Sennockian 2017-2018 | Page 74

BOARDING O peration S mile Working as student educators with a medical charity Operation Smile is a charity that provides free and safe cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries to people across the world, in over 60 countries. One in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip or cleft palate. In countries such as the US or the UK, cleft repair surgeries are readily available and given to every child after the age of six months. This is not the case in many other countries, where families reject their babies upon birth, seeing their child’s cleft lip as ugly, bad luck or a mark of evil. In addition to this, a cleft lip or cleft palate causes malnourishment as sufferers are unable to eat sufficiently or breastfeed. The surgeries that Operation Smile provide are thus invaluable. Isabella Bristow and I have been involved with the charity for a year. Recently, we joined them on a ‘medical mission’ to Cebu in the Philippines, where we had the role of student educators. This involved teaching patients and their families about different healthcare modules such as CPR, ORT (Oral Rehydration Therapy), the Heimlich manoeuvre, basic healthcare, burn care and nutrition. Our other role was to entertain and comfort the patients on their journey through pre-op, child-life, surgery and post-op, with toys, colouring, stickers, beach balls, pipe cleaners, dominos, and even Jenga! We treasured this time as it allowed us to connect with the patients and their families. We became friendly faces in an unfamiliar and intimidating place. It was great to meet new people, including the amazing team of medical and local volunteers, as well as being able to interact and learn from the surgeons and anaesthetists while they were performing surgery. Experiencing the inspiring work of Operation Smile at first hand was an honour. It has permanently changed our outlook and driven both of us to take our fundraising and advocacy further. Thank you to all of those who donated. Emmy Shaw, Lower Sixth Julie Redding is the school’s first Head of Entrepreneurship. Visit our blog to read more: http://studentprograms.operationsmile.org/from-the-field-philippines/ 68 VA L E T E 69