Operation Smile
Encyclopedia
Operation Smile is a not-for-profit medical service organization based in Norfolk
, Virginia
(USA), founded in 1982. A secular NGO
, the children's medical charity provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide, assists countries in reaching self-sufficiency with these surgeries, and works to reduce the occurrence of cleft lips and palates. To date, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery to over 150,000 children and young adults in more than 60 countries.
In early 2011, Operation Smile and Smile Train announced the two charities would merge, followed three weeks later by announcements the merger had been aborted, Smile Train having canceled the union.
According to a 2003 interview, when asked about the start of Operation Smile, Magee said:
The scope of the organization increased after Mother Teresa
invited Operation Smile to come to India
to treat deformed children.
Dr. Magee is the chief executive officer
of Operation Smile. His wife, Kathy Magee, serves as the president on a full-time, volunteer basis and is a lifetime member of the Board of Directors.
Dr. William P. Magee, Jr. and Kathleen S. Magee were awarded The Spirit of Raoul Wallenberg Award from the American Swedish Historical Museum
in 1998 for their work in establishing a network of professionals and volunteers engaged in restoring badly deformed faces of children.
Dr. Magee received the 2001 Antonio Feltrinelli Prize (Premi "Antonio Feltrinelli" awarded by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei for Exceptional Endeavors of Outstanding Moral and Humanitarian Value, received the U.N. Servants of Peace Award, presented the Honorary Kazanjan Lecture to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, and in 1998, received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
.
s, a pediatrician, an intensive care physician, head or coordinating nurse, pre- and post-op nurses, child development specialists, speech pathologists
, dentist
s and/or orthodontists.
Teams are organized with volunteers from within the host nation as well as from other nations. Many of the volunteers provide important logistical (non-medical) support to the mission; they may serve as translators, medical records technicians, photographers, or help in such areas as food services, lodging, procurement of supplies, or transportation. The teams also typically include two high school students who fulfill various functions, including giving presentations on health maintenance and dental hygiene to families living near the mission site. Operation Smile coordinates the donation, purchase and delivery of medical provisions (equipment, medications, supplies) for each mission.
In 2005, these volunteer medical teams provided free surgeries for 8,359 children through international and local, in-country medical missions. During the fiscal year of 2009, Operation Smile provided free surgeries for nearly 13,000 children and young adults suffering from cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
Operation Smile’s partner countries include:
Australia
Bolivia
Bangladesh
, Site: USNS Mercy Brazil
, Site: Fortaleza
Cambodia
, Site: Phnom Penh
Canada
China
, Site:Qujing
Colombia
, Site: Buenaventura
Ecuador
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gaza Strip
/ West Bank
Honduras
India
Jordan
Kenya
Laos
Mexico
Morocco
Nicaragua
, Site: Puerto Corinto
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
, Site: Salaverry
Philippines
Russia
South Africa
Singapore
South Korea
Thailand
Venezuela
Vietnam
, Sites:Vung Tau
, Quang Nam.
Iraq
- In 2007 the health minister of Iraq's Kurdistan region, Dr. Zorban Othman, announced that Operation Smile would treat 51 Kurdish children in nearby Jordan. The Dr. stated "the step was taken because of the bad security conditions in other areas of Iraq, which makes it impossible for foreign physicians to come."
cases to Norfolk, Virginia—when mission conditions are inappropriate for the severity of the case. As of June 2007, approximately 200 World Care patients have been treated. The program may be expanded to other locations.
Comprehensive Care Clinics To aid countries in becoming self-sufficient at caring for cleft patients, beginning in early 2007 the organization will open seven medical clinics in Colombia, Honduras, Morocco, China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam. The centers will provide surgeries and treatment, educate local volunteers, perform local development activities and manage local communications / administrative services. The center in Vietnam will treat 2,000 patients annually and train about 1,000 medical professionals.
The annual Operation Smile Physicians' Training Program (PTP) brings surgeons from around the world to the United States for training in specialized surgical skills. The program has helped train more than 650 international physicians in advanced craniofacial techniques.
Operation Smile has twice hosted a global summit on medical standards in Norfolk, VA.
Operation Smile sends hundreds of students on missions each year. Generally two go on each mission, along with an adult sponsor. The student team takes toys and games to help keep the kids occupied while waiting for surgery. Before the students go on a mission however, they must apply and be selected to attend Mission Training Workshop (MTW), which is held twice a year. At MTW students are taught four health modules, Dental Hygiene, Oral Re-hydration Therapy, Nutrition, and Burn Care and Prevention. Students make posters for each of these modules and present them on the missions, delivering critical information teaching families simple things that can save lives.
