Operation Smile

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Beast Philanthropy and to share their impactful video showcasing our work. Last November, the Beast Philanthropy team joined us in Puebla, Mexico and had the opportunity to experience our life-changing work firsthand, resulting in this beautiful video and sharing the transformative impact of Operation Smile’s work. We express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support from Beast Philanthropy in raising awareness of our work. Together, we can make a lasting difference to create smiles and transform the lives of our patients, their communities and health systems. https://lnkd.in/eVBSZWRb #BeastPhilanthropySmiles

We are thrilled to welcome Carrie Bach as our new Vice President of Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the CEO at Operation Smile! Your expertise and #leadership are invaluable as we expand our global reach and strive towards achieving our strategic goals. We are excited to see our global family grow as we work to bridge the gap in access to essential surgeries and healthcare for our patients and their communities. Together, we will continue to make a lasting and positive #impact in the countries where we work! #OperationSmile #GlobalHealth

Join us on July 9 at 2:00 PM UTC for an enlightening Operation Smile Academy live #webinar featuring Dr. Tsion Firew, MD, MPH, an emergency physician, former assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University and former advisor to the Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia. In this session, we’ll discuss integrating emergency, critical care, and operative care for a healthier world. There will also be a Q&A opportunity with Dr. Firew at the end of the webinar. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills! Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/eXGt8eJx Sign up for an Operation Smile Academy account to receive a certificate of attendance: https://lnkd.in/egH3ZCDh

Last month, Operation Smile in Madagascar hosted their inaugural #nursing training program from June 2 to 4 in Antananarivo. The program aimed to empower CRNAs, pre/post nurses, and OR nurses from four local hospital partners with the skills to deliver high-quality care during surgical programs. This initiative also prepared them to become future trainers in cleft-competency, fostering sustainability and local #healthcareleadership. Throughout the program, participants received mentoring and hands-on practice, emphasizing on-site training for practical skills application. The training featured focus groups and discussions on preparing future volunteers and #health workers for surgical programs, covering Operation Smile medical global standards and the Situation Background Assessment Recommendation framework. Additionally, CRNAs received specialized training on the WATO X-35 local anesthesia machine to enhance their anesthesia administration proficiency. Several key trainers who attended our SSA Nursing Conference in Addis Ababa earlier this year played a crucial role in shaping the program and preparing #nurses as future educators. We extend heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated participants, staff, and trainers whose collective efforts made this nursing program a success. This initiative marks a significant milestone in our mission to strengthen #healthcare capacity and improve surgical outcomes for individuals with cleft conditions. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our patients and their communities, ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve.

Recently, Operation Smile in Madagascar hosted its first Champion Program, marking a significant milestone in advancing #healthcare in the region. Bringing together 66 participants, including volunteers, local health workers, hospital staff, and Operation Smile staff, the program aimed to empower them through comprehensive #education and training. Participants engaged in a diverse array of educational activities tailored to enhance their skills and knowledge. Specialized training sessions encompassed nursing, cleft surgery, anesthesiology, pediatrics, psychosocial support, speech-language pathology, dentistry, and biomedical topics. Through lectures and hands-on practice, attendees acquired specific expertise and practical skills essential to their roles. Central to the program were surgeries for patients born with cleft conditions, providing them with new smiles. Additionally, dental care sessions focused on essential practices such as extractions, creating obturators, crafting partial dentures for adults, and thorough training on device usage and maintenance. We extend heartfelt gratitude to our volunteers, staff, local health workers, trainers, and all contributors who made this program possible. This initiative has opened new avenues for future trainings and has reinforced our commitment to enhancing healthcare in Madagascar. Together, we will continue to advance care standards, positively impacting the lives of our patients and their communities. #OperationSmile #GlobalHealth #Healthforall

