Oral cleft ranks among the top 12 birth defects in the Philippines. An estimated two in every 1,000 Filipino children are born every year with a cleft deformity. While a 45-minute surgery is all that it will take to put a smile back on these children’s faces, most of them could not avail of surgical treatment because of poverty. Thanks to the volunteer doctors of the Operation Rainbow Australia Limited (ORAL), these poor children now have a reason to smile.
ORAL is a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides reconstructive surgery and health care services to children and young adults suffering from facial and other deformities in third world countries including the Philippines, China and Guatemala. In addition to medical services, the organization provides education and training to physicians and other professionals to achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
Since it was founded in 1978 by Dr. William B. Riley of Houston, Texas, ORAL volunteers have been donating their time and skills to care for an average of 100 Filipino children suffering from facial deformities by cleft lips and other birth defects, every year.
Members of ORAL in Australia raise funds for their annual medical mission to the Philippines. In the last 14 years, ORAL has consistently conducted its medical operation in Quezon City, Manila, Cavite, Tarlac, Pampanga, Dipolog, Camarines Norte and La Union.
Patients with problems too complicated to be operated on in their own countries are taken to Australia where the generosity of hospitals, surgical teams and community groups enables free treatment, along with full accommodation and transportation assistance to and from Australia.
In 1998, 23-year old Enrique Canlas, who suffered from third degree burns from his lower face to the upper torso when he was only three years old, was brought to Perth, Australia, through the efforts of ORAL to undergo a full surgical reconstruction.
In 2002, 10-year old Jenelyn Oval was likewise brought to Perth from Manila, accompanied by her mother, Marivic Oval, for a stage by stage surgical, facial, and dental reconstruction. Enrique and Jenelyn are just two of the thousands of patients who were relieved from hopelessness and desperation through the wonderful work that the organization has been doing. Through the efforts of its volunteers, ORAL has in many ways, transformed the lives of countless young individuals from a life of shame and ridicule to a life of hope and promise.
In the words of ORAL’s volunteers, “It is truly amazing what a dedicated team of doctors can do, in barely an hour, to dramatically affect the life of a child.”
Besides the treatment of indigent patients, medical education and training have become a paramount concern in ORAL’s medical missions. ORAL trains the local surgeons to perform these operations by themselves, using the latest Western techniques. Mission doctors also advise the parents about caring, hygiene, diet and public health for the children after surgery. The Operation Rainbow team has developed a lecture and seminar series which they conduct in the countries they visit, as well as a student exchange and an international fellowship program. These activities broaden the experience of the doctors from poor countries and encourage the spirit of sharing between volunteer doctors of Australia and their local counterparts.
In conferring the Kaanib ng Bayan Award to Operation Rainbow Australia Limited, the President recognizes its enduring work and commitment to bring smiles to poor and unfortunate children in the Philippines through their gift of reconstructive surgery.