The International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC) is a big aspect of Operation Smile Student Programs. The 2006 ISLC was held at Weber State University in Utah, and the 2005 ISLC was held at William & Mary in Virginia. The 2007 ISLC was held at the University of Limerick in Ireland. The 2008 ISLC was held at San Diego State University, the 2009 ISLC was held at Christopher Newport University in Virginia, and the 2010 was held at the University of Denver.
Film Producer, Director, Producer, and Author Perry Moore ("The Chronicles of Narnia, Executive Producer; author of the LAMBDA award-winning HERO) was a student volunteer in 1988 and, trained as a scrub and health care advisor, he was part of the team that traveled to Manila and then to Naga City in the Philippines.
. The headquarters will occupy land owned by the city of Virginia Beach and will receive funds from the city for site improvements, including landscaping, utility service and sidewalks.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(USA), founded in 1982. A secular NGO
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, the children's medical charity provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide, assists countries in reaching self-sufficiency with these surgeries, and works to reduce the occurrence of cleft lips and palates. To date, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery to over 150,000 children and young adults in more than 60 countries.
In early 2011, Operation Smile and Smile Train announced the two charities would merge, followed three weeks later by announcements the merger had been aborted, Smile Train having canceled the union.
Early history of Operation Smile
Operation Smile was created by Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee after they participated in a Philippine cleft repair mission in 1982 and recognized a need for more missions.According to a 2003 interview, when asked about the start of Operation Smile, Magee said:
The scope of the organization increased after Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
invited Operation Smile to come to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to treat deformed children.
Founders
- Bill Magee (Dr. William P. Magee Jr., D.D.S., M.D.)
- Kathy Magee (Kathleen S. Magee, B.S.N., M.Ed., M.S.W.)
Dr. Magee is the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Operation Smile. His wife, Kathy Magee, serves as the president on a full-time, volunteer basis and is a lifetime member of the Board of Directors.
Dr. William P. Magee, Jr. and Kathleen S. Magee were awarded The Spirit of Raoul Wallenberg Award from the American Swedish Historical Museum
American Swedish Historical Museum
The American Swedish Historical Museum is the oldest Swedish-American museum in the United States. It is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on part of a historic 17th-century land grant originally provided by Queen...
in 1998 for their work in establishing a network of professionals and volunteers engaged in restoring badly deformed faces of children.
Dr. Magee received the 2001 Antonio Feltrinelli Prize (Premi "Antonio Feltrinelli" awarded by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei for Exceptional Endeavors of Outstanding Moral and Humanitarian Value, received the U.N. Servants of Peace Award, presented the Honorary Kazanjan Lecture to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, and in 1998, received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Founded in 1931, the society is composed of surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada who perform Plastic and...
.
Programs
Operation Smile organizes international volunteer missions to provide cleft lip and palate repair in developing countries, coordinates programs for training physicians from around the world, manages programs to assist host countries in reaching cleft lip and cleft palate repair self-sufficiency, supports education and research programs to eradicate cleft lips and palates, and organizes global volunteer programs for high-school and college students.Surgical missions
For each mission, Operation Smile verifies the credentials and organizes the participation and travel arrangements for a team of volunteers. The team typically includes a mission site coordinator, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologistAnesthesiologist
An anesthesiologist or anaesthetist is a physician trained in anesthesia and peri-operative medicine....
s, a pediatrician, an intensive care physician, head or coordinating nurse, pre- and post-op nurses, child development specialists, speech pathologists
Speech and language pathology
Speech-Language Pathology specializes in communication disorders.The main components of speech production include: phonation, the process of sound production; resonance, opening and closing of the vocal folds; intonation, the variation of pitch; and voice, including aeromechanical components of...
, dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s and/or orthodontists.
Teams are organized with volunteers from within the host nation as well as from other nations. Many of the volunteers provide important logistical (non-medical) support to the mission; they may serve as translators, medical records technicians, photographers, or help in such areas as food services, lodging, procurement of supplies, or transportation. The teams also typically include two high school students who fulfill various functions, including giving presentations on health maintenance and dental hygiene to families living near the mission site. Operation Smile coordinates the donation, purchase and delivery of medical provisions (equipment, medications, supplies) for each mission.
