Operation Smile Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Bringing Smiles to Children in Vietnam With Landmark International Medical Mission

To mark 20 years of providing new smiles for children and young adults throughout Vietnam, Operation Smile, Inc. and Operation Smile Vietnam launched “20 Years of Smiles – A Journey of Miracles” from November 4-14, 2009. To highlight the diversity of programs offered, 16 simultaneous missions were conducted across the country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, providing 1,383 medical examinations, facial reconstructive surgeries to an unprecedented 868 children and young adults and over 6,600 dental treatments.

The free programs were performed thanks to the generous donation of time and talent from more than 300 international medical volunteers from Vietnam, the U.S., the Philippines, the U.K., Canada, India, Norway, Hong Kong, China, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Italy and Cambodia. The teams set up across the country to provide free corrective surgeries and dental treatment for nearly 7,000 Vietnamese children suffering from cleft lips, cleft palates, dental problems and other facial deformities.

The 20th Anniversary commemoration began on November 4 with a Gala Dinner in Hanoi at the Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake which was attended by Smile Ambassador Jackie Chan, officials of the government of Vietnam, Operation Smile Vietnam sponsors and donors, and team members from around the world. To mark the historic significance of the 20-year partnership and the enduring commitment to helping the children of Vietnam, Operation Smile Co-founders, Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee, and Mr. Chan received the National Medal for Peace and Friendship Among Nations award from the Vietnamese government. The evening also included special appearances by Operation Smile Vietnam’s Youth Ambassador Mai Phuong Thuy (Miss Vietnam 2006), and singers My Tam and Dam Vinh Hung.

On November 6, free medical and dental screenings began, and was followed by one week of surgical and dental treatments.

"Congratulations to Operation Smile on successfully completing surgery and dental treatment for so many children,” said Mr. Chan after observing the first surgical procedure of “A Journey of Miracles” during his visit to the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in Hanoi. “I have experienced very personally how this surgery is life-changing and I am honored to have been a part of this program with you."

Operation Smile captured the many stories of patients, medical volunteers, students and staff during this historic event through daily blogs, videos and photographs. One child, 10-month old Khiem, traveled with his parents from their home outside of Hai Phong with the hope of receiving a life-changing surgery. You can see a photo essay of his journey, as well as a complete perspective of “A Journey of Miracles” by visiting ww.operationsmile.org/vietnam.

“Over the past 10 days, we have celebrated the long path our organization has traveled and the history of our successful partnership in Vietnam,” said Dr. Magee. “This journey of miracles and the outpouring of support and effort of everyone involved, has reminded Kathy and I of the ripple effect our work can have on individuals, families, communities and whole nations and how so much can be accomplished through the face of a child.”

“A Journey of Miracles” concluded on November 14 in Ho Chi Minh City with a Smile Festival and Thank You Concert at Le Van Tan Park attended by key officials, sponsors and team members.

Operation Smile Vietnam Board Chairman Kenneth Atkinson also commented about the significance of the 20th anniversary milestone, saying, “Operation Smile Vietnam has become a well-known organization with a reputation for credibility and building sustainability. We are grateful to our sponsors, our volunteers and our staff for their tireless work and continued commitment to making a difference. We look forward to the next 20 years of helping children smile throughout Vietnam.”

Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.-based Operation Smile was launched 27 years ago by Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon, and his wife Kathy Magee, a former nurse and clinical social worker, to help children with devastating facial deformities. Today, Operation Smile has a presence in over 50 countries.

Operation Smile’s history with Vietnam began in 1988 when General John W. Vessey (Ret.) invited Operation Smile to send a medical education team to Vietnam as part of the MIA/POW initiatives. In a quest to help normalize U.S./Vietnam relations, Operation Smile sent a team of 38 medical volunteers to Hanoi in February 1989. The team included seven Vietnam War veterans and comprised the largest group of Americans to enter Vietnam since the War’s end in 1975. The team of American and Vietnamese surgeons worked together to repair the cleft lips and palates of 100 Vietnamese children.

According to Dr. Magee, “When we first went into Vietnam in 1989 we did so because we believed that children are the only language we all have in common. Twenty years later, in Vietnam and in all of our partner countries around the world, we still believe that uniting people across cultures and borders for the sake of a child in need is what helps us heal the wounds of the past. We are proud of what we have accomplished together and extend our best wishes to our friends in Vietnam as they launch a new era of programs to care for more Vietnamese children every year.”

 Plans for this historic medical mission had been underway for more than a year and was made possible by generous donations from sponsors in Vietnam including: Mobifone, Unilever, HSBC, and Manulife, and in the U.S. by generous foundations, corporations and families. “20 Years of Smiles – A Journey of Miracles” was supported by the Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Health and the U.S. Embassy.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Our Mission: Operation Smile mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children’s smiles and transform lives across the globe. Founded in 1982, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 135,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in over 50 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.