Spring/ Summer 2013
Together, operating on clefts... because dignity begins with a smile
Donate! €2 noMw ILE Text OPS to 50300*
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Smile Ireland Display Operation sletters in your ew posters/leaflets/n lace and help community/workp our work. raise awareness of 676659 or Contact us at (01)6 to perationsmile.ie @o ns tio communica day! order your pack to
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Ir el an d ra ti on Sm il e W ha t: O pe al l th nn iv er sa ry B th 10 A 11 ay, O ct ob er 4 W he n: Fr id H ot el , D ub li n Fo ur Se as on s he 10 of W he re : T e bl pp / €1 25 0 ta Pr ic e: €1 25 9 / or em ai l C al l 01 66 76 65ns @ op er at io ns m ile .ie co m m un ic at ioti ck et to da y! to bo ok yo ur
100% of your €2 donation will go to Operation Smile Ireland. Service provider: Like Charity 01 4433890
nding, tant pursuit of fu During our cons ion at er does Op I am asked, what , ator pitch” reply lev “e y M ? do Smile fts cle th children wi “We operate on our world”. To you, ing lop ve in the de rk wo r supporters, ou Operation Smile ent itm m m co e of your continues becaus n. re ild ch g fferin to help these su there are many All over the world This newsletter stories of hope. e da, where we ar an Rw brings us to e fre ft cle st fir te the working to crea ana’s Through Habim a. ric Af in try un co e th t ou ab s read and Aoife’s storie d life with a cleft an ing liv of ak re tb hear g gin an ch ugh our life the joy given thro ’s at th try un r a co programmes. Fo ly h, we are incredib uc m so d re ffe su ng, ali he ide le to prov grateful to be ab el. nn tu e th of d e en and a light at th
s e of our campaign A phrase from on at wh at th ing “...know remains with me, ing be e m na ur yo stands between t is a t being called ou called out or no ther ra s em se ey…it question of mon here nd sta ld ou sh I simple then that art look into your he and ask you to help , us lp he to hing and to do somet rents pa ss e still countle them”. There ar y. er rg su n re eir child waiting to get th s enormous stride There have been with n re ild ch e or en m taken to reach ev ion at nder of Oper clefts. As Co-Fou e ee, explains ther ag M ll Bi Smile, Dr. world e th in s lem ob y pr are so very man e not lutions…clefts ar that have no so we ile Sm ion Operat one of them. At help, ur yo ith W . em th know how to fix we can.
reflections in There are many ars er the past 10 ye looking back ov r ve ne uld be to but paramount wo ct pa im to y ilit ur ab underestimate yo a be n ca It . life ’s another person ; it ancial contribution voluntary or a fin ten. ot rg fo r ve ne is at is the gesture th any ways to help. There are so m s of our work by Raise awarenes Team” nteer Outreach joining our “Volu ur yo in r newslette or displaying this nds fu ise ra d an e activ community. Get e. tiv tia r Smiles” ini with our “Miles fo . lps he bit Every little
we mmer days and Enjoy the long su u at yo th wi g celebratin look forward to Friday, on er nn Di ry sa our 10th Anniver Dublin. 11th October in r We thank you fo support,
your continued
, Warmest wishes
O Teri Cosgrove, CE .ie ile sm ion teri@operat Charity Number: CHY 15661
Rwanda Smiles
Fundraising! proceeds “Bikram Yoga Cork” donated for smiles! pockets (and themselves!)
from a class and stretched
BEFORE:
r turned his Dr. David Or iles at the sm to s ile m t n on April 1s ho at ar em Conn
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ther Wow it really has been ano our with s nth mo few ic tast fan re fundraisers being even mo t hou Wit ! ore bef n tha generous ply sim k wor our t por sup this y wouldn’t be possible. It’s trul y nuit inge the see humbling to the of e som of ion icat and ded n fundraising which has bee last the r ove e done in our nam while. We would like to say a big thank you to all who have helped make a difference to children’s lives in the developing world. Here’s an example of the kinds of events being done to raise funds for Operation Smile.
er 30 years!
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Teddy O’Leary los
Join our Volunteer Outreach Team! Can you help raise awareness for Operation Smile Ireland by talking to schools, businesses d community groups
an rk about the great wo that Operation Smile rld? does around the wo
For more info on how you t us at could help please contac at us ail em or 9 665 01 667 onsmile.ie communications@operati
Creating a cleft free Rwanda!
Operation Smile is aiming to create the first-ever cleft-free country in Africa! Since 2009, we have worked with the government and key leaders in Rwanda on programs that have had an immediate impact for children living with clefts, improving access to basic medical care and safe surgery and providing hands on medical training to nearly 300 healthcare professionals. So much has been accomplished with 1,700 patients and over 1,000 cleft surgeries. But we’re not done yet!
