Operation Smile Changes the Lives of 130 Kids

Over 130 children and adults with cleft lip and cleft palate were given free surgery and free medical evaluation in this year’s Operation Smile.

66 volunteers from 8 countries consisting of Plastic Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Pediatric Intensivists, Pediatricians, Dentists, Clinical Coordinators, Operating Room Nurses, Recovery Room Nurses, Pre/Post Op Nurses, Speech Pathologists, Child Life Specialists, Biomedical Technicians, Medical Records Staff, Patient Imaging Technicians, IFS Researchers, and Student Volunteers made the Operation Smile in the Philippines for this year a success.

Operation Smile Philippines executive director Angel Mojica said that 252 patients were screened and 131 were operated but promised to come back next year to accommodate the others.

Photo by Gabriel Bumanglag

Patients not only came from Cebu but also from Mindanao.

The youngest patient that was operated was a 6 month year old child and oldest was a 49 year old man.

Dr. William Magee Jr., CEO and Co-founder of Operation became emotional after narrating his experiences with Operation Smile. He talked about how a 45-minute surgery would change a kids life forever.

Photo by Gabriel Bumanglag

Naga City, Camarines Sur was the birthplace of Operation Smile in 1982 since then Operation Smile continued its mission to help kids with cleft palate and cleft lips bringing them a smile that would change not only the kids lives but also the lives of the volunteers. Since its creation over 33,000 patients received free surgery, more than 250 volunteers gave their time and effort, and with the collaboration of hospitals and other locally based organization made Operation Smile possible.

Operation Smile also leads the research on the causes of cleft lip and cleft palate, how to prevent it, treatment, and surgical outcomes. Operation Smile also advocates the importance of safe surgery. (ASC)