News & Press

Operation Smile Returns to Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital

Surgical Mission in Phnom Penh March 12-19, 2010

Free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other types of facial deformities
Where: Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital
When: 12-19 March 2010
Contact: 023 211 405, 012 43 55 91 or 013 759 631

Operation Smile Cambodia will be conducting an International Mission at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital from 12-19 March 2010. This will be our 16th surgical mission in Cambodia. We are hoping to provide free medical care to at least 125 children and young adults over the course of this mission. The medical team is participate by volunteers from Australia, Sweden, Philippines, India, United States, Norway and Cambodia who together will provide underprivileged Cambodian children free surgery that will forever change their lives. Prospective patients will be medically screened on March 12th and 13th to determine their eligibility for surgery.

The first Operation Smile medical mission to Cambodia was conducted in 2002 at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh. The volunteer medical team performed free surgeries for 169 Cambodian children.
Since then, Operation Smile Cambodia has completed another 15 medical missions in Cambodia, with over 1,600 Cambodian children receiving life-changing surgery. While most missions have taken place in Phnom Penh, surgical missions have also been conducted in Battambang, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham and Kampot.
Our website is located at http://cambodia.operationsmile.org/.

Operation Smile is a worldwide childrenâ€™s medical charity, launched over 25 years ago by Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon, and his wife Kathy Magee, to help children born with devastating facial deformities. To date, the organization has provided free surgeries that have changed the lives of more than 130,000 children around the globe. In addition to contributing free medical treatment for children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and lays the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.

For more information, please contact Kimeng Sok Vong, our Administrative Manager at 012 435 591 or David Fruitman, Secretary of our Board of Directors, at 092 955 641.

â€œEndâ€

Medical Education Mission

Training in Trauma Life Support

Operation Smile Cambodia hosted an Education Mission at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital from March 10-11, 2009.

International Trainer Dr. Bernard Jaffe provided instruction and training to 24 healthcare professionals from local hospitals as well as 64 medical students from International University.

It was considered very successful. The training received will benefit not only the patients they treat during Operation Smile medical missions, but will also enhance their treatment of patients in their regular practice.

Operation Smile Cambodia would like to thank Dr. Jaffe for volunteering not only to lead this course, but also to assist in the international surgical mission which followed the education mission.

OSC Delegates Attending World Summit Meeting in USA

Operation Smile Cambodia Program Director Dr. Mok Theavy and Board of Director member Anthony Galloway are attending the Operation Smile World Summit Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, USA from January 14-19, 2009.

They will be representing Operation Smile Cambodia while meeting with representatives of other Operation Smile organizations from around the world as they discuss means of furthering Operation Smile's mission of assisting patients with cleft lips and palates.

Operation Smile Cambodia's first mission in Sihanoukville

From November 30, 2008 to December 4, 2008, the Cambodian-Fillipino Friendship Mission conducted a surgical mission in the Sihanoukville Referral Hospital.

With the assistance of 35 volunteers from Operation Smile Philippines, over 123 patients were screened and 63 patients received treatment for cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities from Phnom Penh, Kompong Speu, Koh Kong, Kom Pot and Takeo provinces.

This was the first Operation Smile Cambodia mission in Sihanoukville and was well received by the local community and authorities.

Representatives from Operation Smile Singapore also attended and assisted during the mission. The Operation Smile Singapore representatives also donated gifts to the patients.

BLS, PALS & ACLS Training

From November 24-28, 2008, Operation Smile held a Basic Life Support (BLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certificate training course in Cambodia at the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh.

37 healthcare professionals from medical programs and hospitals around Phnom Penh received training. During the five-day educational program, participants were taught medical techniques on how to treat patients during a life-threatening emergency.

These life support programs will increase the number of Operation Smile Cambodia volunteers credentialed by Operation Smile. This training will benefit not only patients of Operation Smile Cambodia's medical missions, but also benefits other patients in Cambodia's healthcare system treated by these medical professionals.

Help Operation Smile Celebrate our 25th Anniversary

Our 25th Anniversary celebration year will usher in many new initiatives to help us help more children every year. Learn more and help make it all happen! >>

Operation Smile's Asian Regional Conference

The three-day Operation Smile Asian Regional Conference was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, starting on the July 27 2007. It brought together representatives from Australia, Cambodia, China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam to discuss Global Medical Care, volunteerism and sustainable development for the Asian region.

The conference was a great opportunity for Cambodian delegates to share information, learn from regional success stories and present information about progress and operations in Cambodia.

Operation Smile Cambodia works will continue to work with its neighboring countries to raise medical standards of care to the highest level.

Medical Education Mission

The Medical Education Mission was held at the Khmer-Friendship Hospital on the 7th to the 11th of May 2007.

In attendance were 35 surgeons and medical students from the International University in Phnom Penh, two visiting surgeons; Dr. Randy Sherman and Dr. Jaffe Bernard, and Operation Smile Cambodiaâ€™s Program Director Dr. Mok Teavy.

Outcome:

38 patients were medically evaluated

13 patients received free life-changing surgery

Commitment to implementing a Residency Exchange Program between Cambodia and the U.S.

The Cambodian team showed their skills, shared experiences and learnt new skills.

Operation Smile Cambodia participates in its first education program.

From September 11-15, 2006, Operation Smile held its inaugural Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certificate training course in Cambodia at the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh, training 32 healthcare professionals. During the five-day educational program participants were taught new medical techniques on how to treat patients during a life-threatening emergency. At the end of the program the participants were given an examination. Those who passed received American Hear Association certificates. These life support programs will increase the number of Operation Smile Cambodia volunteers credentialed by Operation Smile. This training will benefit not only patients they treat during Operation Smile medical missions, but also their country's healthcare system.

Glitz & Glamour Fashion Show

Phnom Penh's first charity fashion show, Glitz & Glamour, was a stunning success. Held on the May 5 2007 at The Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel, it gave Cambodia's top designers a chance to showcase their latest fashions in the name of a great cause.

The proceeds raised were donated to four dynamic charities that deliver crucial aid to Cambodia's children. Operation Smile Cambodia was thrilled and extremely thankful to receive a check for $10,800.

News & Press