Just €180 and a 45 minute operation can change a Smile News child’s life Issue 12

'Bungi' – as if he didn't have a name

Joseph is his family’s youngest A local charity provided the family child and the only one born with a with transportation and lodging at no cleft lip and cleft palate. Walking cost and Joseph travelled to Cebu for in his flip-flops behind his father the chance to receive a new smile. through a poor area of San Remigio on the Philippine island of Cebu, Amid the bustling atmosphere of the the 6-year-old carries a big plastic medical mission, Joseph kept on bag and asks the neighbours to sell asking his father why they were there, him empty plastic bottles, pieces of and when Jualito explained, Joseph metal, cans and glass jars. looked at him with surprise: “So they are going to fix my lip now?” The family gathers anything of value which they sell on to ‘the boss’, who Following successful surgery, Joseph then sells those items to turn a profit. stares at himself in the mirror. He On a good day, he is paid 100 pesos can’t stop. His face is so different. (€2.25) at the most – so little for a He sees a new person – a handsome family with four children. boy.

As Joseph sorts through the rubbish, Now, Joseph has returned to school he finds a damaged toy truck and with confidence. plays with it. He smiles, but somehow his cleft lip makes his smile look as broken as the toy he found. Joseph sorting through rubbish, Joseph doesn’t attend school. “He tried before receiving surgery once, but came home crying. They call him ‘bungi,’” a derogatory word for “The first day at school, Joseph cleft, his father, Jualito explains. As if washed himself, prepared his school he didn’t have a name. bag and dressed in his uniform,” Jualito explains. ”When we got to the Sometimes the neighbourhood classroom I offered to stay with him children throw stones at him – the but he said there was no need; he same treatment they give to stray could make his own way home.” dogs. “Then he fights and comes home angry, crying and upset,” Jualito says. “He is not shy anymore. Unlike before, he likes going outdoors. Even Jualito learned about Operation if children still tease him sometimes, Smile’s work from a foreigner he met he doesn’t get mad – he knows his by chance. He was told that there was face is different now. He has more a medical mission that could repair confidence now, and maybe this will Joseph’s lip in Cebu City but thought Joseph, happy to be back at school give him a chance to get a proper job that the bus fare was far too costly. post surgery in the future." Focus on the PhilippinesOperation Smile in Morocco

Celebrating our 35th anniversary!

It was incredible to have a multi- site mission in Manila, Cebu and Legazpi, highlighting our 35th anniversary. Over 293 patients received surgery during this huge mission and were given new smiles and new futures.

Meet The Volunteer Dr. Peter McGonigal

Dr. Peter McGonigal is a retired dentist based in Dublin, who recently 35 years ago... and ask them to help us return. That travelled on medical mission to is exactly what we did, returning to the Bacolod, Philippines. He’s recapped The Philippines holds a special Philippines the following year. his mission experience below. place in Operation Smile’s history. It was there that our Co-founders In May I travelled on my first Operation As the years went by, Kathy and I Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon, Smile medical mission to Bacolod in and his wife Kathy, a nurse and continued to return to the Philippines. the Philippines as a dental volunteer. clinical social worker, were Our friends told their friends and spread I chose Operation Smile because I inspired to create Operation Smile, the word: today there are over 5,000 was impressed with their humanitarian while working on an independent medical volunteers and hundreds of ethos, and wanted to use my skill as a volunteer medical mission in 1982. thousands of children worldwide who dentist to give back. have received care." They saw the dire need and Operation I was naturally a little nervous - Smile was born - and we have been travelling to a foreign country and going back to help ever since. Operation working with a strange team under Smile’s network of accredited medical unfamiliar management will always volunteers and partners has provided arouse interest! Thankfully I’d been free surgery for hundreds of thousands prepared well by the Operation Smile of children in more than 60 countries. team, and once I arrived and began Dr Bill Magee recalls this mission in working any anxiety soon passed. 1982

