Every three minutes, a child comes into this world with a cleft lip or cleft palate. This means that 93% of those children won’t survive past their 15th birthday. The Philippines is understood to have one of the highest birth incidences of cleft in the world. We estimate that there may still be more than 18,000 patients living with untreated cleft conditions.

Goals of Operation Smile

Operation Smile in the Philippines envisions a world that recognizes safe surgery as a fundamental human right; where everyone with a cleft condition deserves to live a healthy and fulfilling life. We believe every child suffering from cleft lip or cleft palate deserves exceptional surgical care and we seek to see the day when every child in the Philippines with cleft conditions is healed.

Why does ANZA support Operation Smile?

ANZA partnered with Operation Smile to fund missions because an oral cleft is a serious medical and social problem that is left largely unattended. There are no organized public programs to address the problem. Sadly, the problem can be fixed by a 45-minute operation but majority of families cannot afford it. The approximate cost of the operation is 50,000Php, which is too expensive for majority of the population.

However, Operation Smile provides the surgery for 15,000Php (at no cost to the patient).

How ANZA members have helped Operation Smile

2,698,200 PHP was raised at our 2018 Charity Ball. Funds raised were used for two international missions: Bacolod, Negros Occidental held from May 17-25 2018; Dasmariñas, Cavite held from June 8-16 2018. A total of 189 patients received life-changing surgery.

• Bacolod, May 17-25 our multidisciplinary team screened a total of 191 patients. 104 patients received surgery.
• Cavite, June 8-16 our multidisciplinary team screened a total of 120 patients. 85 patients received surgery.

How can you help Operation Smile?