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Tinga Nyoni from Zimbabwe for her recent visit to the Operation Smile Care Center at the ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, as part of our collaboration with COSECSA | The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa. During her visit, Dr. Nyoni gained invaluable skills in the multidisciplinary approach to patient care, helping to foster continuous improvement in #healthcare delivery. Together with COSECSA, we are jointly funding the training of sixteen plastic surgeons in Sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years. This collaborative effort provides educational advancement to these surgeons, enabling us to reach more patients and strengthen the #healthsystems where we work to create sustainable solutions. This will not only facilitate the growth of our #globalhealth network but also empower the next generation of healthcare providers to deliver world-class care to patients across the communities they serve. We extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Nyoni for her unwavering dedication and eagerly anticipate the positive impact of our ongoing partnership. To delve deeper into the expertise Dr. Nyoni will bring back to Zimbabwe, watch the video below.

We're lucky that our Operation Smile team members not only work hard every day to make lasting change for patients across the globe, but that they're admitted members of the "Operation Smile Fan Club" like Kirsten Sartz, Administrative Coordinator for Operation Smile Norge. Learn more about what drives Kirsten's work each day in the video below. #BehindTheSmile

We're excited to share our latest article on Medium, "Transforming Child Healthcare Advocacy: Insights from Operation Smile and Local Leaders in Africa." Africa faces a critical shortage of medical professionals, but the healthcare sector is brimming with potential, driven by the collaborative efforts of local leaders, dedicated teams, volunteers, and strategic partners. At Operation Smile, we are focused on bridging the gap in access to essential surgeries and healthcare, starting with cleft surgery and comprehensive care. With local medical volunteers across the continent, we’re committed to providing high-quality care to all of our patients. Our focus on education and local capacity building paves the way for sustainable healthcare systems. By collaborating with local entities through surgical programs, we facilitate crucial knowledge exchange and innovation. Our comprehensive approach to patient care—including dental, speech, nutrition, and psychological support—ensures our patients receive the care they need. Key partnerships with organizations like COSECSA | The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa, CANECSA, American Heart Association, and WFSA (World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists) nurture the next generation of healthcare professionals. Together, through strategic partnerships, innovative solutions, and a shared vision, we are making a tangible difference in the lives of children across Africa. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e3Br4ev3

Join us on June 25 at 10:00 AM EST for an enlightening Operation Smile Academy live #webinar featuring Comrade Olubunmi Lawal-Aiyedun from the Spinal Bifida Hydrocephalus Foundation. In this session, titled "Nursing Leadership and Visibility”, we'll explore the critical role of nursing leadership in achieving Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, focusing on challenges faced by nurses in obtaining leadership positions, especially in LMICs, and strategies to accelerate their representation in executive roles. Additionally, we'll discuss the importance of developing the next generation of nursing leaders and ways to optimize nurses' potential and visibility for achieving health equity. Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/eNwudiiz Sign up for an Operation Smile Academy account to receive a certificate of attendance: https://lnkd.in/egH3ZCDh

We are thrilled to announce that Kathy Magee, our Co-founder, President, and CEO, was recently featured in an insightful article on The Entrepreneur Hub on Medium by Arthur Lee. Her dedication to our patients and transformative leadership at Operation Smile shines brightly in this piece. In the interview, Kathy shares her lifelong dedication to children’s health through Operation Smile, which she co-founded with her husband, Dr. William P. Magee, Jr., DDS, MD, to address the urgent need for cleft surgeries. Over 42 years, Operation Smile has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives globally with the support of medical and non-medical volunteers and strategic partnerships. Kathy highlights our innovative strategies to expand access to care for our patients and their communities, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and education in empowering local #healthcare providers. Additionally, Kathy offers advice to current entrepreneurs, encouraging resilience and compassion in overcoming challenges. She stresses the importance of identifying one’s unique contribution to addressing global needs and urges fellow entrepreneurs to take bold actions that can create substantial positive impacts. Join us in celebrating Kathy’s leadership and the incredible work of Operation Smile in transforming healthcare systems and creating a lasting impact. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQVz9swa