Operation Smile Hosts World Summit 2009 in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity, will host its World Summit 2009 from January 15-18 at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront at 3001 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, Virginia.  The four-day conference will assemble nearly 200 of Operation Smile’s leaders and volunteers representing more than 30 partner countries.  The Summit is being held to discuss the organization’s growth, global fund-raising, medical programs, and to develop strategies to equip Operation Smile partner countries with the tools they need to treat more children around the world suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

As part of its World Care Program, Operation Smile, in partnership with Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, provided Tendral Meytok Gurung, from Nepal, with free reconstructive surgery on December 18 in Norfolk.  Operation Smile CEO and Co-founder Dr. Bill Magee performed a four-hour surgery to repair the infant’s cleft lip and cleft palate.  On Friday, January 16, World Summit participants will meet Tendral and guardian Lama Tenzin.  Not being able to care for Tendral and fearing her deformities were a curse, her family left her in a basket in a woodshed to die, the same building where her brother – born with the same defect – had been left to die.  In the summer while trekking through the Upper Dolpo region in northern Nepal, Buddhist monk Lama Tenzin Choegyal learned about Tendral and rescued the little girl.  Tendral’s family agreed to let Lama Tenzin care for Tendral at his orphanage in northern India. 

The theme for the Summit is “Building on the past.  Preparing for the future.”  During the four days, participants will hear from world-renowned speakers including:

On Thursday, January 15, attendees will hear from Jim Weiss, a professional storyteller for more than 25 years.  Weiss and his wife formed Greathall Productions, which has produced 42 storytelling recordings.  Keynote speaker Leslie Crutchfield, advisor to leading nonprofits and philanthropies, will also address the group on January 15.  Crutchfield is the co-author of Forces For Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits and has been featured as one of America’s top leaders under 40 by Newsweek. 

On Friday, January 16, Jerry White, co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and co-founder of Survivor Corps, will speak to attendees.  In 1984, White lost his leg in a landmine accident and through Survivor Corps, he has led efforts to draft and enact human rights and humanitarian laws that promote and protect the rights of 650 million people with disabilities. Also speaking on January 16, is Marci Shimoff, one of the nation’s leading experts on happiness, success, and the law of attraction.  As one of the bestselling female nonfiction authors of all time, Shimoff’s six bestselling titles in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, including Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul and Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul, have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide in 33 languages. 

On Saturday, January 17, speakers include Bill Tancer, the world’s preeminent expert on online behavior, who will discuss internet trends and what our behavior means.  Tancer, general manager of global research at Hitwise, appears as a frequent guest on CNBC, has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today and writes a weekly column for Time magazine (Time.com) entitled “The Science of Search.”  Nils Kastberg, Regional Director for the Latin America and Caribbean regions for United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), will also give a presentation on January 17.  Operation Smile received special award from UNICEF in 2007 for the World Journey of Smiles.

In addition, on Sunday, January 18, Patrick Thean, an award winning serial entrepreneur, will speak about “Mastering the Rockefellar Habits.”  Thean received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for North Carolina in 1996 and achieved the ranking of 151 on the Inc 500 in 1997.  He has started two technology firms: MindBlazer and Metasys and is currently CEO Coach for the Leadline Group.  Thean is Co-Chair of MIT’s Entrepreneur Masters Program, an exclusive program for founders and CEOs of high growth companies.

Operation Smile Co-founder and CEO Dr. Bill Magee said, “This World Summit provides an exciting opportunity for the organization’s key players from around the world to convene and work together and share ideas.  We will focus on the vision for the future of Operation Smile and address key topics to allow us to continue to grow and help more children.”

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 the organization currently has a presence 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. 

To participate, please contact Lisa Jones at 757-321-3252 or ljones@operationsmile.org