OPERATION SMILE: THE JOURNEY HOME
The Christmas season has always been a celebration for children—a time for them to marvel at colorful lights, lanterns and grand Christmas trees, and to relish stories about a fat-bearded man in a red suit who graciously gives out gifts to nice kids.

But while others girls her age asked Santa Claus for pretty dolls and clothes, five-year-old Angel Torres prayed for something so simple, yet seemingly impossible for her—a smile.

Born with a cleft deformity, Angel spent most of her time inside the house, as her mother feared that other kids would just make fun of her.

Cleft abnormality is something that can be repaired easily, but the operation can be quite costly and something that Angel’s parents could not afford.

All that changed when Operation Smile conducted a medical mission and Angel was among those who were fortunate enough to be operated on by a team of medical experts.

Angel’s grandmother Lisa Buenaventura tearfully narrated how happy her granddaughter was the very first time she saw herself smiling. She also recalled how Angel was very excited to use a drinking straw, and would drink everything from a straw even if it was only water.

Angel is the little girl featured in the Operation Smile television commercial entitled “Beggar” where she played a sampaguita vendor who dropped all her earnings in the can of an old beggar just to see him smile.

It may be hard for some to comprehend how such a small and natural thing such as a smile can be so important, but as the TVC emphasized; “For those who can’t, a smile is worth everything.”
 
Changing lives
According to Roberto Manzano, president and executive director of Operation Smile Philippines, oral cleft is among the top 12 congenital defects in the Philippines and poses a serious health and social problem to the country.

A cleft is an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. It is a congenital defect that occurs early in a child’s embryonic development, usually between the fourth and sixth week of pregnancy when the fetus’ facial structure develops. If the bones do not connect correctly, the child is born with a cleft lip, a cleft palate or both.

Oral cleft is a serious medical and social problem that is left largely unattended. There are no organized public programs to address the problem, which makes Operation Smile’s work urgent and important.

“An estimated 4,000 or one in every 500 are born every year with a harelip, cleft palate or both. If left untreated, some 400 of them will not live to see their first birthday; another 480 will die before reaching the age of five, Manzano told The Sunday Times Magzine.

Manzano added that cleft children suffer from low birth weight, which is difficult to correct owing to the nature of their deformity.

But besides from its health implications, cleft children also suffer emotionally, as they are shunned and ridiculed making them more withdrawn and isolated.

Cleft children who do not undergo corrective surgery by age 10 will have lifelong speech issues and those who forego formal education eventually grow into adulthood with little or no social or employable skills and therefore become totally dependent on their families; in fact, they are classified as persons with disability (PWD) because of the severe disadvantage posed by their deformity.

The irony of it all is that cleft abnormality can easily be repaired by medical professionals in as short as 45 minutes.

Smile doctors
Founded by Dr. William and Kathy Magee, the idea of a volunteer organization dedicated to oral cleft care came about following a medical mission in Naga City that the Magees joined in 1982.

Dr. Magee and his wife, a nurse and social worker, went to the Philippines with other medical volunteers to treat children with cleft lips and other facial deformities. There, the couple saw the gravity of the situtaion and the determined desire of the parents to have their children treated.

“We had planned on operating only on 40 children that day, but 300 showed up on surgery day so as much as we didn’t want to do it, we had to turn back the rest untreated with a heavy heart,” Dr. William shared with The Sunday Times Magazine.

“It was overwhelming. Every one of their parents was tugging on our sleeve to see what we could do for them.”

Dr. William said he made a promise that day to return and treat more, and as a fulfillment of that pledge, the couple have been coming back several times each year for the past 30 years and has extended their mission not only to the Philippines but also to other developing countries.

“Initially it was because of guilt feelings of having to turn away those people who somehow depended on us. But what started as a one-time youthful adventure eventually became our lifetime personal crusade,” the kind doctor added.

