“Operation Smile UAE” Puts Smiles on the Faces of Children with Cleft Palates and Cleft Lips

Charity Offers Surgeries at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi this August

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will host “Operation Smile UAE” in August, offering transformative surgery for young people with cleft lip and cleft palate conditions. 

24 children and young adults will receive life-changing surgery from Operation Smile UAE as part of the initiative. The hospital will make operating rooms available to the charity’s medical volunteers, along with food and other supplies. 

Hundreds of caregivers from the hospital have also volunteered to support the program, giving their time to help process the patients and ensure they are supported throughout their treatment. 

In July 2017, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi hosted 20 children and young adults as part of its first collaboration with Operation Smile UAE. The foundation has arranged cleft palate and cleft lip surgeries around the world since it started in 1982. Last year was the first time Operation Smile had been hosted by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

The philosophy of Operation Smile matches that of the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in the belief that healthcare should be available when and where the patient needs it. 

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi CEO, Dr. Rakesh Suri, stresses the importance of supporting initiatives like Operation Smile UAE commenting, “The number of lives we touch each day continues to grow. The impact on these young people will be life-changing. I would like to thank the entire team of volunteers for giving their free time to support this meaningful initiative. You make us all very proud". 

The foundation Operation Smile UAE was established in January 2011 under the patronage of HH Sheikha Aljazia Bint Saif Al Nahyan, wife of HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and works to provide cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgeries for children and adults all over the world. 

In addition to raising funds to perform the surgeries, Operation Smile UAE works to recruit medical volunteers and raise awareness about the condition. Morag Cromey-Hawke, an Operation Smile representative urged members of the community to get involved, stating, “As a supporter, you can help Operation Smile provide access to safe surgery and exceptional medical care to children around the world. Operation Smile is always interested in securing medical volunteers, and partnerships with corporations and businesses. We also depend on student programs where young leaders help to build awareness and educate others.”