able and efficient Dublin office recommending I have a look at the mission schedule. When I understood I was being accepted to join the Operation Smile team I thought I might actually burst with happiness. The first trip to catch my attention from the schedule was the trip to Kigali, Rwanda. This surprised me greatly as years previously when I was leaving the refugee camps in Rwanda I doubted I would ever return. Yet as the office contacted me to see if I would be interested in joining this very mission, Aoife beams as one you there was ever only going to be one ng patient wakes up bright-eyed after surger y in Kigali, Rwanda answer. Weeks later, touching down in the land of a thousand hills, I was absolutely thrilled. I was very excited to have this unique opportunity to use my skills, with such a highly talented and committed team, doing the most positive work I could imagine. I loved the whole recently returned from process my first mission in involved; Kigali, Rwanda. It was meeting the extraordinary. I have Rwandans been very fortunate to who had have worked in different travelled African countries on many far and occasions over the years wide to be but working with Operation there with sees n ma g un yo a the moment ft cle Smile was really something. us, the Aoife witnesses his er aft the first time his new smile for Having spent a long time beautiful surgery working overseas, I returned children, to work in the South Infirmary their hopeful parents, the gathering in Cork last year. Within days of my return of information for medical records, Operation Smile was mentioned to me the screening process. The schedule when I had a chance meeting with two announcement was carried out on an nurses I hadn’t seen in years and to whom individual basis where we met each I am now extremely grateful! I have had potential patient individually to say whether a great love of Africa since I was a child they were suitable for surgery or not, and and a great love of working in Africa since to provide explanations and an opportunity I qualified as a nurse. When I researched for questions and information for those Operation Smile I thought it was the answer who were not. While this was also difficult to all my prayers having returned to Ireland. and emotional, it was very dignified and it Within a short few days of posting gave me hope as many of those who failed my application I received a very positive to meet the criteria for surgery, will meet it and encouraging response from the very another time.
Aoife's Story
I
Get active and raise s funds with our ‘Mile for Smiles’ team at walks, runs and cycles nationwide! You can find all details on our website at:
www.operationsmile.ie/ milesforsmiles
Operation Smile is expanding its current efforts in Rwanda and focusing on the following needs: • Identify all children and adults in need of cleft treatment • Provide free treatment and care to all Rwandans currently living in the country with unrepaired clefts • Train local medical professionals and build the necessary infrastructure so they can provide continuous care for children with clefts. Every child deserves to live in dignity. Operation Smile is committed to healing their smiles and saving lives in Rwanda and around the world.
see www.rwandasmiles.org for more info
Aoife preps a child
for her life-changing
surgery
I worked in the Recovery or Post Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Every single patient that came through touched my heart. Every time I witnessed a mother or father seeing their child with a repaired cleft lip for the first time it filled my heart with joy. I loved every single minute. Everything about Operation Smile impressed me. The efficiency and the organisation. The emphasis on teaching and training for sustainability. The teamwork and the strong work ethic amongst the team. And the diversity, the extraordinary people involved on every level. For me personally, working with Operation Smile provided a poignant reminder of what is truly important in life; the warmth and joy of connecting with others. We are capable of expressing so many emotions in many different ways but a smile is the most simple and pure expression of joy that we can share between us. Taking part in this mission, giving the gift of smiling to so many people and helping dreams come true (mine and theirs) was an incredibly uplifting experience for which I am so very grateful. I am really looking forward to my second mission! Aoife will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo in June 2013 on her second medical mission.
was born with hen Habimana other Severina m a cleft lip, his m . He suffered fro couldn’t nurse him en Operation wh 7, malnutrition. At e anda, he was th Smile came to Rw . old size of a 5 year bimana’s life In his village, Ha y. He didn’t go pp ha t was anything bu d couldn’t join in an to school and he uld wo ey Th s. kid r play with the othe left, cleft” and he ll “c tease him and ca other “yes, yes”. His m d on sp re uld wo st be his es “He do was devastated. el so fe e m es ak m it to accept it but boy, d. A brave little sad” she explaine e but oic ch r he ot no Habimana had , une to the teasing to become imm rn, he was despite the hurt. he awaited his tu died suddenly as er s th ile fa sm s a’s all an Habim In just 45 minute ing but scared. ung, leaving his yth yo an s as d wa an he d, en ire wh r him was repa alone to care fo Habmana’s cleft ILE ning it grieving mother up the next mor Text OPSM em living th ke of wo 7 he e th as , gs on so as he ne yo er a ev to 50300* rin and his 5 siblin ve ses for elter. Although Se was hugs and kis . ile in a tiny mud sh sm w y ne ar the necess beamed with his longed to provide rgery Habimana son’s cleft, r he ir Thanks to the su pa e re to t treatmen on life. It was th 80 se at r rden laboure ly had a new lea tru r fo life w ne l working as a ga ible nderfu ade it an imposs beginning of a wo cents per day m . him that dream. , his life has been heard the news Now 10 years old When Severina da ive way. “Now an sit Rw po to a was coming changed in such ger a Operation Smile an ana. He is no lon miracle and Habim he is just Habim oclaims. pr dly she felt it was a ou pr a ion rin iss get to the m ‘cleft boy’”, Seve couldn’t wait to had this to add, irrepressible as as s And Habimana wa job” ile sm s site. Hi at you did a great y h, gu t uc s the happies ank you so m ds. “th en fri y m th at wi th his spirit; he wa y verina prayed “now I can pla Se . ys sa ing en he re sc y surger Thank you!” en for surgery. I am very happy. he would be chos s wa he en wh ed He was overjoy verina ana’s surgery and Se Watch Habim chosen to receive s wa your he on y y pp or ha st so was thrilled. “I am e now! up and be on ed ph fix all t ge ll chosen. He wi e boy” she said. a such a handsom was mile.ie/habiman ning Habimana or m www.operations The next
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HABIMANA’S STORY
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