A Small Commitment On Your Part Can Make a World of Difference.
A 45-minute surgery is all that it will take to put a smile back on these children's faces. Since 1982, volunteer Filipino and foreign surgeons of Operation Smile have performed free reconstructive surgery on more than 14,000 indigent Filipino children and young adults afflicted with harelip and other facial deformities.
UCPB-Operation Smile project provides free reconstructive surgery in Masbate
Manila Bulletin, June 14, 2005
ONE-YEAR-OLD Joena Salvador (left) and nine-year-old Maricen Lachica (right) are among the beneficiaries of the UCPB-Operation Smile medical mission.
A total of 44 children and young adults underwent free reconstructive surgery at the Masbate Provincial Hospital recently, made possible by a medical mission spearheaded by the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) in partnership with Operation Smile.
A 16-man medical team from Operation Smile performed the surgeries. The team consisted of five plastic surgeons, four anesthesiologists, two speech therapists, four nurses, and a clinical coodinator. All were volunteers who took a leave of absence from private practice and hospital work to join the mission.
UCPB brought the volunteers to Masbate as part of its continuing effort to help promote the welfare of small coconut farmers. Masbate is the second biggest coconut-producing province in Luzon and one of the poorest areas in the country.
Oral cleft is among the top 12 birth defects in the Philippines. An estimated two in every 1,000 Filipinos are born every year with a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both.
The defect is particularly prevalent among low-income groups that can ill-afford the cost of reconstructive surgery.
Operation Smile, a global volunteer medical services organization, has been conducting free medical missions in over 20 countries since 1982. In the Philippines, it has treated over 15,000 indigent cleft children and young adults in partnership with individual and corporate philanthropists and civic-minded medical professionals.
The local affiliate, Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, is chaired by UCPB President and Chief Executive Officer Jose L. Querubin.
Davao City, Philippines
March 2003
On March 4 in Davao City, a bomb blast ripped through the waiting area at the Davao City International Airport, killing 22 and injuring more than 130. The victims were taken to the local Brokenshire Hospital where the Operation Smile medical team was wrapping up post-mission. Following is a message received on March 5 at Operation Smile Headquarters from the mission's team leader, Dr. Jojo Cembrano.
Dr. Jojo Cembrano
We at Davao Medical Center cannot express the gratitude and indebtedness of the support and investment you have extended to us these past few weeks.
The Mission to Davao empowered us to help our children, bridge new relationships, rekindle old frienships, and most of all gave us the trust, confidence and dignity
of the capacity to walk on our two feet. The dividends of which translated to Training and Teamwork. This dividend has never been more obvious, as the adversity and
challenges that have been presented to us during the bombing of the Davao Airport with 150 casualties seemed daunting. As the task of preparing for a 40 bed recovery
critical care unit was entrusted, we had an OpSmile Team. We converted several conference rooms into quick units, benchmarked according to OpSmile standards. The
supplies that were left over from the mission were used, since the hospital was really overwhelmed with the flood of casualties. The care given to the patients was
outstanding. The dedication and teamwork paid off. As the president of the Philippines walked through these units, our volunteers had either an OpSmile T-shirt or
button....
Once again, thank you for the support you have given us.
Jojo
Joselito Rosauro J. Cembrano, MD FPCS
