100 Kids Smile For The First Time

Summary

The video highlights the work of Operation Smile, an organization providing life-changing surgeries to children born with cleft lip and palate, particularly in underserved areas. It follows the emotional journey of a father, Jerónimo, and his son Emmanuel, who travels 17 hours for the chance of surgery. Operation Smile has performed over 400,000 surgeries worldwide, offering free medical care to children who face bullying and social isolation. The video underscores the impact of these surgeries and the organization's commitment to improving lives, including offering speech therapy and scholarships to former patients.

Takeaways

• 👶 Over 200,000 children are born each year with cleft lip or palate, which makes smiling and breathing difficult.
• 🌍 99% of people are born with the ability to breathe properly, but 1% face challenges due to cleft conditions.
• 💔 In poor regions, many children with clefts cannot access surgery, leading to bullying and social isolation.
• 💪 Operation Smile, founded 40 years ago, has successfully performed over 400,000 surgeries in 36 countries.
• 🇲🇽 In Mexico, cleft cases are rising, and families struggle to afford surgeries, requiring additional support.
• 🚶‍♂️ Jerónimo, a single father from Chiapas, traveled 17 hours by bus to Puebla, hoping for a surgery for his son, Emmanuel.
• 💉 Emmanuel was born with a bilateral cleft palate, and his family feared they wouldn't be selected for surgery.
• 🎉 Jerónimo’s son was selected as patient 99, bringing great relief and hope to the family.
• 💖 Operation Smile also provides free speech and vocal therapy to help children speak clearly after surgery.
• 🎓 The organization offers scholarships, such as to a nursing student, Fernanda, who was treated by Operation Smile 17 years ago.

Q & A

What is the main issue highlighted in the video?

The video focuses on children born with cleft lip and palate, a condition that affects their ability to smile and breathe properly. It also highlights the challenges these children face, especially in poorer areas where access to healthcare is limited.

How common is the cleft lip or palate condition?

Around 1% of children are born with a cleft lip or palate, which makes life difficult for them as they grow up.

What organization is actively working to help children with cleft lips and palates?

Operation Smile is the organization making a significant difference by providing free surgeries to children with cleft lips and palates around the world.

How did Operation Smile begin?

Operation Smile started 40 years ago when Kathy and her husband were asked to visit the Philippines. They saw 300 children with cleft lips and palates but could only help 40. This experience motivated them to establish Operation Smile.

How many surgeries has Operation Smile completed, and in how many countries?

Over the past 40 years, Operation Smile has completed more than 400,000 successful surgeries for patients in 36 countries.

Why is the cleft lip and palate issue particularly urgent in Mexico?

In Mexico, the number of cleft cases is increasing rapidly, making it difficult for local organizations to manage alone. Many families cannot afford the expensive healthcare needed to treat this condition.

Who is Jerónimo, and what challenge did he face?

Jerónimo is a single father from Chiapas, Mexico, whose son Emmanuel was born with a bilateral cleft palate. Due to his limited income, Jerónimo had to travel 17 hours by bus to Puebla for the chance to get free surgery for his son.

What emotions did Jerónimo experience during the surgery selection process?

Jerónimo felt extremely anxious, fearing that his son might not be selected. However, when Emmanuel was chosen as patient number 99, Jerónimo was visibly relieved and emotional.

How does Operation Smile support patients beyond surgery?

In addition to surgeries, Operation Smile provides patients with free speech and vocal therapy to help them speak clearly and fluently.

What special surprise was given to Fernanda, and why?

Fernanda, a nursing student who received treatment from Operation Smile 17 years ago, was given a full scholarship to complete her nursing school as a way of helping her fulfill her dream of assisting children with cleft conditions.

Outlines

00:00

👶 The Global Cleft Lip and Palate Crisis

Every year, over 200,000 children are born with cleft lips or palates, preventing them from smiling or breathing properly. While 99% of people are born with functional nasal airway passages, 1% face this challenging condition. In poorer regions, healthcare is often inaccessible, leaving many children to grow up without the possibility of corrective surgery. This leads to social isolation and bullying. Operation Smile, an organization founded by Kathy and her husband 40 years ago, has since performed over 400,000 surgeries in 36 countries, transforming lives worldwide.

