Operation Smile’s World Journey of Smiles Treats 4,149 Children Born with Cleft Lips and Cleft Palates Across the Globe In Two Unforgettable Weeks

Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity, today announced the results of its 25th Anniversary World Journey of Smiles (WJOS), simultaneous medical missions to 40 sites in 25 countries worldwide, which took place November 7-16, 2007. Free physical examinations were provided to 7,320 patients and 4,149 children born with cleft lips and cleft palates were provided free surgical treatment during WJOS.  The initiative mobilized more than 700 volunteers from the United States and more than 1,000 volunteers from 43 other countries working in 40 hospitals, care centers and clinics in 25 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. 

 For the anniversary year, the organization placed an emphasis on capacity-building and helping its partner countries achieve self-sufficiency.  With that goal in mind, in 2007, Operation Smile launched Comprehensive Care Centers in Colombia, Honduras, Vietnam, China and Morocco, and forged agreements to build additional Centers in Brazil, the Philippines and India.  With these facilities, Operation Smile will be able to provide in-country, year-round, multidisciplinary, team care by Operation Smile-trained professionals in the areas of surgical treatment, post-operative follow-up, dental and speech therapy, rather than relying solely on mission teams traveling to these sites once or twice a year.  With the launch of these Operation Smile Centers, the organization predicts a significant increase in the number of children who can be treated annually - from 10,000 in previous years to 15,000 in 2008, and 40,000 by 2010.

 Operation Smile also conducted a research project during WJOS, in partnership with Yale University, to study the genetic causes of cleft lip and cleft palate.  Research data and DNA samples were collected in more than half of the 25 participating countries to be analyzed and screened with the hope of identifying the genetic markers that differentiate the population of people with cleft lip and cleft palate with the hope of finding a causal link.  Results will be published in the spring of 2008.

 Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.-based Operation Smile was launched 25 years ago by Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon and his wife Kathy Magee, a former nurse and clinical social worker, to help children born with devastating facial deformities.  During WJOS, the Co-founders visited eight sites in the Philippines, China, Jordan, Ethiopia, Morocco, Colombia, Nicaragua and Ecuador, taking part in the screenings and surgical treatment, as well as facility tours and key meetings.

 “We want to thank each of our volunteers for making this incredible journey possible,” noted Co-founder Kathy Magee.  “World Journey of Smiles was not simply a celebration of 25 years of accomplishment.  It was the first step in our next journey together as an organization to build the infrastructure that will support children in need year-round.”   

 “Let me emphasize that the success of World Journey of Smiles will not be judged by the number of children we treated, but by the safety and quality with which we treated them,” added Co-founder Dr. Bill Magee.  “Through the establishment of a Global Standard of Care that guides us throughout our training and our missions, we are working together to ensure every child treated under the name Operation Smile receives the same quality of care that we could deliver in any of the best operating rooms in the world.”

 Operation Smile also thanks its 25th Anniversary Corporate Smile Ambassadors who have each pledged or raised $100,000 in support of the 25th Anniversary:  Abbott Fund; AriZona Beverage Co.;
The Atlantic Philanthropies; Becton, Dickinson and Company; Cardinal Health Foundation; Citigroup Foundation; CONMED Corporation; Datascope; ETHICON, Inc.; Financial Times; Hasbro Children’s Fund; Johnson & Johnson; King Systems Corporation; Lladró; Mallinckrodt, Inc.; McNeil Consumer Products and Specialty Pharmaceuticals; Molnlycke Health Care; Stryker; and SwimWays. 

 In addition to the corporate supporters, Operation Smile also recognizes with appreciation its 25th Anniversary Celebrity Smile Ambassadors who join Jessica Simpson, Operation Smile’s International Youth Ambassador, in support of the organization.  25th Anniversary Smile Ambassadors include: Carmit Bachar, Mark Burnett, Billy Bush, Mariah Carey, Justin Chatwin, Oscar D’León, Roma Downey, Melanie Dunea, Benj Gershman, Dhani Jones, Nigel Parry, Molly Sims, Vanessa and Donald Trump Jr., Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
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 has treated more than 100,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its 25 partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.  The year-long anniversary celebration culminated in November 2007, with the World Journey of Smiles, 40 simultaneous missions in 25 countries that treated 4,149 children living with facial deformities.

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Media Notes:  Operation Smile has photography and broadcast quality b-roll footage from a range of World Journey sites.  To receive images, b-roll footage, patient stories or additional information about WJOS, or to request an interview with an Operation Smile, Inc. spokesperson, please contact Lisa Jones in the U.S. at Operation Smile World Headquarters at ljones@operationsmile.org or 757-321-3252.