Operation Smile Medical Mission to Take Place February 5–13 in Managua, Nicaragua

An Operation Smile Medical Mission team will arrive in Managua, Nicaragua, for a medical mission taking place February 5-13, 2009.  The team consists of more than 40 medical and non-medical volunteers from Nicaragua who will work side-by-side with volunteers from Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and the United States.  The team will work together at Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera “La Mascota” to provide free physical evaluations and reconstructive surgery to children suffering with cleft lips and cleft palates.  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:
Operation Smile International Medical Mission Team comprised of volunteers from five countries to include:
Dr. Bill Magee, Operation Smile Co-founder and CEO
Dr. Rodrigo Cabrera, plastic surgeon and Operation Smile Nicaragua Medical Director
Dr. Armando Siu, plastic surgeon from Nicaragua
Dr. Neil Wells, plastic surgeon from Canada
Dr. Francesco Bellia, pediatric intensivist from Italy
Dr. Jill Gora, family physician from New Jersey
Brian Ryder, C.R.N.A, clinical coordinator from Oregon
Christine Anderson, R.N., recovery room nurse from Colorado

When:
February 5-13, 2009

Where:
Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera “La Mascota” Managua, Nicaragua

Operation Smile Co-founder and CEO Dr. Bill Magee will participate in the mission in Managua and conduct surgeries.  Nicaragua became an Operation Smile partner country in 1993.  Since that time, Operation Smile medical volunteers have provided more than 4,200 Nicaraguan children with free medical evaluations and more than 2,000 have received life-changing surgery during international medical missions.  The last Nicaraguan international medical mission took place in February 2008, when an Operation Smile team of volunteers worked in Chinandega, to change the lives of children from throughout Nicaragua. The mission team, including more than 35 medical and non-medical volunteers from Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, and the United States, worked along with Operation Smile Nicaragua volunteers at Hospital Espana, to perform 218 physical examinations and new smiles to 104 patients.

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 120,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization 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. 

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.