Have you heard of Operation Smile? If you haven’t, please read on..

Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee, 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 and Operation Smile was born.

Some of Operation Smile’s achievements include the following:

• Since 1982, Operation Smile’s volunteers have provided free re-constructive surgery to more than 100,000 children and young adults and thousands of health care professionals have been trained globally.
• 86% of cash and in-kind donations go directly to programs helping children.
• Operation Smile is able to leverage every $1 donated into $5 in program support.
• Operation Smile has been distinguished by many prestigious awards, including the first $1 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to recognize outstanding contributions made to alleviate human suffering.

And did you also know that..

• for $240 Operation Smile can change a child’s life by giving the gift of a surgery? Revenue in excess of surgical costs are invested into Operation Smile’s sustainability programs, empowering their partner countries to treat more children on their own and making YOUR investment go even farther. The complete Operation Smile model is an investment of $750 per child.
• Operation Smile has created a global medical institution comprised of a worldwide network of teaching hospitals and university partners including Yale University, Harvard University, Chang Gung Hospital and University (China), and the University of Southern California?

So if you’d like to help these children, here’s what YOU can do:

• Donate to Operation Smile. No amount is too little especially if it comes from the heart :) Please note that ONLY Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover cards are accepted.
• Be a medical volunteer, whether you’re a doctor or a medical student. You may want to read about the 80-year-old volunteer, Jo Breitwieser (puts us all to shame).
• Tell a friend about Operation Smile. It takes less than a minute..
• Sign up for the newsletter. This takes even less than 30 seconds and is definitely a GREAT way of learning more about cleft lips and cleft palates.
• Attend an Operation Smile event (if you stay in the US, that is).
• Shop to benefit. Products range from outdoor recreational products to calendars to fine jewellery to “Smile Movie” DVD (an Operation Smile student volunteer’s experience on a medical mission was the inspiration for the feature film “Smile”). Or you may want to check out Operation Smile’s online store for other more customized products.

  So if YOU can make a difference now, WHY wait?