On a mission to heal smiles
I first learned about Operation Smile as a result of Microsoft involvement with the international medical charity. And what I learned really impacted me.
Cleft lip and cleft palate affect children’s lives in so many ways. They face not only physical challenges such as malnourishment and difficulty speaking, but also the emotional impact of being tormented and isolated. The work that Operation Smile does to heal smiles gives children and their families their lives back.
Each year, Operation Smile performs many medical missions throughout the world to provide surgeries for patients whose families otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the procedure needed to repair their child’s birth defect.
It’s estimated that two billion people-or one-quarter of the world’s population-lack access to basic surgical care. And only 4 percent of an estimated 234 million surgical procedures performed each year go to the poorest third of the global population.
Operation Smile aims to change these statistics. The volunteer-based organization dreams of a world where no child suffers from lack of access to safe surgery.
Learning about Operation Smile has been incredibly inspirational for me. So when Sarah Muckler, Microsoft Director of Worldwide Health Marketing, contacted me about the opportunity to volunteer on its upcoming mission in Hanoi, Vietnam, I was excited and immediately in.
Since 1989, Operation Smile has provided free reconstructive surgery to more than 21,300 patients and dental care to more than 10,900 patients with cleft conditions in Vietnam. Some 100 volunteers are expected to participate in the Hanoi mission this week, including plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, nurses, dentists and other medical professionals – all working together to heal more patients and provide children with a better future. My role will be to help with patient health screenings and escort children out of the operating room to their recovery room and then to their parents.
I couldn’t be more honored to get the opportunity to play even a small part in the powerful work that Operation Smile does.
I’m also excited that Operation Smile is being empowered by technology to scale its efforts so it can heal even more smiles the world over. It’s using technology donated by Microsoft and our partners to streamline processes, increase productivity and collaboration, and make the most of its resources. By doing so, Operation Smile plans to expand its scope and provide more frequent missions. It’s also digitizing current and past patient data, which Operation Smile hopes will help it gain valuable medical insight to better understand the causes of cleft lip and cleft palate.
The volunteer work we do with Operation Smile is one of the many ways we can help empower health professionals and patients with technology and make a real impact for better health and greater wellbeing.
I look forward to witnessing the profound work of Operation Smile in person this week. At this point, I can only imagine how moving the experience is going to be. I’ll blog more while I’m on the ground in Hanoi as well as after I return. So stay tuned.
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