John Ryan Yap: dedicated to children’s care
Programme Coordinator Samantha Devito sat down with John Ryan Yap, a recovery room nurse from the Philippines, during a recent medical mission. Read on for a question- and answer-style interview…
Kenya
Dr. Charles Kabetu’s story
Dr. Kabetu’s introduction with Operation Smile happened by accident, as he calls it. He walked into work one morning to see his name was on a list posted in the…
Philippines
Discovering the causes of cleft: part 1
Whether traveling from surrounding villages or distant islands, families in the Philippines seeking cleft surgeries for their children must sacrifice precious time and resources to reach Operation Smile medical mission…
United States
Shandra Kight: feeling a sense of belonging
The bus stopped outside the gates of Miller Adventist Hospital in Cebu City. Dozens of medical and non-medical volunteers filed off the bus and onto the hospital grounds taking photos…
Ethiopia
The solution
Her name means “solution.” The moment Meheftehe was born, she was in desperate need of just that. Meheftehe suffered from a severe facial cleft which extended from her right eye…
Mexico
A newfound confidence
As Senaida sat next to her son Virgilio, she couldn’t help but smile widely when she looked at him. Since 21-year-old Virgilio’s severe bilateral cleft lip was repaired during Operation…
Vietnam
A second chance to smile
Energetic and talkative, Bui loved preschool. As he bounced around the playground in his rural Vietnamese community, the 3-year-old paid no mind to his cleft lip while playing ball games…
Nicaragua
When all seems lost, hope appears
Shocked and heartbroken when her baby Valeska was born with a cleft lip, Zorida received more discouraging news within the first moments of her daughter’s life. No sooner than learning…