In 2005, these volunteer medical teams provided free surgeries for 8,359 children through international and local, in-country medical missions. During the fiscal year of 2009, Operation Smile provided free surgeries for nearly 13,000 children and young adults suffering from cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
Operation Smile’s partner countries include:
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Site: USNS Mercy Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Site: Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Site: Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Site:Qujing
Qujing
Qujing is a prefecture-level city in eastern Yunnan province of Southwest China. It is an important industrial city, and is Yunnan's second largest city by population, after Kunming....
Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Site: Buenaventura
Buenaventura, Colombia
Buenaventura is a port city and municipality located in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia . Buenaventura is the main port of Colombia in the Pacific Ocean....
Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
/ West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Site: Puerto Corinto
Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Site: Salaverry
Salaverry
Salaverry is a port town in the La Libertad Region, Peru. It is located at around . The port, rebuilt in the 1960s by an English company is able to accommodate large ships including tourist ships as those of the Carnival Company....
Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Sites:Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
, Quang Nam.
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
- In 2007 the health minister of Iraq's Kurdistan region, Dr. Zorban Othman, announced that Operation Smile would treat 51 Kurdish children in nearby Jordan. The Dr. stated "the step was taken because of the bad security conditions in other areas of Iraq, which makes it impossible for foreign physicians to come."
Ambassadors
- Carmit BacharCarmit BacharCarmit Bachar is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She was a member of the successful pop/R&B group, The Pussycat Dolls and one of the main vocalists of the group, along with Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton. Bachar left the group in February 2008. She is currently...
- Mark BurnettMark BurnettMark Burnett is a British television producer and executive producer, based in the United States. He currently is the executive producer of five network television series with seven hours of network programming. Works with which Burnett is associated have won multiple awards and recognition...
- Dhani JonesDhani JonesDhani Makalani Jones is a former American football linebacker who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, earning All-Big Ten honors for three straight seasons. He was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of...
- John SalleyJohn SalleyJohn Thomas "Spider" Salley is a retired American professional basketball player, actor and talk show host. He was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises....
- Maggie RizerMaggie RizerMaggie Rizer is an American model, actress, and AIDS activist. She is also ambassador for Operation Smile.-Personal life:...
- Melanie Dunea and Nigel ParryNigel ParryNigel Parry is a New York-based photographer of celebrities, who started his career in London in 1987 and moved to New York in 1994. His work has been seen in magazine features, such as Elle, InStyle, Vanity Fair, Men's Health and Maxim...
- Benj Gershman
- ChariceCharice PempengcoCharmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco , popularly known by the mononym Charice, is a Filipino recording artist and actress who rose to popularity through YouTube. Dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as the Most Talented Girl in the World, she released her first international studio album Charice in 2010...
- David PomeranzDavid PomeranzDavid Pomeranz is an American singer, composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theatre. He is also ambassador for Operation SmileBorn in Reno and raised on Long Island, Pomeranz expressed interest in music from an early age, singing in the synagogue choir, learning to play the piano, guitar, and...
- Jessica SimpsonJessica SimpsonJessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
- Roselyn SanchezRoselyn SanchezRoselyn Sánchez is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, model, actress, producer and writer of film and television.-Early life:...
- Roma DowneyRoma DowneyRoma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...
- Billy Bush
- Nicole LapinNicole LapinNicole Miriam Lapin is an anchor on CNN Live who regularly appeared on CNN Headline News, CNN, and CNN International. In January 2010, Lapin joined CNBC in New York as an anchor for Worldwide Exchange, joining CNBC Europe's Ross Westgate in London and CNBC Asia's Christine Tan in Singapore. She...
- Satcha PrettoSatcha PrettoSatcha Pretto is an Emmy award-winning Journalist and news co-anchor of the Univision Network's popular morning show Despierta America.-General information:...
- Deidre HallDeidre HallDeidre Ann Hall is a dramatic American actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans on NBC's daytime drama Days of our Lives, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of...
- Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
- Eric WinterEric WinterEric Barrett Winter is an American actor and former fashion model. He is also ambassador for Operation Smile.-Career:Before his acting roles, Winter was a male model and had some high profile campaigns, such as one print campaign for Tommy Hilfiger...
- Oscar D'LeónOscar D'LeónOscar Emilio León Somoza, better known as Oscar D'León is a Venezuelan musician who became internationally famous for his salsa music. In Spanish, he is known as El Sonero del Mundo . His most famous song is perhaps "Llorarás," which he recorded in 1975 with his group La Dimensión Latina...