"As we ended our few days in the Philippines, a lady came up to us with a ripe basket of bananas in her arms. The Philippines - Country Facts She had her eight year old daughter Population: 100.7 million by her side who had a huge hole in Capital: Manila her lip. She said, ‘’I would like to give Largest City: Quezon City these to you for trying to take care of Languages: Tagalog, English my daughter,’’ even though we had GDP per Capita: $2,904.20 turned her daughter away. This was Unemployment: 6.6% because over 300 children had arrived Life Expectancy: 68.4 years at the hospital, each accompanied by parents begging us to take care of their Operation Smile in the Philippines child. Yet, we could only take care of During the last year, Operation about 40 children. Smile has conducted 16 cleft missions and one dental mission. It was this poor woman with tears coming down her cheeks that led us The geography of the country to realise that we must do something. makes healthcare delivery more We couldn’t allow these children to complex, as the Philippines live their lives ostracized. It seemed spans more than 7,000 islands. logical for us to go back to our friends Dr. Peter McGonigal Volunteer Story

The screening area, where patients to the next mission. Operation Smile come for their medical examinations will be able to care for them at another prior to being selected for surgery, time, and this hardened my resolve to was an open-sided gymnasium about do more missions. the size of a football pitch. It filled up quickly as patients and their families Through five operating days, the arrived, eager to see the medical team, Operation Smile team worked very and hopeful of receiving surgery. hard together to provide 139 surgeries. The surgery itself was of superb Screening itself was frantically standard and scope, and it was great active, with many patients to see. It to be part of such a professional team. was also very hot! It was particularly One patient particularly stood out interesting to see the older children for me on the mission. A baby with a with cleft conditions who came to family retinue with him whose mother receive surgery. In contrast to the had passed away due to complications infants, these children were aware of with childbirth. His fate contrasted the problem they had and they were sharply for me with that of my two looking forward to their operations most recent grandsons, both of whom with quiet confidence. were younger than he was. I have four grandchildren, and it’s impossible After screening, the surgery schedule for me not to compare their lives with was announced. For those who were that of the patients in Bacolod. It was to receive surgery it was elation, and a privilege to work for those children, for those who weren’t disappointment. and to contribute to a mission that Unfortunately, sometimes patients enables them to have safe surgery. cannot receive surgery. They may not be healthy enough due to infection It was a pleasure to be a part of this or malnourishment. Sometimes medical mission, and do what I was they are too young. Any patients trained to do, plain and simple, without not offered surgery on this occasion any of the attendant complications of were provided with any necessary a busy practice. It was an honour. treatment, and invited to come again

"Mummy – what happened?"

Divina and Rene experienced despair but at school the bullying when their second child Jun Reno was so bad that she was born with a cleft lip and cleft refused to go back. palate. When Rina, their fourth child, was also born with a cleft they were Finally in November devastated. 2012, on a medical mission in Cavite, the family’s long wait came to They tried to accept that they now had an end when they saw Rina’s name on two children who would live with being the surgical schedule. stared at and bullied. Their despair was made worse knowing they could On the afternoon of her surgery, Rina never afford to pay for surgery on gave her mother a kiss and walked Rene’s small salary. confidently into the Operating Room, ready for her life to be changed forever. However, when Jun Reno was eight an Nine months after surgery, Rina’s Operation Smile Team came to Cavite When Divina was called into the mother described her as a happy, in the Philippines and he received his Recovery Room, she could not believe confident little girl who loves to play life changing lip surgery. Rina had to the change in Rina – she looked with her friends. All the name calling wait as she was too young. beautiful. Once Rina was awake, has stopped and Rina is back in school. a nurse handed her a mirror and “I am very thankful to the doctors and Two years later Rina started primary she looked at her new face. Gently nurses and appreciate them wanting to school. At home, her friends were touching her lip she asked her mother, help others.” says Rina’s mother, with accustomed to the hole in her mouth, “What happened?” tears in her eyes. How you can help Just €180 and a our last edition of Smile News! So Feedback many supporters called, emailed 45 minute and wrote to me about why they operation can choose to support Operation Smile. In particular, the positive comments change a about Enok from in our child’s life cover story were truly touching. His new smile and transformed life was a story that clearly moved so many of you as well as the whole team at Operation Smile! P.S. Please send along any questions or comments you have Thanks to all of you who took the about our work. Write to me, call on time to reach out. 01 6676659, or email me at [email protected]

It was lovely to hear from so many Mairéad @ of you after asking for feedback in Donor Care Officer

Experience the joy of a child's transformation by watching our YouTube videos. Get real-time updates on our Twitter feed: @OpSmileIrl – then share the smiles and spread the word on Facebook. This newsletter costs just 12c to print. Please share with friends and family, or leave it at your doctor's surgery for others to read. 

