The largest free programme in the20-year history of Operation Smile Vietnam is expected to bring smilesto the faces of 2,000 Vietnamese underprivileged and disadvantagedchildren until Nov. 14.
More than 300 international medical volunteers from Vietnam , the USand other countries will donate their time to conduct free surgery tochange the lives of children and young adults, who are suffering fromhare lips, cleft palates, dental problems and other facial deformities.
The US-based Operation Smile is marking its 20-year partnership inVietnam with the 10-day programme, starting on Nov. 6, with freemedical and dental treatment screenings at 15 sites throughout Vietnam, followed by one week of surgical and dental treatments for selectedpatients.
Headquarter in Virginia , Operation Smile was launched 27 years ago andhas a presence in 50 countries in addition to Vietnam , where itshistory began in 1989. In a quest to help normalise US-Vietnamrelations, Operation Smile sent a team of 38 medical volunteers,including seven American War veterans, to Hanoi . The team of Americanand Vietnamese surgeons worked together to repair the cleft lips andpalates of 100 Vietnamese children.
Over the past 20 years, more than 20,000 Vietnamese children havereceived operations and more than 150,000, other kinds of surgery.
“Vietnamese organisations and authorities are committed to doing thebest to raise awareness nationally and internationally and cooperatewith Operation Smile to help underprivileged children,” said Don TuanPhong of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations at a pressconference in Hanoi on Nov. 4.
The launch also saw the presence of UNiCEF/Operation Smile GoodwillAmbassador Jackie Chan who is in Hanoi to support the programme. Themartial arts movie star said he hoped his presence would help spreadthe Operation Smile’s message to everyone who can contribute to helpingdisadvantaged children.
“We need the whole city and whole world to help those (underprivileged)children, who really touched me. That’s what I’m here for,” said JackieChan.
Operation Smile is also committed to continuing their presence in Vietnam to help provide normal lives for children.
“We look forward to the next 20 years of helping children smilethroughout Vietnam and we will try our best to give a smile to the lastunderprivileged child,” said co-founder and CEO of Operation SmileWilliam Magee./.
More than 300 international medical volunteers from Vietnam , the USand other countries will donate their time to conduct free surgery tochange the lives of children and young adults, who are suffering fromhare lips, cleft palates, dental problems and other facial deformities.
The US-based Operation Smile is marking its 20-year partnership inVietnam with the 10-day programme, starting on Nov. 6, with freemedical and dental treatment screenings at 15 sites throughout Vietnam, followed by one week of surgical and dental treatments for selectedpatients.
Headquarter in Virginia , Operation Smile was launched 27 years ago andhas a presence in 50 countries in addition to Vietnam , where itshistory began in 1989. In a quest to help normalise US-Vietnamrelations, Operation Smile sent a team of 38 medical volunteers,including seven American War veterans, to Hanoi . The team of Americanand Vietnamese surgeons worked together to repair the cleft lips andpalates of 100 Vietnamese children.
Over the past 20 years, more than 20,000 Vietnamese children havereceived operations and more than 150,000, other kinds of surgery.
“Vietnamese organisations and authorities are committed to doing thebest to raise awareness nationally and internationally and cooperatewith Operation Smile to help underprivileged children,” said Don TuanPhong of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations at a pressconference in Hanoi on Nov. 4.
The launch also saw the presence of UNiCEF/Operation Smile GoodwillAmbassador Jackie Chan who is in Hanoi to support the programme. Themartial arts movie star said he hoped his presence would help spreadthe Operation Smile’s message to everyone who can contribute to helpingdisadvantaged children.
“We need the whole city and whole world to help those (underprivileged)children, who really touched me. That’s what I’m here for,” said JackieChan.
Operation Smile is also committed to continuing their presence in Vietnam to help provide normal lives for children.
“We look forward to the next 20 years of helping children smilethroughout Vietnam and we will try our best to give a smile to the lastunderprivileged child,” said co-founder and CEO of Operation SmileWilliam Magee./.
