THE Operation Smile-Women in Medicine (WIM) will start Monday, October 10, 2022, its free surgical program for around 100 children with congenital deformities at the Cebu City Medical Center.
Operation Smile, which was founded in Cebu, has been conducting surgical operations since 1998 with the support of the Cebu Provincial Government, Cebu City Government, and Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Charitable Foundation.
It has been able to help more than 5,000 children living with cleft lip or cleft palate since it started 24 years ago.
This year, the surgical program will be led by women belonging to WIM. They will also join the education forum, which will be held before the surgical operations. The forum advocates for women empowerment.
"Operation Smile is mounting this novel medical and educational mission as part of our new ‘Women in Medicine’ initiative aimed at inspiring more women to pursue medical careers and take on leadership roles to help address the global shortage," said Operation Smile president and co-founder Kathleen Magee.
The WIM medical mission will run until October 15.
Around 60 volunteers, which include plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, dentists, speech therapists, child life specialists and biomedical technicians from the United States, Vietnam, Australia, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, Honduras, Sweden, United Kingdom, Egypt, South Africa, and Philippines, are joining the program.
The medical mission is led by Magee; Julia Isber of WIM- Operation Smile; Dr. Vivina Chiu, vice president of MSY Charitable Foundation; and Dr. Lora Mae de Guzman, team leader of the Surgery WIM-Operation Smile. (PAC/LMY)