Operation Smile

Operation Smile We are a global nonprofit, delivering cleft care and working to ensure that every child has access to safe and timely essential surgery.
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At Operation Smile, we believe safe, essential surgery is a human right. For over 40 years, we have transformed lives and strengthened health systems around the world. Our work began when Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon, and Kathy Magee, a nurse and social worker, traveled to the Philippines on a surgical program to provide cleft surgeries for children, inspiring them to create Operation Smile.

Today, we operate in 37 countries, partnering with local volunteers, medical leaders, ministries of health, universities and organizations to bring essential surgical and comprehensive care closer to patients’ homes, train and support local professionals, and build lasting care for the communities we serve.

It's Friday! Today, we are proud to bring you an update on the care we recently provided in .This month, Operation Sm...
05/29/2026

It's Friday! Today, we are proud to bring you an update on the care we recently provided in .

This month, Operation Smile Tanzania held surgical program in Mtwara. Thanks to your support and more than 80 volunteers, the program provided 44 life-changing surgeries while helping to build local medical capacity through education and training.

Operation Smile is helping to bring lifesaving care closer to home for our patients and their communities.

When Kimberly was born with a lip and palate, her parents, Margarita and Benjamin looked for solutions, but it was not...
05/28/2026

When Kimberly was born with a lip and palate, her parents, Margarita and Benjamin looked for solutions, but it was not until Margarita met a woman in the street that they found the help they needed.

The woman told Margarita that her niece had also been born with a cleft condition and had received surgery through Operation Smile . Relieved, Margarita called the organization’s office and learned about an upcoming surgical program in Puebla.

When the time came, the family made the four-hour bus journey to Puebla, where they were surprised to see so many other families like theirs waiting to receive care.

After undergoing a comprehensive health evaluation, Kimberly was scheduled for surgery. Margarita shared, “I shed tears of happiness when I heard Kimberly’s name called.”

Returning home, Margarita was happy to share Kimberly’s story with the community. Although the children in their community had always loved Kimberly, everyone was delighted that she had finally been able to receive surgery.

Learn how you can help more children like Kimberly by visiting operationsmile.org.

Never underestimate the power of a confident . Oscar was 3 months old when he received his first surgery from Operation...
05/27/2026

Never underestimate the power of a confident .

Oscar was 3 months old when he received his first surgery from Operation Smile . When they arrived, Oscar was underweight and not yet ready for an operation. But with the guidance of the medical staff, Oscar reached a healthy weight in less than a month and received his life-changing surgery. Now in second grade, Oscar loves school and has since gone back to Operation Smile to have his palate treated.

Fifty-five-year-old Ama of grew up not knowing that surgery to repair her lip was possible. But a chance encounter with a passerby lead to her learning that surgery was indeed possible – and free – through Operation Smile. After traveling to the city of Ho and receiving her life-changing surgery, Ama returned home and her entire community came to greet and celebrate her new smile.

Four-year-old Jupiter of the has endured a rough life. The youngest of 11 children, he was the only one born with a cleft lip. The family´s house was destroyed by a typhoon, and his mother almost died from being struck by a piece of metal during the storm. Jupiter was badly bullied by his peers and siblings who didn’t accept him. “When they teased him he just bowed his head and walked away, silent. He didn’t fight back,” his mother, Gemma, said. When Jupiter received surgery from Operation Smile, his mother was so thankful. She cried when she saw him in the recovery room. “Jupiter is beautiful,” she said.

Learn how YOU can help create new for more children like Oscar, Ama and Jupiter by visiting operationsmile.org/SwipeforSmiles.

05/25/2026

Today, on Africa Day and Global Surgery Day, we celebrate the power of coming together to change lives through safe surgical care.

For patients like Adoma, access to surgery is more than a medical procedure; it is hope, healing and the chance for a brighter future.

Across Africa and around the world, healthcare workers, students, governments, donors and partners are working together to strengthen surgical systems and expand access to care for children and families who need it most.

This is : I am because we are.

Adoma’s journey is a reminder that real impact happens through compassion, collaboration and long-term commitment. Through partnerships, training and shared knowledge, we are helping create a future where safe surgery is within reach for every child.

Because stronger systems save lives. And because when we work together, we build hope for the future.

Today, Africa Day and Global Surgery Day come together around one mission to expand access to safe surgery and strengthe...
05/25/2026

Today, Africa Day and Global Surgery Day come together around one mission to expand access to safe surgery and strengthen health systems across Africa.

