For those who do not know what a cleft lip is, it is a facial deformity that occurs when a baby’s lip and mouth do not form properly, causing the lip to attach to the nose. Although the exact cause is unknown, most doctors and researchers believe that it is caused by maternal diet, environmental changes and genetics.
Although this abnormality is reported all over the world, it is far more common in developing countries like Cambodia, India, Bolivia and several others. According to the statistics provided by researchers, one in ten children do not make it before their first birthday, and children who do survive are unable to eat, speak or smile. Operation Smiles is an international children’s medical organization that helps cure the smiles of millions of children.
The organization was founded in 1982 through the help of motivated doctors and surgeons and has made its way up to one of the most prominent non-profit organizations in the nation. Operation Smile has a chapter at our UIUC campus and recently had its first general meeting last week, which I attended. The UIUC chapter mainly focuses on raising money for cleft-removal operations that will be conducted in over 60 countries. A cleft lip and palate operation only costs around $250, but since most families in developing countries are unable to pay the surgery fees, millions of children never receive the accurate treatment. This organization aims to raise money for the operations and collect basic stationary and utensils that are used during the surgical procedure.
The organization has several awareness events such as pizza and bake sales throughout the year. It also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. The first volunteering event was on Dad’s weekend last week, which also I attended. We sold pizzas in front of Kam’s and made an astonishing amount of money, along with getting very entertained. Operation Smile at UIUC also organizes marathons, carnivals and bar crawls, which are usually a guaranteed good time. If interested, members can attend the organization’s yearly convention, which is held at different locations each year. Next year, the convention is supposed to be held in Ireland, which is the organization’s headquarters.
If interested, medical students can join the national chapter of the organization and also attend a medical mission trip to conduct cleft lip and palate surgeries in a variety of countries all around the world. This is a perfect opportunity for medical students to gain some experience in their field and to be a part of a great cause. However, one does not have to be in a medical-related major to join the UIUC chapter. I am a global studies and communication major and am still a member. If this sounds like something of interest, e-mail the executive team at opsmileillinois@gmail.com. Operation Smile is constantly changing lives of children by allowing them to smile and is a great non-profit organization to join.