Smile Week restores lives of 18 children selected to undergo corrective surgery

When those around her smiled, little Amukelani – born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate – could not do the same.

Her mother who was 18 at the time of her birth, was not emotionally prepared for her child’s birth condition.

Amid her family’s initial disappointment, the mother felt deep guilt over her teenage pregnancy and worried her child’s medical needs would further more financial strain.

Among 18 toddlers chosen to undergo corrective surgery during the launch this week of Smile Week at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Amukelani’s smile is to be restored, thanks to the Smile Foundation and Airports Company South Africa (Acsa).

Amukelani to smile for first time

With global statistics pointing to children born every three minutes with a cleft lip or palate, children face life-threatening health problems, painful bullying and isolation if their conditions are left untreated.

Their difficulties include being unable to feed properly, leading to malnutrition and thirst, with the risk of death nine times higher.

Speech difficulties are also common among children born with cleft conditions and struggling to make themselves understood – a condition requiring speech therapy after surgery.

Their teeth also grow at an angle adding to the disfigurement and making it difficult for the child to chew properly.

There is still stigma associated with cleft lips with people being shunned, mocked and teased.

In an effort to address a three-year backlog in Johannesburg hospitals, 18 minors from underserved communities are this week undergoing reconstructive surgery.

The foundation and Acsa-supported drive aims to help kids suffering from facial anomalies get corrective surgery.

Championed by the late former South African president Nelson Mandela, the initiative has continued to bring smiles and hope to children.

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‘To make the impossible come to life’

This week’s surgeries involving cleft lip and palate repair are led by professors Thendo Neshiongolwe and Chrysis Sofianos. Smile Foundation CEO Tarri Parfitt said Acsa had sponsored several Smile Week initiatives.

“We thank them wholeheartedly for always helping us to make the impossible come to life. We are also immensely grateful to the outstanding team of dedicated, compassionate professors, medical teams and hospital staff for their skills, time and passion.

“Here, we will shed light on a remarkable, ongoing initiative that is changing this narrative, one smile at a time,” Parfitt said.

Acsa regional general manager Jabulani Khambule said the company took “great pride in our partnership with the Smile Foundation, which aims to help children in need find healing and hope”.

“Airports Company South Africa is a firm believer in the strength of community and the value of giving back. This initiative is aligned to the company’s commitment of making a lasting impact in previously disadvantaged communities by improving the quality of life of these young patients and their families.

“Seeing the smiles on the faces of these children serves as a reminder that acts of kindness can make a big and lasting difference in the lives of these families,” Khambule said.

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Professor thanks donors for making a difference

Neshiongolwe said: “We thank the donors for making this possible, understanding that business has a social responsibility aspect in communities.

“It is through collaborative efforts like this when we all realise being socially conscious about the importance of giving back to the people.”

According to hospital matron Percy Moyo, preparation for the corrective surgeries began two months ago.

“In all this, we involved professors Thendo Neshiongolwe and Chrysis Sofianos. It has been a mammoth task because we had to get extra staff – it takes time to prepare.

“It took us weeks to get the staff and resources ready. We thank the Smile Foundation for giving us consumables, which we did not have,” Moyo said.

The first such corrective surgery in SA was performed at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital 24 years ago.

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