05:01

🇲🇽 The Growing Cleft Cases in Mexico

Cleft cases in Mexico are rising at an alarming rate, making it difficult to keep up with the demand for surgeries. Darren and Dan travel to Puebla, Mexico, a culturally rich city, where they are greeted by Mauricio, an 11-year veteran of Operation Smile. Mauricio, motivated by the tragic stories of children like the young girl who was bullied for her cleft condition, dedicates his life to helping close the healthcare gap. The narrative introduces Emmanuel, a 17-month-old boy born with a bilateral cleft, whose father, Jerónimo, faces the daunting task of traveling 17 hours in hopes of securing life-changing surgery for his son.

😔 The Struggles of Parents and Children

At the screening program, hundreds of hopeful families gather with no guarantee of being selected. Jerónimo anxiously awaits news, knowing this may be his last chance to secure a surgery for Emmanuel. The emotional weight of the situation is palpable as parents, many of whom cannot afford shoes, do everything possible to ensure their child's future. Ultimately, Emmanuel is selected as patient number 99, bringing immense relief to Jerónimo, who can now look forward to his son receiving the care he so desperately needs.

🎶 A Moment of Joy in Puebla

While waiting for Emmanuel’s surgery to conclude, Darren fulfills a lifelong dream by joining a local Mariachi band, bringing light-heartedness to the serious atmosphere. Meanwhile, Emmanuel’s surgery is a success, and Jerónimo will soon witness his son smile for the first time. This emotional moment signifies a transformative experience not only for Emmanuel but for his entire family. The surgery marks the beginning of a new chapter, free from the stigmas and bullying that previously loomed over Emmanuel’s future.

🎓 A Life-Changing Opportunity for Fernanda

In addition to providing surgeries, Operation Smile also offers support beyond medical care. Kathy introduces Fernanda, a former cleft patient and aspiring nurse, who was treated by the organization 17 years ago. In a heartwarming surprise, she is granted a full scholarship to complete her nursing degree, ensuring she can help children like her in the future. This moment of generosity and empowerment exemplifies the long-term impact Operation Smile has on individuals, communities, and future generations.

😊 The Mission Continues

Operation Smile's work around the world is transformative, and the video closes with a lighthearted appeal to viewers, encouraging them to subscribe and support the organization. The importance of donations is emphasized humorously, highlighting that contributions to Operation Smile directly support life-changing surgeries for children in need. The impact of this work is evident in the countless lives improved, as children like Emmanuel gain not only the ability to smile but also the hope of a brighter future.

Keywords

💡Cleft lip and palate

A cleft lip or palate is a congenital deformity where there is a gap or opening in the upper lip or roof of the mouth, making it difficult for affected individuals to breathe, eat, or speak properly. This concept is central to the video, as it highlights the challenges faced by children born with this condition, and the role of Operation Smile in providing corrective surgeries to improve their quality of life.

💡Operation Smile

Operation Smile is a nonprofit organization that provides free surgeries to children born with cleft lips and palates. It is the main focus of the video, showcasing its impact in various countries around the world, including Mexico, by transforming the lives of over 400,000 patients through surgical interventions over the past 40 years.

💡Surgical programs

Surgical programs refer to the organized medical efforts led by Operation Smile to offer cleft surgeries in different regions. These programs are featured throughout the video as life-changing opportunities for children and families who could not otherwise afford or access the necessary medical treatment for cleft conditions.

💡Jerónimo

Jerónimo is a single father from rural Chiapas, Mexico, who travels 17 hours by bus to give his son Emmanuel a chance to receive cleft surgery. He represents the emotional and financial struggles faced by parents of children with cleft conditions, highlighting the importance of organizations like Operation Smile in providing much-needed medical aid to disadvantaged families.

💡Emmanuel

Emmanuel is a 17-month-old boy born with a bilateral cleft palate, making him a key figure in the video’s narrative. His journey to receive surgery is symbolic of the transformative impact of medical intervention on children born with cleft conditions, emphasizing the relief and joy that surgery can bring to both the child and their family.

💡Bullying

Bullying is mentioned in the video as one of the major social consequences faced by children born with cleft conditions. Due to their physical appearance and speech impediments, children like Emmanuel are often subject to ridicule and social isolation, which makes the surgeries provided by Operation Smile even more crucial for improving their social well-being.

