The Mirror: What is the goal of Operation Smile?
Victor before
Aliya Roginiel:The goal of Operation Smile as a national organization is to collaborate with clinics and hospitals in developing countries to provide free surgeries for children who have cleft lip and/or palate. Volunteer physicians, nurses, biomedical technicians, students and speech therapists travel with designated teams year-round to such countries as China, Kenya, Brazil and Mexico. There they evaluate patients coming in for sugery, and over a period of one week the team can perform around 150 surgeries to repair cleft lip/palate. It is really remarkable to see how much they can do!
As a chapter at Fairfield University, our goal is create awareness for the mission of Operation Smile and help fundraise for the surgeries. Each Operation Smile mission brings its own medical equipment, including instruments and surgical supplies. Medicines and toys for the children are also donated to the hospitals and local schools.
TM: When did you get involved with Operation Smile?
AR: I found out about Operation Smile in 2004 during high school through my mom, who works for Dr. Persing, Chief of Yale Plastic Surgery. Dr. Persing introduced me to the organization as he volunteers on many of Operation Smile’s missions. I was really interested in Operation Smile as global volunteer medical organization and was amazed at what they could do for the children in developing countries! After further research, I found that I could start a chapter at Sacred Heart Academy (my high school) and help fundraise for the missions.
TM: How many members are in the club?
AR: In our Fairfield Chapter, there are about fifteen members. It is often hard to hold meetings on a day when everyone is free, so we also have an e-mail system where members are updated on what is going on in terms of fundraising events and programs offered by Operation Smile. We have about ninety people on that e-mail list.
TM: What is the goal amount you would like raise by the end of the year?
AR: By the end of the year, it would be great to fundraiser at least $750, as each surgery costs around $240 and that goal can cover at least three surgeries. This amount is also what Operation Smile asks for from each chapter throughout the end of the school year, as fundraising through school chapters helps collect needed supplies.
TM: What are your other goals for the club?
Victor with his mother after
AR: Another goal for the club is just to create more of an awareness for the mission of Operation Smile as a whole. The more people who know about it, the more we can do to help! Also, we would like to collaborate with other Operation Smile groups throughout the U.S. and the U.K. Operation Smile holds yearly international conferences for school chapters, and they are a great way to meet others who are as passionate about helping children.
After our chapter is more established at Fairfield University, we would also like to look into sending students on college missions. These service missions are more based on community service activities, like traveling to schools and hospitals to educate villagers on dental care, hygeine and nutrition. This is really important as malnutrition is one of the major reasons why cleft/lip palates are so prevalent in third-world countries. All students would travel with full Operation Smile teams and each mission would last about two weeks.
TM: What kinds of fundraisers have you held thus far?
AR: So far, our Operation Smile chapter has held Band Night, Smile Week and the Iron Stag as major events. We also collaborated with Frank Romano of “Let’s Be Frank” in t-shirt sales last Spring. All the events were a lot of fun, and they were also very different! Band Night was held in Fall 2008 with the help of the Logan Groovers who played a selection of their music throughout the night at the Levee. Smile Week involved handing out information at bake sales for Operation Smile and holding a contest where passerbys could get their photo taken to win a prize for the best smile. Iron Stag was our newest fundraiser in collaboration with ASA and Fairfield United and was held this past Saturday in the BCC. The American Martial Arts Academy and the Center for Martial Arts in Fairfield came and did some awesome demonstrations and performances! We then held a kick-a-thon where martial arts aficionados performed a variety of kicks from the basic to the most advanced in order to raise money for surgeries and medical equipment. In total, our chapter has raised about $700 for Operation Smile.
TM: Why did you decide to collaborate with the other clubs?
AR: Collaboration is essential for the success of any club, and in working with ASA and Fairfield United for the Iron Stag our chapter was able to get more information on how to organize a fundraiser and how to bring more cultural awareness to the Fairfield community. One of the missions of our chapter is to cultivate a growing understanding of what children and families go through in countries throughout the world. When fundraising for and participating on missions, it is important to know the traditions and cultures of a people so that you can understand them and find the best way to help. Collaborating with different clubs on campus also allows all of us as students to build unity between clubs, so that each of our organizations can help the other.
TM: Why did you decide to get involved with Operation Smile?
AR: I decided to get involved with Operation Smile because they really go out there and help the children of developing countries. I went on a medical mission with them to Nakuru, Kenya in 2006 and was able to experience this first-hand. There were so many families coming with children from infancy up to adolescence, who had walked over 20-30 miles when they heard the Operation Smile team was at the Rift Valley hospital in Nakuru. The surgeons, nurses and pediatrician examined each child and evaluated them for surgery before creating a schedule for the following week. The children were so scared coming in, but as students we stayed with them and their families up through post-op care. As students, we were able to witness directly the life-changing surgeries to repair each child’s cleft lip/palate. And within just forty-five minutes, their lives were completely transformed. To be able to see what a difference just a simple surgery can make, was truly remarkable. Now I am a life-supporter of Operation Smile! And am really looking forward to bringing Operation Smile’s mission to the Fairfield community.
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