- Molly SimsMolly SimsMolly Sims is an American model and actress. Sims is known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and her role as Delinda Deline in the NBC drama Las Vegas. She is also an ambassador for Operation Smile...
- Regine VelasquezRegine VelasquezRegina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez , better known as Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a Filipino singer, actress, record producer and TV host...
- Justin ChatwinJustin ChatwinJustin Chatwin is a Canadian film actor. He played the son of Tom Cruise's character in the Steven Spielberg-directed War of the Worlds, a leading role in the 2007 mystery/thriller The Invisible, and Goku in Dragonball Evolution...
- Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
- Lý Nhã Kỳ
World Care Program
On a case by case basis, Operation Smile will bring extraordinary craniofacialCraniofacial
Craniofacial may be used to describe certain congenital malformations, injuries, surgeons who subspecialize in this area, multi-disciplinary medical-surgical teams that treat and do research on disorders affecting this region, and organizations with interest in...
cases to Norfolk, Virginia—when mission conditions are inappropriate for the severity of the case. As of June 2007, approximately 200 World Care patients have been treated. The program may be expanded to other locations.
Chapters & foundations
Operation Smile has Global Resource Chapters that raise funds and awareness to support its programs. Mission teams are hosted by International Foundations that are responsible for all in-country mission logistics and that also raise funds and awareness throughout the year.Comprehensive Care Clinics To aid countries in becoming self-sufficient at caring for cleft patients, beginning in early 2007 the organization will open seven medical clinics in Colombia, Honduras, Morocco, China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam. The centers will provide surgeries and treatment, educate local volunteers, perform local development activities and manage local communications / administrative services. The center in Vietnam will treat 2,000 patients annually and train about 1,000 medical professionals.
U.S. Care network
Operation Smile provides a network of resources to assist families in the U.S. with children born with facial deformities. This network is accessed through the Operation Smile Web site and includes a listing of Referral Web Sites plus a Physicians Resource List with the names of doctors available to review a case.Education
Operation Smile provides a framework for its partner countries to come together to share knowledge, technology and skills through the use of programs customized to each country’s specific medical infrastructure. University Partnerships offer Operation Smile medical volunteers training in advanced techniques and provide opportunities including fellowships, emeritus professorships and visiting professorship programs. Education Exchange programs are also offered through partnerships with leading medical teaching institutions.The annual Operation Smile Physicians' Training Program (PTP) brings surgeons from around the world to the United States for training in specialized surgical skills. The program has helped train more than 650 international physicians in advanced craniofacial techniques.
Operation Smile has twice hosted a global summit on medical standards in Norfolk, VA.
Student programs
More than 600 Operation Smile Student Associations in the United States and around the world build awareness, raise funds and educate students about the values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism.Operation Smile sends hundreds of students on missions each year. Generally two go on each mission, along with an adult sponsor. The student team takes toys and games to help keep the kids occupied while waiting for surgery. Before the students go on a mission however, they must apply and be selected to attend Mission Training Workshop (MTW), which is held twice a year. At MTW students are taught four health modules, Dental Hygiene, Oral Re-hydration Therapy, Nutrition, and Burn Care and Prevention. Students make posters for each of these modules and present them on the missions, delivering critical information teaching families simple things that can save lives.
The International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC) is a big aspect of Operation Smile Student Programs. The 2006 ISLC was held at Weber State University in Utah, and the 2005 ISLC was held at William & Mary in Virginia. The 2007 ISLC was held at the University of Limerick in Ireland. The 2008 ISLC was held at San Diego State University, the 2009 ISLC was held at Christopher Newport University in Virginia, and the 2010 was held at the University of Denver.
Awards and milestones
- In 2001 a documentary on the work by Operation Smile won the US Circle of Excellence Media Awards for Best Medical Documentary and it was the finalist in the New York Film Festival Awards for Best Humanitarian Documentary. The documentary titled The Facemakers: Operation Smile is a co-production by British televisionBritish televisionPublic television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
BBC 1 and American Cable the Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
in conjunction with Century Films and it documents the remarkable changes that occurred in the lives of three children as a result of Operation Smile's visit to Davao CityDavao CityThe City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1999. The fifty minute programme was first aired on 21st June 2001. Two of the children received surgery during the mission. Nine-year-old Rozal Garces was treated for her cleft lip, and four-year-old Amorjoy Felipe had a cleft lip and palate revision. The third child, Abel Gastardo, had a condition too severe to be treated during the time of the mission. Abel suffered from a nasofrontal facial encephaloceleEncephaloceleEncephalocele, sometimes known by the Latin name cranium bifidum, is a neural tube defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain and the membranes that cover it through openings in the skull. These defects are caused by failure of the neural tube to close completely during fetal...
