Spotlight on Secondary Newsletter Sept.26.2013 | Page 2

Spotlight on Secondary St Andrews Operation Smile Medical Mission On Thursday 12th September six Year 13 students and 2 staff began a journey that was to change their lives and the lives of over 80 children with cleft lips, cleft palates and serious burns in Ubon Rachithani. Tel: [phone] ? 0388 93716/8 [email protected] www.standrews-schools.com surgery. As the families arrived for assessment by the pediatric doctors, anesthesiologists and plastic surgeons the girls worked tirelessly to help relieve the stress of the process. St Andrews International School has joined Operation Smile, a charity which has the support of very generous and talented surgeons who perform the necessary operations to return the smile to countless children’s faces, and their families. Operation Smile Thailand has reached out to the farthest corners of the Kingdom, with medical missions throughout the country as well as to neighboring countries, Laos and Myanmar. In as little as 60 minutes, one cleft lip surgery can change a child's life forever. Approximately one in every 500 babies in Thailand is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate. Children with facial deformities who do not receive reconstructive surgery often have difficulty breathing, drinking, eating and speaking. As a result, many suffer from malnutrition, medical and psychological problems. The St Andrews students assisted in supporting the children and families. Some families had travelled huge distances just to find out if their child was eligible for The following day the surgeries began. The students spent time with the children awaiting surgery and trying to alleviate the fear and provide support for the parents when the children emerged from their operations. It was an honor and a privilege to be asked to be involved in such a worthy cause; helping, in a minute way, to create a beautiful new smile in The Land of Smiles.