Many Helping Hands Working Together for One Important Cause

Quito, Ecuador

Medical volunteers arrived to the hospital very early today, much like they have done all this week. They are visibly tired, but nonetheless ready and excited to help each patient smile.

Two new sets of helping hands arrived yesterday to join the team, John Canady and Paul Pomerantz, President and Executive Director of the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS). Dr. Canady has been a volunteer with Operation Smile since 1992 and has participated in numerous missions around the world. As President of the ASPS, he wants to create awareness among the group’s members about the work conducted by Operation Smile.

“Beyond the official endorsement that we have granted to the WJOS we wanted to lend on-site support because for us, reconstructive surgery is a key part of the plastic surgery practice. One of the best things that plastic surgeons can do is to volunteer their talents and expertise to help those who otherwise wouldn’t have any hope for a better life,” indicated Canady.

This is Pomerantz’s first mission; his reaction is common to most of those who have participated in an Operation Smile mission before. “It is incredible to feel the positive energy and team work that goes on in the operating room. Doctors and the rest of the volunteers work hand-in-hand to make a child smile regardless of their country of origin,” concluded the executive director of the ASPS.

Describing the WJOS in Ecuador wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the excellent group of non-medical volunteers who are pouring out care and attention to the kids and their parents. Getting ready for surgery can be stressful, as there are steps that are probably new for most of these families, but they are not alone in this process. Many helping hands and smiling faces walk up and down the corridors easing the patients’ and families’ anxieties. Among those doing the rounds, is a special group of 14 volunteers who dress up in funny, eye-catching clothes to make everyone smile before they go into surgery. From blowing bubbles to singing silly songs, the “clowns” do whatever is in their bag of tricks to help create a comfortable environment.

Dario Huato is one of the clowns; he has been helping the Fundacion Operacion Sonrisa de Ecuador (FOSE) for two years now. According to Huato, each member of the team has different talents and they basically work with each other and in different shifts visiting the patients depending on their availability. Rather than using make-up, which sometimes can scare the younger ones, they prefer to use props and costumes with bright colors. And with those colors they definitely stand out from the rest of the volunteers. Kids are drawn to them and in most cases a timid grin becomes a full face smile. “Children are the very essence of life and when we see them smile we know we are making a difference,” concluded Huato.

This is what Operation Smile and its WJOS is all about, bringing talented people from all different professional and cultural backgrounds to work together for a great cause: helping a child smile.

- Zory Graciani, EDF Communications