, an extreme protrusion of brain tissue from the front of his skull. The film follows Abel to the United States to receive corrective surgery, seven months later. He was brought over by Operation Smile to receive major surgery in VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, at the Children's Hospital of the King's DaughtersChildren's Hospital of The King's DaughtersChildren's Hospital of The King's Daughters , located in Norfolk, Virginia, is the only freestanding children's hospital in Virginia and the home to one of the nation's top pediatric residency programs....
. - In 1996, Operation Smile received the first Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian PrizeConrad N. Hilton Humanitarian PrizeThe Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad N. Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979 when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate...
to recognize outstanding contributions to alleviate human suffering. - To mark its 25th anniversary in November 2007, Operation Smile undertook the World Journey of Smiles (WJOS), a single campaign that included 40 simultaneous missions over a period of two weeks in 25 countries—beginning with the return to the site of Operations Smile's first mission. During WJOS, Operation Smile completed 4,200 cleft lip/palate surgeries with 1,700 volunteers from 43 countries. The World Journey of Smiles also collected DNA samples from 4,200 children—the largest sampling ever made and now housed at Yale University. The previous largest sampling included the DNA of 200 children .
- Bill and Kathy Magee were honored on March 1, 2008 with the NorfolkNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
First Citizen Distinguished Service Award.
Criticism and response 1999-2002
In November 1999, specific patient deaths brought criticism on Operation Smile's medical procedures, suggesting the organization prioritized publicity and volume over patient welfare and safety.In response, Operation Smile conducted an internal review. Initially, the organization "promised to make public the full findings of the review," though later chose not to release the findings, considering the review "an internal matter". Several directors disagreed with this choice and left the board. Four months after announcing the review, the organization publicly admitted organizational flaws. By 2002, the organization also established medical credential standards, improved medical monitoring of patients, and implemented quality and financial controls.Financial Information
- The NGONon-governmental organizationA non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
raised $35,024,864 during the fiscal year ending June 2008. They spent 41% of the cash revenues on fundraising and administration; $11,905,507 on fundraising (33.9%) and a further $2,710,783 on management (7.7%). - Operation Smile also operates the Operation Smile Foundation, a separate registered non-profit whose sole purpose is to raise funds for Operation Smile. The Foundation spent $7,267,834 on fundraising and raised $8,387,513 in the tax year ending June 30, 2007. The Foundation transferred a total of $781,858 to Operation Smile. http://operationsmile.org/docs/990_2006_osf.pdf
- The organization was listed with the Forbes 2005 200 Largest U.S. Charities.
- Operation Smile is a member of the Independent Charities of America.
- Operation Smile does not participate in the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance listings.
Operation Smile in popular culture
- A 2007 multimedia project featured a seven-story sphere at South Street SeaportSouth Street SeaportThe South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...
in New York, NY. MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
worked with Operation Smile, Digital Kitchen (a design firm) and the Wexley School for Girls (Seattle, WA) to have photographic images of visitors projected onto the sphere. (See also: Case Study) - A 2005 movie, Smile, directed by Jeffrey KramerJeffrey KramerJeffrey Kramer is an American film and television actor and film producer.-Life and career:Kramer was born in New York City and grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, graduating from Teaneck High School with the Class of 1963. He made his first appearance on the TV series Barney Miller starring in the...
was loosely based on the experiences of a student Operation Smile volunteer. - Singer Jessica SimpsonJessica SimpsonJessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
, actress Roma DowneyRoma DowneyRoma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...
and television hosts Billy Bush and Nicole LapinNicole LapinNicole Miriam Lapin is an anchor on CNN Live who regularly appeared on CNN Headline News, CNN, and CNN International. In January 2010, Lapin joined CNBC in New York as an anchor for Worldwide Exchange, joining CNBC Europe's Ross Westgate in London and CNBC Asia's Christine Tan in Singapore. She...