Across the continent and beyond, healthcare workers, students, governments, donors and partners are working together to build lasting surgical capacity.

This is : I am because we are.

From training to surgical care, real progress happens through collaboration and long-term commitment.

Through platforms like the Pan-African Surgical Conference and global surgery forums, ideas are turning into action.

Because access to safe surgery should not depend on where you are born. Because stronger systems save more lives. Because together, we build hope.

During a routine ultrasound, Lionel’s parents, Ilaria and Jorge of , learned their son would be born with a and . T...
05/24/2026

During a routine ultrasound, Lionel’s parents, Ilaria and Jorge of , learned their son would be born with a and .

The soon-to-be parents were scared their baby would grow up not being accepted by others, but their doctor reassured Ilaria and Jorge by telling them how Operation Smile Paraguay could provide free surgery for Lionel.

A few months after his birth and a comprehensive health evaluation, baby Lionel underwent surgeries for both his cleft lip and cleft palate.

Learn how YOU can help provide new for people like Lionel by visiting operationsmile.org/SundaySmiles.

05/21/2026

Legacy isn’t just about a gift at the end of life; it’s about how you show up every day. Planned giving really begins with “legacy living”— making thoughtful choices that reflect what matters most to you, at any stage and with every act of generosity.

Your legacy is more than how you’re remembered. It’s the impact you make along the way — the values you put into action and the difference you create in the lives of others.

At Operation Smile, that legacy comes to life in a powerful way. It becomes hope for a child, support for a family and stronger, more sustainable care for communities around the world.

To learn more, visit operationsmile.planmylegacy.org.

For many families, access to care depends not only on need, but on the strength of the health systems that deliver it....
05/18/2026

For many families, access to care depends not only on need, but on the strength of the health systems that deliver it. A recent World Report article in The Lancet by Jacqui Thornton highlights this through Operation Smile’s work in Peru, where families often travel long distances and face systemic barriers to accessing care.

The article highlights how, in partnership with Peru’s Ministry of Health, we are helping strengthen access to care through long-term investment in local capacity building, multidisciplinary training and expanding care closer to patients through district and regional hospital partnerships.

As Lizet Campos Sánchez, executive director of Operación Sonrisa Perú, shared: “Our trainings, hospital partnerships and investments are designed to be coordinated with the country’s needs and embedded within the public health system, ensuring sustainability rather than parallel implementation.”

Through , Operation Smile continues working to strengthen local surgical capacity and expand access to care closer to home.

Read more at https://bit.ly/3RH7M5i.

When Joselin found out her second child would be a girl, she cried with happiness. But that happiness turned to shock wh...
05/17/2026

When Joselin found out her second child would be a girl, she cried with happiness. But that happiness turned to shock when she learned that her that Romina had been born with a condition. When doctors explained that was possible, Joselin began to feel hopeful.

Romina’s father, Alvaro, adored her immediately, and family, friends and neighbors rallied around them with support. During one of Romina’s first pediatric visits, Joselin learned about an upcoming surgical program with Operation Smile Bolivia.

When the family arrived at the program and met the Operation Smile medical team, Joselin felt reassured and cried tears of joy when Romina was scheduled for surgery.

Although Romina’s surgery was briefly delayed when she became sick, she recovered in time for a successful operation on the final day of the program.

After surgery, Joselin and Alvaro were overwhelmed with joy seeing their daughter’s new smile. Back home, Romina’s older brother, Julio Cesar, proudly shared the news with his classmates. Today, Romina is constantly smiling.

Learn how you can help more children like Romina by visiting operationsmile.org/SundaySmiles.

05/16/2026

Behind every is a making care possible. From preparing patients for surgery to supporting recovery, they play a critical role in delivering safe, high-quality care across every stage of the patient journey.

Nurses like Florence Mangula, known by her colleagues as “Mama Africa,” bring this impact to life. A longtime volunteer from Kenya, she has supported surgical care across Africa for more than 30 years. Working in the post-anesthesia care unit, she monitors patients as they recover from surgery and ensures they are stable, comforting children and reassuring families. Beyond patient care, she also mentors fellow healthcare providers, helping build stronger surgical teams and more sustainable health systems.

To all our nurse volunteers, thank you for your compassion, dedication to our patients and your continued commitment to training and mentorship. Through , we’re investing in the education and support healthcare providers like nurses need to expand access to essential surgery, creating a lasting impact on the lives of children and families around the world.

Address

3641 Faculty Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA
23453

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17573217645

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