💡Speech therapy

Speech therapy is a follow-up treatment provided by Operation Smile to help children who have undergone cleft surgeries learn to speak clearly and fluently. This is highlighted in the video as an essential service to ensure that children, after their surgery, can communicate effectively and live a normal life without being hindered by speech issues caused by their cleft condition.

💡Mauricio

Mauricio is a representative of Operation Smile in Mexico who has dedicated his life to helping children with cleft conditions. He is featured in the video explaining the harsh realities of life for children with clefts in Mexico and the emotional toll it takes on families, underlining his commitment to the cause and the organization's mission.

💡Rural healthcare access

Rural healthcare access refers to the limited availability of medical services in rural or impoverished areas, which makes it difficult for families like Jerónimo's to receive the necessary care for conditions like cleft lip and palate. This is a significant challenge discussed in the video, as many families have to travel long distances or face financial barriers to get the surgeries their children desperately need.

💡Transformation

Transformation is a central theme of the video, referring to the life-changing impact of cleft surgeries on both children and their families. The video shows the emotional moment when Jerónimo sees his son Emmanuel smile for the first time after surgery, emphasizing the profound personal, emotional, and social transformations that come from correcting cleft conditions.

Highlights

Over 200,000 children are born without the ability to smile and breathe properly due to cleft lip or palate.

99% of people are born with the full ability to breathe through their nasal airway, but 1% face challenges due to cleft lip or palate.

In poorer areas, many children with cleft conditions grow up without access to surgery, leading to social isolation and bullying.

Operation Smile was founded 40 years ago after seeing 300 children in the Philippines with cleft lip and palate, and now has provided over 400,000 surgeries.

Mexico faces an increasing number of cleft cases, making it challenging to provide surgeries without help.

Mauricio, who joined Operation Smile 11 years ago, dedicated his life to helping cleft patients in Mexico after seeing the social consequences they face.

A young child in Mexico, with a severe facial disfigurement, will face bullying as he grows up despite his sweet and loving nature.

Jerónimo, a single father from rural Chiapas, traveled 17 hours by bus to Puebla for a chance at surgery for his son, Emmanuel.

Despite limited financial resources, families do whatever it takes to bring their children for the chance of a life-changing surgery.

Jerónimo’s relief after his son, Emmanuel, was selected as patient number 99 for surgery is an emotional moment.

Operation Smile provides not just surgeries, but also free speech and vocal therapy for their patients.

Fernanda, a former patient treated by Operation Smile, is now a nursing student and received a full scholarship to complete her education.

One of the most emotional moments in the program is when parents see their child after the surgery, knowing their life has changed forever.

Operation Smile has transformed the lives of children, giving them the opportunity to live without fear of bullying and social exclusion.

Operation Smile continues to provide critical care globally, and donations are essential to help them provide surgeries to children in need.

Transcripts

Every year, over 200,000 children

are born without the ability to smile,

and even worse, breathe properly.

99% of people are born like this,

with a full ability to breathe through their nasal airway passage.

However, the other 1% look like this,

with a cleft lip or palate

which makes life terribly difficult

for these children as they grow up.

In poorer areas, there is no way for many of these people

to get healthcare, meaning thousands of them

grow up without ever having the opportunity to receive surgery,

which results in bullying and social isolation.

But, there is one organization

that is making a big difference in communities all around the world.

Meet Kathy.

40 years ago, my husband and I

were asked to go to the Philippines.

We landed in sites one after the next,

and we saw 300 children with cleft lip and palates.

We just didn't know what to do

We said, let's do what we can,

and we were able to do 40.

The rest, we had to turn away

So, we said to ourselves,

okay, well, we should go back.

We should at least finish.

This was the start of Operation Smile

and in 40 years,

they've been able to achieve over 400,000

successful surgeries for patients in 36 countries

all around the world.

However, in Mexico, the number of

cleft cases are quickly increasing and

becoming difficult to maintain alone.

They desperately need our help.

So, Darren and Dan flew to

Puebla, Mexico, a city with rich

Latin history and culture.

On their arrival, Dan got the rare opportunity to showcase

this incredible city from above by being invited

to ring the cathedral bell at first light.

