Even before this pandemic, we estimated that there were millions of children waiting for care in the 34 countries where we work. The majority of these children are unable to receive the medical care they need because it’s too costly, too far away, or too specialized.
And now, with the outbreak of COVID-19, in many countries our medical staff and equipment have been redirected.
Thousands of units of masks, gloves, and ventilators that were marked for upcoming missions have been given for crisis care, and now we must restock our warehouses and prepare for our next opportunity to serve children.
Before any intervention, eating and even speaking is difficult for children with cleft lip or cleft palate. Without surgery, they are condemned to a life of suffering, alienation, and potentially starvation.
At Operation Smile, we do whatever it takes to provide free, life-changing surgery to children in the poorest, most remote corners of the world.
While we’ve had to delay surgeries for more than 9,000 children due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are preparing for the day we can begin treating children with cleft lip or palate again. Your gift of $25 or more will help support these efforts.
While we made the very difficult decision to postpone the majority of our surgical missions in the coming months, front-line Operation Smile health care workers are facing COVID-19 on the ground, rather than helping children receive a new smile.
For instance, prior to the pandemic, nurse Doreenlove Serwah worked with Operation Smile’s medical missions in Ghana as a volunteer clinic coordinator. Now she’s channeling her nursing knowledge toward education — correcting misconceptions, alleviating anxiety, and giving reassurance and general psychosocial council during this crisis.
Many of our health care workers like Doreenlove have had to deliver the difficult news to patients who’ve been dreaming of their new smiles that their surgeries will have to be delayed due to the circumstances.
These are unprecedented times we’re facing, and we’re all doing the best we can to serve our patients, our communities, and our fellow citizens during this time.
While we work in communities around the world to help with crisis care and prepare for the next opportunity to conduct cleft lip and cleft palate surgery, I hope we can count on your financial support today.
