It has always been the ardent desire of MSYCFI chairman Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung to go on with the yearly project, Operation Smile, no matter if the elections were fast approaching. And so, with Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Medical Director Dr. Gerardo Aquino and Assistant Chief Dr. Roque Paradela giving the go signal, the mission proceeded though not on the usual month of February but a month later.
For the information of all, Operation Smile International, in cooperation with MSYCFI and the VSMMC, had 100 volunteers (from abroad and local), which included plastic surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists and dentists. Some 179 patients had surgery, obturators installed – 26; tooth extract – 28; speech exams – 234; dental exams – 201; unilateral lip repair – 68; bilateral repair – 21; primary palate repair – 54; and fistula repair – 5.
The Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Charitable Foundation, Inc. would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following: Dr. Gerardo Aquino and Dr. Roque Paradela of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for the special accommodation extended the OpSmile at the OPD Building; to all the volunteers from abroad and local; and the generous donors like Mr. Johnny Mercado and family, Mr. Nandy Sarda, Amparito Lhuillier, Margie Lhuillier, BCB Productions, Cebu’s Korean Community, Mr. & Mrs. Jojo Uy, Philippine Airlines Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Walker, the Quisumbing family, Mrs. Sabina Utlang, and countless others whose hearts were touched by this noble project.
Albeit there were several patients who could not be operated on due to health reasons, we are hoping next year we can extend our services again with the help of the Almighty God. ?