With the help of charity surgery over the past 10 years, 5,800 Chinese children with cleft palates are now able to speak and smile like normal kids, reported Xinhua News Agency.
Hundreds of medical experts and program volunteers from 10 Chinese cities and the United States attended a ceremony yesterday in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, to mark the tenth anniversary of the initiation of "Operation Smile China," which is under the support of "Operation Smile International," an international non-profit volunteer organization.
Since 1991, Operation Smile China has carried out inspections free of charge of more than 8,900 Chinese children born with the genetic deformity.
Operation Smile International has provided the operations to more than 50,000 children in 22 countries and regions since it was established by U.S. surgeons in 1982.
With 1 million yuan (US$120,000) donated from a Hong Kong-based foundation for Operation Smile China, China has set up an Operation Smile Center at Gulou Hospital in Nanjing to expand its services.
(eastday.com October 21, 2001)
