Operation Smile

Operation Smile 

Written 9/20/2015

A few weeks ago, I was working with 7 other volunteers and Operation Smile. Operation Smile is an organization that gives no-cost cleft palate and lip surgeries to people in developing countries. They have been coming to Madagascar for about 12 years, and they are now building a Medical Center in a big city in Madagascar to serve the country on a more regular basis.

In the past, I had helped Charlotte - my site mate - while she searched for Operation Smile patients. She would go into the country side around our town and spread the word that Operation Smile was coming and that children and adults with cleft lip and/or cleft palate could be eligible for a no-cost surgery.

I saw the patients before they left, and saw them come back with a new confidence, sometimes even visibly healthier looking, as they spent the week eating healthy, meat-filled meals at the patient shelter.

So, when the call came that I could volunteer with Operation Smile, I new I wanted to participate in the mission. And I am so glad that I did!

The main task of the Peace Corps Volunteers who came to help was to coordinate the patient shelter and make sure the patients were being fed well, had beds, and were overall staying healthy before surgery. We got to know the patients, and after a few hiccups, things were running smoothly.

The secondary task was translating. We translated throughout the screening process and for the nurses in post-op. I new my Malagasy language skills had improved, but I had no idea how much so! Some translating was difficult, not in the sense that the words were hard, but the content was heartbreaking. 

A mother brought her child that had gotten cleft lip surgery in the past and had brought him back to get cleft palate surgery. Her son was born def, and being 11 years old, the Op Smile staff knew that fixing his palate would be extremely painful with very little benefit. He would never be able to speak well without intensive speech therapy because he wasn’t able to hear the sounds he was making. 

I, with the help of Malagasy translators, had to apologize for the miscommunication that led this woman to think her son was certainly getting surgery and explain to her why surgery wasn’t worth it. She was visibly distressed and expressed that she just hoped her son would be able to say, “Mama” or “Papa” one day. So we brought the speech therapist in and helped him take the steps towards saying this words. It was a really special moment!

Next, we had to send the woman home. Operation Smile provides reimbursement for the trip to and from the operation site. At some point in the process, I was given the money to give to her. I handed her the cash and said Operation Smile is helping her get home. She started to say her goodbyes, a final thank you, and final apologies from the Op Smile end and one of the nurses gave her a big hug. Malagasy people do not hug. The woman welcomed the hug, but her body was as stiff as a board. Next, she turned to me and we did the more traditional handshake and three cheek kisses. On the final kiss, I saw the woman’s eyes fill with tears. She said one final thank you and turned away. Although I know her son is healthy, eating well and able to communicate in his own ways, it was difficult to see someone’s hope deflate just a little bit, although she was still thanking God that she had a healthy son.

Over the week, the situations got a bit less dramatic, but never less touching. We translated more simple things, such as “Make sure you child is drinking a lot of water. They will have less pain and feel better if they are drinking a lot of water” or “When did your child go to the bathroom last” Or explaining how and when to give your child medicine. It was simple tasks, but we had formed a connection with the parents. We were they’re voice. When they looked distressed, we were the ones who asked if they needed anything. Although I gave absolutely no medical assistance, I was thanked more than I have ever been thanked in my Peace Corps service because I was the one of the people who understood. It was a really heart warming experience.

That being said, the people who really deserved the praise were the surgeons, nurses, dentists, doctors, and Op Smile staff that took time out of there regular lives to help give these surgeries free of charge. Working with all of them was truly a wonderful experience. Weather it was translating for them, running errands, watching surgery or just hanging out, their dedication to improving lives was obvious. In 5 days, they operated on 118 people. Thats 118 lives changed. 

I am hopeful that I will get to work with Operation Smile again in my next year of service.  Working with them was a wonderful way to end my 1st year in Madagascar and another beautiful way I am making my mother proud :)