YES! I’ll make a regular donation SEPA DIRECT DEBIT MANDATE: PLEASE READ AND COMPLETE By signing this mandate form, you authorise (A) Operation Smile to send instructions to help change a child's life to your bank to debit your account and (B) your bank to debit your account in accordance with the instructions from Operation Smile. As part of your rights, you are entitled to a refund from your bank under the terms and conditions of your agreement with your bank. A refund must be claimed within 8 weeks starting from the date on which your account I would like to partner with Operation Smile to provide even was debited. Your rights are explained in a statement that you can obtain from your bank. more life-changing surgeries for children born with cleft lip and NOTE: Please complete all fields marked * below so your payment can beproperly processed. cleft palate. I pledge my monthly gift, debited on the (please tick Your Name:* one) ☐ 3rd or the ☐ 18th of every month, of: Your Address:* ☐ €9 Monthly ☐ €15 Monthly ☐ €21 Monthly* ☐ My Choice Of € ______Monthly (please specify) Your City/Postcode:* *PAYE and self-assessed taxpayers: when you give €21 or more Country:* BIC: monthly you can help Operation Smile claim charity tax back from Revenue, to do 45% more good for children born with clefts at no IBAN:* added cost to you. ☐ Tick box if you are pledging €21 or more and *All Direct Debit mandates now require your IBAN number. This number can be receive your free tax-back form. found on any recent bank statement.

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Please complete and send this form to: Operation Smile Ireland, 31 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4, D04 V8N9 Emer accepts Get involved a cheque from a pizza night fundraiser she ran with Eco Pizzeria in Emer’s Fundraising Story Gorey

Transition Year Student, Emer O’Doherty, from Gorey, has raised over €6,000 for Operation Smile this year. Read her story here Upcoming events

Emer, why did you decide to get involved with Operation Friday, 27th October, Operation Smile Ireland 15th Smile? Anniversary Forum Day, University College Dublin – Join us to learn about what happens on an Operation Smile mission, I first heard about Operation Smile a little over a year ago, meet some of our volunteers, and discover our exciting plans from my cousin who was involved and went on a medical for the future. mission as a student volunteer. I was instantly intrigued. The more she told me about it the more I knew I wanted to Friday, 17th November, Operation Smile Luncheon – help help and get involved in any way that I could. us to celebrate 15 years of Operation Smile Ireland at the Mansion House in Dublin City Centre. I contacted Operation Smile and found that everyone was so friendly and welcoming and I soon headed off to San Wednesday, 6th December, Carols by Candlelight, Diego for the International Student Leadership Conference Monkstown Parish Church, Monkstown, Co. Dublin - With 2016. There I heard more about the amazing work that festive singing and candlelight, this promises to be a wonderful Operation Smile does and I started to think about what I start to the festive season. We’d love to see you there! could do help. For more information on any of these events please What’s your approach to fundraising? contact us at 01 6676659/ [email protected] or keep an eye on our website at www.operationsmile.ie I find that when fundraising, the first and most important step, in my opinion, is creating awareness. I’m always sure Fundraisers to put a lot of extra time and effort into informing people of what Operation Smile is all about. Once people hear about Sarah Douglas of the what the children are suffering from and going through, Operation Smile DIT they are always so eager and generous to donate and Club presents a cheque help. I myself was completely overwhelmed after the first to Mairéad O’Callaghan fundraiser I had by the support of my community. of Operation Smile. Congratulations What’s next for you with Operation Smile? to Sarah who was awarded a Youth For the future, I have of course more fundraising ideas and Leadership Award by plans in mind. I applied to be mission trained earlier this the DIT Societies Office year, so that I can travel on a medical mission as a student for her great work volunteer. And so, I am going to Rome this summer to attend throughout the year! the 2017 International Student Leadership Conference, and Mission Training Workshop. I will hopefully be going on a medical mission with Operation Smile before Christmas. I am really looking forward to all of it.

