By: Stephany Suarez

What is Operation Smile?

 In a few words, it is a children’s
charity organization

 Surgically fix a severe cleft condition

in children worldwide
 A facial birth defect:

birth defects that affect the upper lip and the roof of the mouth.
 They are a team of specialists aiming
to put a child’s smile back on their
face.
 Why do cleft lip and palate
occur?

 Because of problems with genes

passed down from one or both
parents
 Drugs, viruses, or other toxins can
all cause such birth defects.
 FACTS
 More than 200,000 children are
born with a severe cleft condition
each year

 Disadvantages?
o Unable to speak
o Unable to eat
o Unable to smile
o Often unable to socialize
 Missions
 A typical mission lasts two weeks
 300-500 children receive free,
thorough, medical evaluations
 100-150 children receive free,
surgical procedures
 Who goes?
 A team of trained professionals including:
o Surgeons
o Anesthesiologists
o Nurses
o Pediatricians
o Dentists
 Volunteers
 Interpreters
 Two High-School Students
Students making a Difference
 Why are these surgeries
performed?

 Usually families cannot afford the

$240.00 surgery

 Raise awareness on this life-

threatening issue, and provide
solutions to families – no matter
their financial state
Where are these surgeries
performed?
 Over 50 countries

 From Caribbean
and South
American
countries to
African and Asian
countries
 Operation Smile began in
1982 thanks to:

Dr. Bill Magee and

Kathy Magee
 History
 In 1982, they both traveled to the Philippines
with a groups of medical volunteers to fix
children’s cleft palates.
 After seeing the hardships these children and
their families went through, and coming back
to the States, Operation Smile was formed
 In 1987 The Physicians' Training
Program was launched in Norfolk, with
physicians from Operation Smile mission
countries.

 The first inaugural mission of Operation

Smile was to Colombia in 1988, then to
Vietnam and Ghana in 1989
(Dr. Bill Magee, initiated the Vietnam mission and
treated 100 Vietnamese children suffering from
childhood facial deformities. )
 The Magee’s daughter, Brigette,
began the first “Happy Club” for
Operation Smile alongside a friend
at her high school here in Virginia
 Operation Smile's first International
Student Leadership Conference
began in Norfolk, VA,
 Operation Smile's first Chapter
Conference was held in Virginia
Beach, VA.
 EXPANDING

 In 1998, World Headquarters for

Operation Smile was established in a
60,000-square-foot warehouse and
office facility in Norfolk.
 Awards and Honors
 In 1986, Operation Smile received a
letter of commendation from Mother
Theresa
 In 1990, the President’s Volunteer Action
Award was given to Operation Smile by
President George H. W. Bush
 Humanitarian Prize received in 1996
 In 1999, during the World Journey of
Hope, a volunteer team met Pope John
Paul II, who acknowledged Operation
Smile’s efforts.
 Reaching out even more
 WORLD CARE

Sadly, the disfigurements on children are sometimes too

severe to take care of in a two-week period.

The World Care Program helps by taking one guardian and

the child to a different country to stay with a host family
for about a month for a thorough surgery and recovery
can be performed and monitored
 Patient of the World Care
program

 Sharon Chebet from Kenya.

 Happy endings

 Sharon and her mother 3 weeks after her

surgery in Norfolk
ANY QUESTIONS?


 References:
 http://darainhadk.blogspot.com/
 http://www.operationsmile.org/
 http://www.cleftline.org/
 https://health.google.com/health/ref/Cleft
+lip+and+palate