MSY Foundation hosting another Operation Smile

CEBU, Philippines - The Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Charitable Foundation Inc. will host the Operation Smile International Medical Mission in Cebu from March 18 to 22 at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Over 300 children with cleft lip and other facial deformities are expected to benefit from the medical mission.

Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung, chairman of MSY Charitable Foundation and member of the Board of Governors of Operation Smile International, said that a concert will be held today for the medical mission.

The concert, dubbed as “Together Again” featuring the tandem of Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera, will be staged at 8:00 p.m. at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. 

Yeung said part of the concert’s proceeds will go the mission, expecting that more than 40 international volunteers of plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, students, and dentists will join the activity.

Ramona Aliño, executive director of MSY and site coordinator for Operation Smile Cebu, said that these foreign volunteers will complement local plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists and other medical professionals from across the country during the medical mission.

The MSY Charitable Foundation has hosted Operation Smile Cebu Mission since 1998.

Before the first medical mission was held in Cebu, Yeung was approached by Dr. James Joaquino of Operation Smile Philippines and Dr. Han Kai of Operation Smile China if her foundation can host Operation Smile in Cebu. She and her Carlos readily agreed.

Since then, the yearly Operation Smile is held with more than 3,000 children with such facial deformities have already benefited from the mission in Cebu.

The Cebu International Mission is organized by Operation Smile International, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. William Magee and his wife, Kathy, who are based in Norfolk, Virginia. 

Several Hollywood celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Robert Downey and Goldie Hawn have traveled to different countries to witness the Operation Smile.

Today, Operation Smile is held in 25 countries and 43 sites, two of which are in the Philippines: Cebu and Davao.

Yeung said that her foundation adopted Operation Smile International Medical Mission as a major project because “in our country, statistics are saddening wherein for every 500 babies born one will inevitably be cleft.”

 “In 45 minutes, you can make a child smile. In 45 minutes, you can change a life. In 45 minutes, you can make a difference. That is why  I cherish Operation Smile,  I can see the result immediately. And I thank God for making me an instrument to make this mission available in Cebu,” she once said.

A cleft lip surgery would normally cost P50,000 to P60,000 but under the MSY Foundation and Operation Smile, it is totally free.

The MSY Foundation is expected to shell out from P1.5 million to P2 million for the annual medical mission. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/LPM  (THE FREEMAN)