain grew unbearable, he thought of the kids he was helping through Smile Train and all they endure. 

He crossed the finish line, then immediately signed up to run the London Marathon for Team EMPOWER in 2026.

Next Up: London Marathon for Cleft Awareness

His strategy for fundraising for London? Simple, honest, and deeply personal: he posts his childhood cleft photo across social media, showing friends, clients, and colleagues what these children face — and what belief and support can achieve.

Michael’s message to others with clefts is clear:

"Stay strong and be positive. It’s a difficult journey, but keep your mind strong and your spirits high, and it will build your confidence. I promise you the resilience you learn from your cleft will benefit you later in life, whatever you go on to do. Get up early, do something with your mind, your body, and your spirit. I always say that if you win the morning, you'll win the day.”

Join Michael. Empower Children. Change Lives.

Michael’s story is proof that discipline, heart, and purpose can change lives — yours and those of children in need.