They were welcomed by Mauricio.

I started with Operation Smile 11 years ago.

One of the reasons

why I wanted to dedicate my life into nonprofits

is because in Mexico,

there's a huge gap between people

that can actually have access to any surgery.

I met a young lady,

and when she came to one of our surgical programs,

she had a bruised eye.

They threw stones at her

because of the way she spoke.

It just broke my heart.

This is one of the consequences of a cleft

I always say that behind the patient,

there's a story,

and behind the story, you have a human.

And I decided to dedicate my life

to the cleft cause in Mexico

We met a young child, and he is one of the sweetest kids

I've ever met in my entire life

But he has a terrible disfigurement on his face.

And this child is so sweet

and so loving,

but it breaks my heart knowing the bullying that

he is going to face as he grows up.

One of these patients is Emmanuel.

17 months ago, he was born with a bilateral cleft palate.

He is the son of Jerónimo,

a single father who lives in

the rural mountains of Chiapas.

The cost of health care has

proven to be extremely expensive for him,

as he barely makes enough money to support his son.

Meaning that his only hope is to travel by bus for 17 hours

to Puebla for the only

chance of being selected for a surgery.

And if not selected, it may be the last chance Jerónimo

has to get this opportunity for his son.

If you look out at any one

of these programs, what we see are masses.

It's not like 10 children, 2 children.

It's masses of kids and families.

We screen these families.

You know, we look in their face.

But if you look down,

you see no shoes on their feet.

They will do anything for their child.

I can only imagine the pain

for a parent when they have

a child that desperately needs a surgery and they cannot afford

to provide it for them themselves.

And when we saw just how difficult

this was for these families,

we knew we had to help.

So we decided to pay for

over 100 surgeries.

The next day after the screening process was complete, it was time

for the patient selection.

Jerónimo was extremely anxious because

he wasn't sure if his son would be selected

Today is a very emotional day for me.

Behind me, we have the patients

and we're going to do the surgical announcement.

They are about just to be told

that they're going to be having

a life change forever.

97 patients had already been selected

and Jerónimo started to lose hope.

It was time for patient number 99.

He did it.

Just look at the relief on his face.

Seeing the hope in these parents' faces when they bring these children

to this clinic, knowing that they're

finally going to get the medical

care that they need is truly an experience that moves the heart.

Emmanuel's surgery would take the whole day

So while the doctors operated,

Dan and Darren went to explore the city.

We were walking through the park

and we just found a Mariachi band.

And it's always been a dream of Darren's

to join a Mariachi band.

So hopefully I can make his dream come true.

Sorry!

My friend over there,

he wants to join the band.

Okay.

I got you a hat.

I think we have to shut this down.

This is terrible.

That was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

That shows you how boring Darren's life is.

Emmanuel's surgery is now complete.

And this will be the first time

Jerónimo will ever see his son smile.

One of my favorite moments in

the surgical program is when

the kid comes out of surgery.

Because this is the first time

that the parents are going to see the kids with the surgery.

It's just such an emotional moment.

Because you change the life, not only of the patient,

but the family and the society.

Our patients are going to have

the opportunity to actually have a normal life.

A healed cleft means that all

of these children will grow up

not having to worry about being bullied.

And on top of these extraordinary surgeries

Operation Smile also provides all of their patients with free speech

and vocal therapy.

Meaning that they will learn how to speak clearly and fluently.

But we had one more surprise left.

Kathy told us about a young nursing student, Fernanda, who was treated

by Operation Smile 17 years ago.

I knew I wanted to study nursing

because I wanted to help kids like me.

When you go home

You tell your family, that they don’t have to pay for you anymore.

We’re gonna give you a full scholarship

And we’ll pay for you to finish your nursing school

I think you’re going to be an excellent nurse.

- Thank you. - Thank you vey much.

Dan, come over here.

Alright, look at this man.

If you don't subscribe,

he will literally cry right now.

Don't worry, they subscribed, so you don't have to.

Yeah.

Just end it like that.

And one more thing.

Operation Smile is amazing

and they're doing incredible work all around the world.

We want to help them continue

to be able to provide these

surgeries to children all around the world.

In other words, if you don't donate to Operation Smile,

you just hate kids.