Operation Smile Train...?!?

Unveiling the truth to why Operation Smile has changed its name recently…

Extracted from Operation Smile’s official website:http://www.operationsmile.org/

On the 14th of February 2011, the boards of directors of Smile Train and Operation Smile, two of the leading cleft lip and cleft palate charities in the world, announced that they have voted to combine the two organizations into a single new entity, to be known as Operation Smile Train.

In a joint statement, Charles B. Wang, Co-founder of Smile Train and Dr. William P. and Kathleen S. Magee, Co-founders of Operation Smile, said, “We are delighted that our boards have voted to unite our two organizations. By combining our talented staffs and programs, we bring together the best volunteer doctors and other medical personnel, with the best in-country facilities, and will be able to reach more children than the two charities would have separately. Additionally, our merged resources and knowledge will enhance educational and research programs, laying the foundation for long-term, locally-driven progress in cleft lip and cleft palate treatment.”

Howard J. Unger, currently the Chief Operating Officer of Operation Smile, will hold the same title in the new organization and will have day-to-day management responsibility. Operation Smile Train will be headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, and will have an office in New York City.

With a combined history of over 40 years, Smile Train and Operation Smile have jointly provided 750,000 surgeries to children with cleft lips and/or cleft palates. Together, their operations span over 90 countries, where they also have helped provide related training to thousands of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other medical professionals.

William R. Fox, the current Chairman of Operation Smile’s Board, commented, “This is a natural combination that unites two of the leading cleft lip and cleft palate charities into what will be one of the largest surgical, humanitarian, non-profit organizations in the world. Over many years our two organizations have distinguished themselves by providing life-changing surgeries to hundreds of thousands of children around the world, while operating in a highly efficient manner. Operation Smile Train will continue this tradition. We are tremendously excited for what lies ahead.”

So are we! May Operation Smile Train scale greater heights to recreate even more smiles around the world.