volunteer on behalf of Operation Smile. - Singer Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
volunteered for The Smile Collection fundraising event in New York in 2006 - Singer/MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
television personality Chase JohnsonChase JohnsonChase Johnson is an American musician and television personality.-Laguna Beach:Chase Johnson rose to fame on MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and much screen time featured his band Open Air Stereo...
hosted a "rock the smile" event to benefit Operation Smile. - Operation Smile was featured on NBC's reality show The ApprenticeThe Apprentice (U.S. TV series)The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
, Thursday, April 15, 2004. - Operation Smile is referenced repeatedly on Bravo's teen reality show NYC PrepNYC PrepNYC Prep was a reality television program on the Bravo channel. It followed six Manhattan teenagers in their daily lives as they attended events such as weekend parties, fashion shows, shopping sprees, charity events and dinner parties...
. - Operation Smile is referenced in episode 3 of TNT's television series Franklin and Bash.
Co-branding
- In 2002, Operation Smile was featured in a Mr. Potato HeadMr. Potato HeadMr. Potato Head! is an American toy consisting of a plastic model of a potato which can be decorated with a variety of plastic parts that can attach to the main body. These parts usually include ears, eyes, shoes, a hat, a nose, and a mouth. The toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in...
contest, with proceeds to benefit the NGO. HasbroHasbroHasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
continues to donate Mr. Potato HeadMr. Potato HeadMr. Potato Head! is an American toy consisting of a plastic model of a potato which can be decorated with a variety of plastic parts that can attach to the main body. These parts usually include ears, eyes, shoes, a hat, a nose, and a mouth. The toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in...
toys for Operation Smile missions. - An ongoing co-branding campaign between Operation Smile and SephoraSephoraSephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
combines the NGO's name with the companies products, raising over $400,000 for the NGO. The Operation Smile Sephora Lip Baume was listed at number five on Lara SpencerLara SpencerLara Spencer is the lifestyle anchor for Good Morning America. She is also a correspondent for Nightline and ABC News. Previously, she was the host of the syndicated television newsmagazine The Insider and was a regular contributor to CBS's The Early Show...
's "Lara's Hot Shopping List, Hot Products for Women". - An ongoing co-branding campaign between Operation Smile and AriZona Iced TeaAriZona Beverage CompanyAriZona Beverages USA is a producer of various flavors of iced tea, juice cocktails and energy drinks from the United States, based in Woodbury, New York....
features the tea company's three best selling (one liter) products' labels replaced with Operation Smile branded messaging, mission statement and photos of children with cleft repairs. - In 2007 LladróLladróLladró is a Valencian Spanish company based in Tavernes Blanques, Valencia, that produces high quality porcelain figurines.-History:The company was founded in 1953 by three brothers, Juan, José and Vicente Lladró, in the village of Almàssera near Valencia...
unveiled a collection of porcelainPorcelainPorcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, including a piece inspired by Gustav KlimtGustav KlimtGustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches, and other art objects...
’s painting The KissThe Kiss (Klimt painting)The Kiss was painted by Gustav Klimt, and is probably his most famous work. He began work on it in 1907 and it is the highpoint of his so-called 'Golden Period', when he painted a number of works in a similar style...
, proceeds from which were to benefit the NGO.
- See also: Co-brandingCo-brandingCo-branding refers to several different marketing arrangements:Co-branding, also called brand partnership, is when two companies form an alliance to work together, creating marketing synergy...
and Marketing co-operationMarketing co-operationA marketing co-operation or marketing cooperation is a partnership of at least two companies on the value chain level of marketing with the objective to tap the full potential of a market by bundling specific competences or resources... - See also: external article on co-branding: When Two Brands are Better than One
Film Producer, Director, Producer, and Author Perry Moore ("The Chronicles of Narnia, Executive Producer; author of the LAMBDA award-winning HERO) was a student volunteer in 1988 and, trained as a scrub and health care advisor, he was part of the team that traveled to Manila and then to Naga City in the Philippines.
Headquarters relocation
Operation Smile announced in late 2007 that it would relocate its world headquarters approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) from its current location in Norfolk, to a new building in Virginia Beach. The projected 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²) building is sited adjacent to a projected regional health profession center to be built by Tidewater Community CollegeTidewater Community College
Tidewater Community College is a two-year higher education institution in South Hampton Roads with campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach — and serving approximately 46,000 students. The school is known locally by its abbreviation, TCC.-History:The school was founded...
. The headquarters will occupy land owned by the city of Virginia Beach and will receive funds from the city for site improvements, including landscaping, utility service and sidewalks.