Operation Smile
Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen, a nurse and clinical social worker. In 1982, the Magees traveled to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children's cleft lips and cleft palates. They discovered hundreds of children ravaged by deformities, and although they helped many children, the volunteers were forced to turn away the majority of those who sought help. The Magees saw the need for help, and Operation Smile was born.
Many people don’t know what a cleft palate is and how it can psychologically affect children who have one. This non-profit was started to raise awareness in third-world countries that cleft palates are not a curse, but simply a birth defect that can be fixed. During an Operation Smile standard International Medical Mission, a team of credentialed medical professionals from around the world travel to an Operation Smile partner country to treat children during a two-week period. On a typical International Medical Mission, 300-500 children receive full medical evaluations and 100-150 children are surgically treated.
Donate your time and money to help put a smile on a child's face, and change their view of themselves. The more people who take the time to think about how they can help, the better.