How do you feel about going on a medical mission?

Since last year I have spoken to a few people who’ve been on a medical mission with operation Smile and have told me about how much of an amazing experience it is. The stories I’ve heard are amazing and the difference that this organisation makes to people’s lives is incredible. I look forward to being a part of it in the future. Well done to Smile Ambassador Sinéad Ní Ghríofa and St. Olaf’s Primary School Choir from Dundrum, Co. Dublin who raised over €1,000 for Operation Smile!

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Madagascar landscape of the health system. Antsirabe in particular, sees a higher than usual prevalence of cleft conditions, in part due to the presence An overwhelming need of former uranium mines. (Source: Pr Richard Rakotoarison Publication). Our aims are to provide access to surgery and to minimise the financial impact on patients and families.

Operation Smile continues to offer training sessions and 224 health professionals have already benefited from these programmes. To ensure that all patients requiring care are found, we are working with healthcare workers in primary clinics to register cleft babies from birth and are partnering with the midwife council to identify cleft patients. The in-country team have also set up a hotline for year round referrals – the success of these measures can be seen in the numbers attending the last mission. The role of Operation Smile is to ensure that we are able to support the health system in providing care for these patients now, and in the future.

Planned Mission Schedule for 2017

Screening day in Antsirabe, 6-8 July UAE Abu Dhabi Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. There are extremely limited health resources 15-20 July Egypt Alexandria and its population has very little access to safe and 23-29 July China Wenshan effective healthcare. In Madagascar, there is less than 16-23 August Durgapur one physician and two nurses per 10,000 people, compared to 32 doctors and 79 nurses in Europe. The 16-23 August China Baoshan total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP 17-26 August Zomba in Ireland is 10.1% - in Madagascar, the total spend 18-26 August Philippines Cavite is 3% 18-26 August Philippines Isabela Utilising our expertise of mobilising volunteer teams, 20-25 August Honduras Santa Rosa de Copan Operation Smile has been working in Madagascar 23 Aug-2 September Mexico Puebla since 2007 – providing 5524 medical evaluations and 5-12 September China Huhhot undertaking 2422 surgeries for patients with cleft lip and cleft palate in 15 missions. The need is overwhelming – 16-23 September Paraguay Asuncion at the last mission held in Antsirabe in May 2017, 533 20-27 September China Shandong patients arrived for screening, highlighting the importance 12-24 October Bolivia Santa Cruz of a long term strategy in order to be able to cope with this backlog. 18-25 October China Zhenxiong 28 Oct - 4 November Honduras Tegucigalpa The risk of death while under general anaesthesia is as 1 November India TBD high as one in 150 in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, in high income countries this figure is one in 200,000. 2-11 November Ghana TBD 3-10 November Madagascar Tamatave Operation Smile is undertaking a range of activities in 4-10 November Nicaragua Managua Madagascar designed to not only provide surgery to those with a cleft condition, but also to improve the wider surgical 8-15 November China Zijin

ExperienceExperience the the joy joy of of a a child’s child’s transformation transformation by by watching watching our our YouTube YouTube videos. videos. Get Get real-time real-time updatesupdates on on our our Twitter Twitter feed feed @OpSmileIrl @OpSmileIrl Then Then share share the the smiles smiles and and spread spread the the word word on on Facebook. Facebook.

OnceOnce you’ve you’ve read read this this issue issue of of ‘Smile ‘Smile News’ News’ help help us us to to raise raise awareness awareness of of our our work work by by sharing sharing it itwith with family family and and friends, friends, or or leaving leaving it itat at your your doctor’s doctor’s surgery surgery for for others others to to read. read.