Stories You Make Possible | Operation Smile

Honduras

On one side of the screening table, volunteers dressed in blue personal protective equipment. On the other, patients and families answer questions and provide information about their journey to the surgical program in Honduras.

Scenes of Hope and Healing: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Last month in Tegucigalpa, 112 patients arrived to receive screening during one of Operation Smile Honduras’ largest surgical programs since the onset of the pandemic.

Global

The Magees pose for a family photo during a surgical program. Operation Smile photo.

A Family’s Mission to Help Others Spans Across 40 Years of Love and Leadership

Attending surgical programs as a child left a lasting impression on Dr. Billy Magee and influenced who he is as a surgeon. But as a father, the impression was deep enough that he jumped at the chance to give his oldest son, Liam, an opportunity to have a similar experience during a recent program in Rwanda.

Malawi

Sunday, 1 year old, is held by his mother while beside a photo of him before surgery at the roaming post-operative check-up at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, in March 2019.

A Brighter Day for Sunday

Esner refused to let her son’s future be consumed by harmful gossip and whispers. Sunday’s happiness and well-being motivated her to find a solution.

Global

Dozens of female medical volunteers attending the Lima, Peru, Women in Medicine surgical program pose for a group photo. The women are wearing blue shirts and raising their hands in celebration.

Volunteer Voices: Women in Medicine, Lima, Peru

An Operation Smile signature initiative pursuing the goal of providing access to safe surgery and cleft care for 1 million patients over the next decade, Women in Medicine aims to close the gender gap in health care leadership so that more patients can receive care in more places.

Ecuador

Wearing a black Adidas jacket, clinical coordinator Homaire Caicedo of Ecuador speaks with families during screening at a 2019 surgical program in Quito, Ecuador.

Educate, Enrich, Empower: Q&A with Clinical Coordinator Homaire Caicedo

With August being National Breastfeeding Month, Homaire Caicedo is actively spreading awareness about the importance of supporting breastfeeding mothers as early as possible in their child’s development.

Guatemala

Leyda and her mom sit across from one another and share a special moment looking into each other's eyes before it's time for Leyda to enter the operating room. Before her sixth attempt at cleft lip surgery, Leyda arrived with her mom to Escuintla, Guatemala, with hopes of finally leaving with a new smile.

Serving More People in More Places: Operation Smile Champion Program

Piloted in Escuintla, Guatemala, the Operation Smile Champion Program brought together experienced volunteers to educate Guatemalan mentees with the goal of helping more families access timely cleft care.

Brazil

During a surgical program in Santarem, Brazil, Fredy sleeps soundly in his hospital bed following his cleft lip surgery.

“His surgery was the best gift ever”

A once exciting ultrasound appointment quickly took a turn in a way that Naira never imagined.

Malawi

Wearing a surgical gown, Julita plays with a ball in the arms of pre- and post-operative nurse Donald Mlombwa of Malawi while psycosocial care provider Cathy Cheonga of Malawi helps them feel familiar with an anesthesia mask during an Operation Smile Malawi surgical program in 2022.

Helping Heal Through Therapeutic Play: Q&A with Psychosocial Care Provider Cathy Cheonga

In this Q&A, Cathy Cheonga shares what drives her to help patients and parents overcome the challenges they face as well as what ambitions she has for Operation Smile Malawi.

Ghana

After living 66 years with an untreated cleft lip, Iddrisah shows off his new smile while holding a "before" image of himself two years after receiving surgery from Operation Smile Ghana.

Before Discovering Surgery, Iddrisah Finds Love

Although Iddrisah doesn’t precisely remember what his bullies said to him growing up, he still recalls the exact moment he first laid eyes on the woman who would eventually become his wife.

Title
Make Your Gift

Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft condition. Your gift today will help transform lives and increase access to essential surgical care.