On March 2nd, Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities, launched “Until We Heal,” globally.
As the charity celebrates its 35th anniversary, it will work with partners worldwide to engage 35 Ministries of Health in a pledge to increase access to essential surgery in their respective countries, build a patient registry app and digital platform to connect patients with health care workers in their countries, and expand local surgical and educational programs, culminating with large-scale, simultaneous multi-country programs to reach more than 5,000 patients and health care workers from November 1 to 17, 2017.
At a press conference in Manila, the international medical charity shared that Operation Smile Philippines will be announced as the first country pledging to join Until We Heal with Vice President Robredo, who will support their efforts to advance access to surgery for the country’s most marginalized citizens.
Operation Smile Philippines also announced Vice President Robredo as their newest Smile Ambassador; a patient-recruitment partnership with the Boy Scouts of the Philippines; a CSR initiative with Watson’s retail chain; the Hope Foundation’s ongoing public-private partnership for patient care; and this year’s plans to provide 2,300 people with free surgery to repair their cleft conditions, across 11 cities, during 13 medical missions.
Globally the Until We Heal campaign, first inspired by students, aims to mobilize new partners in government and civil society, to join Operation Smile in implementing long-term solutions to increase access to safe surgery and eradicate cleft.
DIVERGE talked to Creative Director Philip Odango on the Until We Heal campaign to find out more:
Where did the idea for this campaign come from?
Until We Heal stems from Operation Smile’s culture of compassion. For more than three decades, we’ve witnessed the power of compassion in action through the new smiles created and the lives touched and healed. I am inspired by the enduring commitment of our medical volunteers, staff, donors and advocates for doing whatever it takes to provide safe surgery for vulnerable populations. Our student volunteers have become the engine of this campaign, coming together to be our most vocal supporters. Until we heal every child with a cleft, we will not stop.
Why is it significant?
Imagine if your child couldn’t go to school because she was bullied and shamed for her cleft by her classmates or community. Imagine her not being able to speak properly, which makes it difficult for her to learn, find a job, or even dream of starting her own family someday. Many families in remote areas don’t even know surgery is available to them. That’s the case for billions of children who, right now, have no access to that life-saving surgical care. But we have the power to change their futures, because every child deserves exceptional care and we believe that access to surgery is a fundamental human right.
What kind of response have you seen from the campaign?
Since its launch, dozens of events worldwide have propelled the movement into schools, communities and governments to raise awareness about the lack of access to surgery. Through university summits, conferences and grassroots fundraising activations, Until We Heal has mobilized supporters to amass more than 20,000 signed pledges worldwide advocating on behalf of these vulnerable populations.
How can others help?
No one organization or government can fix this problem alone. We must work together with global leaders, the health community, businesses and communities themselves to create long-term solutions to alleviate this global crisis. You can help by going to www.untilweheal.org, taking the pledge and learning about upcoming advocacy or fundraising events – or how to plan your own. By pledging, you join the tens of thousands of voices worldwide committing to help find and help every child with an untreated cleft. Spread the word, get your school or community involved, and help us raise awareness and funds to provide these children the free surgeries they desperately need.
Why is it important to raise awareness for this?
At Operation Smile every child with a cleft is our responsibility. 93 percent of children born with cleft will not survive into adulthood. Many die in infancy from neglect and malnutrition. Surgery is just the beginning — through speech therapy, counseling and monitoring, we can and must make the lives of these children better.
Who is the team behind this campaign?
At Operation Smile headquarters and in our offices around the world, Until We Heal is supported across all departments from public relations and brand marketing to international and student programs.
What came out of the press conference in Manila?
The global launch of Until We Heal in Manila, Philippines, coinciding with our 35th anniversary, honored the promise we made to the children of the Philippines back in 1982. Our work as an organization is not done until we heal every child with a cleft; the press conference united new corporate and community supporters, donors and partners under the banner of Until We Heal. Partners such as Watsons, Smart Technologies, and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines signed partnership agreements to assist Operation Smile in patient management efforts, and the Vice President of the Philippines, Operation Smile’s newest ambassador, signed the pledge to demonstrate her commitment to the children of the country.
What are the next steps?
Together with local partners and international support, the campaign seeks to identify new opportunities to expand medical education and training programs and invite others to support medical diplomacy and make access to safe surgery a global priority. The pledge is a call to action for all Until We Heal supporters to raise their voices. Our goal is to show international leaders that the global community is passionate about helping the billions worldwide that lack access to safe surgical care.
