News / Health & Wellness
Operation Smile Medical Mision to Take Place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 12 - August 24, 2008
Medical Mission Team to Provide Free Surgery to Children Born with Cleft Lips
An Operation Smile Medical Mission team will arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for an internationally supported local mission taking place August 12-August 24, 2008 to assist children born with facial deformities. The team consists of more than 35 medical and non-medical volunteers from Brazil who will be working side-by-side with volunteers from Ecuador, Honduras, New Zealand, Paraguay, 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 volunteers from six countries to include:
Dr. Lucio Auler, Anestheosiologist from Rio de Janeiro
Dr. Richard Berlin, Anesthesiologist from Florida
Dr. Benjamin Hu, Anesthesiologist from California
Dr. Henry Issenberg, Pediatrician from New York
Kathy Majette, R.N., Pre/Post-Op Nurse from Virginia
When: August 12-24, 2008
Where: Physical Examinations taking place at: Hospital Municipal Nossa
Sra. Do Loreto Surgeries taking place at: Hospital
Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This will be Operation Smile’s first internationally supported local mission to Rio de Janeiro. Since 1997, Operation Smile medical volunteers have provided more than 5,400 Brazilian children and young adults with free physical examinations and more than 2,500 have received life-changing surgery during international medical missions.
The last medical mission in Brazil took place from May 26 to June 1, 2008 when a team of medical and non-medical volunteers worked together in Barbalha. In total, the medical team conducted free physical examinations for 80 children and young adults and provided surgery to 45 patients suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other 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 120,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and currently work in 51 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.
Media Notes: To receive images 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.
