More than 700 indigent patients with cleft lip and cleft palate deformities from Davao, Cebu and different parts of Negros Occidental and Western Visayas availed of free reconstructive surgery services from the multi-national corps of volunteer-doctors of Operation Smile International, a press release from the group said.

Operation Smile Philippines president Edith Yotoko-Villanueva said that doctors, nurses, orthodontists and other health worker-volunteers screened about 569 children in Davao with cleft lip and palate deformities; 411 in Cebu and 394 in Silay City, or a total of 1,374 indigent-patients. Villanueva said that after the February 22 to March 3 OSI activity, 268 were operated on in Davao, 210 in Cebu and 229 in Silay City, or a total of 707 children benefitting from OpSmile, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year since its maiden international missions in 1982 in Naga City and Bacolod City.

Villanueva has earlier said, that each operation costs between P70,000 to P100,000. The Norfolk, Virginia-based OpSmile International has already conducted missions in 25 countries across the globe since it was founded by Dr. William Magee and wife, Kathleen, also a physician, and Dr. Rob Rubin, during the early 80s.

"It is very encouraging to realize the enthusiasm and support given by the local government leaders to the OpSmile program. It is very inspiring. And this is the reason why keep coming back to help the poor Filipino children," Dr. Laurence Loh, a cranio-facial surgeon, who served as chief doctor of this year's OpSmile international mission, said.

The Negros Occidental mission, organized by the H.O.P.E . Volunteers Foundation, Inc., was held at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, while the Cebu OSI activity was conducted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital and hosted by the Mariquita S. Yeung Foundation.

The Davao leg, hosted by the UCCP Social Concerns Foundation, was held at the Davao Medical Center, Villanueva, who also headed the OSI Silay mission, said.

Villanueva said that on its silver anniversary the OSI team of volunteer-doctors will be back in November this year, but OpSmile Philippines is yet to announce which areas or cities will be covered by the simultaneous international missions. For more information about the H.O.P.E. Volunteers Foundation, Inc., interested parties may contact Tel. Nos. 434-6362 and 433-6138 during office hours.*

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