An Operation Smile Medical Mission team will arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for an international medical mission taking place March 13-21, 2008 to assist children born with facial deformities. The team consists of more than 50 medical and non-medical volunteers from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States. Founded in 1982, Operation Smile is a worldwide children’s medical charity dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults.
Who: An Operation Smile International Mission Team comprised of credentialed medical professionals from 9 countries to include:
Norrie Oelkers, R.N., Clinical Coordinator from New Jersey
Dr. Alice Smith, Speech Pathology Adjunct Assistant Professor at University of Iowa
Dr. Mok Theavy, Plastic Surgery and Program Director for Operation Smile Cambodia
When: March 13-21, 2008
Where: Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This is Operation Smile’s eighth mission to Phnom Penh. Operation Smile’s work in Cambodia began in 2002 at the invitation of His Excellency Dr. Hong Sun Huot, Member of Parliament, Senior Minister and Minister of Health. Since that time, Operation Smile volunteers have provided more than 2,200 children with free medical evaluations and more than 1,000 have received life-changing surgery during international medical missions.
The last mission to Cambodia took place in November 2007 during Operation Smile’s 25th Anniversary World Journey of Smiles, when more than 40 medical and non-medical volunteer team members from Australia, Canada and the United States worked with a Cambodian medical team in Phnom Penh. The medical team conducted free physical examinations for 300 children and young adults and provided surgery for 127 patients suffering with facial deformities.
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 volunteers have treated more than 115,000 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 26 partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.
Media Notes: To receive images, b-roll footage or additional information, or to request an interview with an Operation Smile spokesperson, please contact Lisa Jones at ljones@operationsmile.org or
757-321-3252.
