MBOMBELA- Operation Smile South Africa returned to the province last month to provide free, life-changing surgeries to children with cleft lip and palate conditions.
This was the 15th local Operation Smile surgical programme made possible through key support from Glencore and Woolworths MyDifference. The surgical programme took place from July 25 until the 27th July at the Rob Ferreira Hospital in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Health and with the support of a team of 40 medical volunteers from throughout South Africa.
Since its establishment in South Africa in 2006, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery and comprehensive care for approximately 500 people with cleft lip and cleft palate across South Africa.
In the past 19 years it has built a network of over 150 active volunteers, comprising cleft surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, pediatricians, dentists, speech therapists, psychologists, biomedical staff and more. They have traveled across South Africa and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to perform thousands of life-changing surgeries.
“Dental care is a vital part of the overall treatment plan for people with cleft conditions. Most people born with a cleft – and certainly all those born with a cleft palate – need dental treatment, because the whole jaw is affected. The more support we can provide, the more we can improve quality of life,” said Executive Director at Operation Smile South Africa, Sarah Scarth.
Noel Pillay, Glencore Coal’s General Manager for Community and Regulatory Affairs added that healthcare should not be a privilege but a right.
“Our continued support of Operation Smile reflects our commitment to investing in the well-being of communities near our operations. These surgeries don’t just change faces, they impact lives, helping children to eat, speak, smile and thrive with confidence. We are honored to have played a part in their journey.”
Last year, 33-year-old Mbombela resident, Promise Thembelihle Mathebula experienced the transformative power of compassionate care through Operation Smile – for the second time.
When she was a child, Promise received surgery for her cleft lip and palate through Operation Smile. In 2024, it was her son’s turn – baby Mpelo, then five months old, underwent a successful lip surgery and will return again this year for his palate repair.