After the Philippines, their efforts spread to Liberia, Ghana, China and other spots worldwide. Today, Operation Smile has programs in 25 countries and an international network of 5,000 medical professionals and other volunteers. It coordinates more than 30 medical missions each year. The organization’s volunteers have treated more than 100,000 children and young adults over the years.

Dr. William also trains physicians in craniofacial techniques through the organization’s annual Physicians’ Training Program, which more than 650 healthcare professionals have attended.

Way back home
In the past three decades, Operation Smile has provided medical evaluations to 2 million indigent individuals around the world of whom 200,000 received free reconstructive surgeries. An eighth of those treated globally or nearly 25,000 are Filipinos, making the Philippines the biggest beneficiary of Operation Smile.

In November, the organization celebrated its 30th anniversary aptly dubbed “The Journey Home” to reflect their roots in the country, and embarked on its biggest international medical mission.

Some 300 volunteers from 35 countries arrived in the country to join Filipino volunteers and perform free reconstructive surgeries on 1,500 indigent cleft children in the cities of Naga, Angeles, Silay, Cagayan de Oro, Manila, Dasmariñas, Cebu and General Santos. During their month-long missions they’ve visited nine cities, conducted more than 8,000 free healthcare evaluations, provided 6,110 free dental treatments and performed 1,219 free reconstructive surgeries.

Dr. William said their 30th year anniversary is a great time to “really thank everybody in retrospect for being part of developing what is today Operation Smile.”

“We’ve come a long way in the past 30 years and because of the remarkable nature of Filipinos we’ve been able to put things together and perfect Operation Smile and export it to 60 countries. It also shows people can expect from us in the next decade,” he said.

“The past is very fleeting and you could only pat yourself on the back for a very short while, because time keeps moving on and if we could not meet the challenge and the needs we have today then we are not going to be of any relevance.”

“If we continue to live of our past then we are nothing, but if we can take a look at what we have learned from the past and perfect our future then we’ll create something new and exciting once again.”

Dr. William stated he already lost count on the number of times he has visited the country and admits that he keeps coming back because of the sights, the food and the people.

“I just really love being with the people. I’m not much of a sightseeing guy by nature but I love human interaction . . . whether it’s with the ordinary country folks and their families or a high level government dignitary you learn something from everybody and the ability to exchange ideas and learn from one another is to me the excitement of living.

“I love the hospitality of Filipinos and their warmth, their energy, their smile and the fact that they make you feel welcome the moment you step off the plane,” he affirmed

How has Operation Smile changed over the years?

“When we first started, we had almost nothing but the meager supplies we had and the safety wasn’t anywhere near what it is today, and through our combined efforts we were able to sustain Operation Smile for the past 30 years.”

As far as funding and looking for volunteers, Dr. William related, “We never ever tried to ask for sponsorship or convince anybody to join. I think it’s a very viral thing and when they see what we are doing and if it touches their hearts they become a part of it.

“Like I said, reason leads to conclusions but its emotion that leads to action. Everybody knew that these kids existed out there but until you get touched emotionally then you don’t get called into action.”

What fulfillment do they get from all these?

“You only receive what you give, and the more you give the more you receive. But you can’t ask to receive. You have to give for the right reasons. My wife and I, our family has been very blessed. We grew up with wonderful parents and wonderful opportunities and 30 years ago we saw a situation that touched us and changed the course and the direction of our lives and our family’s life. We have met wonderful people all over the world regardless of their religion or culture or geographic origin and I think what we gained is the sense of beauty of people worldwide—not negativity but real beauty. Most people have not exposed and most people haven’t had the chance to see the depth that we had so it has actually been a gift for us.”

He then urged Filipinos to get involved simply by utilizing today’s smartphone technology and be part of Operation Smile through their donations.

“For just a small amount you can help change the life of a child somewhere. Those individuals could be the people who could change the face of the Philippines— much bigger than any corporation, much bigger than any government program, its everyday people that are the ones who can change our world and that’s the truth.”