Smiles for life as children get free surgery

Children with cleft lips and palates from poor areas of China received free surgery in a charitable event held earlier this month, as part of an effort to help them improve health and regain self-confidence.

One of the organizers, French cosmetic retailer Sephora China, said it invited volunteers and doctors from home and abroad to conduct operations for 75 young patients during five days in Garze county of southwestern Sichuan province.

Statistics show about one in every 600 new babies is born with cleft lift and palate in China.

These disorders prevent these children from talking or eating properly.

Many children in mountainous areas go untreated, even though the work required is considered relatively minor, the company said.

A mother from Tibetan ethnic group said it took about nine hours to bring her second son for the examination and operation.

Since both her husband and father-in-law go to other cities to earn a living, she has to take care of the two children on her own.

She said she would like to call her families back to celebrate after her son recovered from the disease.

During the five-day event, 105 patients went through screening, with 75 receiving reconstructive surgery.

The doctors got up at 7 am and finished the last operation at 9 pm, thereby treating as many patients as possible.

And some didn't have time to grab a lunch during that schedule, the company said.

Volunteers provided services including doing medical records, translating and chatting with the children to make them relaxed.

Wu Wei, president of the Future Smile Charitable Foundation, another organizer, said many of those children live in mountainous areas, and traditionally have not received timely treatment due to a lack of medical resources.

"The event is expected to help change their lives and give them a smiling face in the future," he said.

This month's event was Sephora China's fifth collaboration with Future Smile Charitable Foundation in treating children with cleft lips and palates since 2015.

In the past three years, the event has helped 1,000 children from Ziyang, Ya'an and Luzhou in Sichuan province as well as Dejiang in southwestern Guizhou province, the company said.

It said it released a mini version of lip balm recently, the profits of which - both from online and offline channels - will be donated to children who have cleft lips and palates, thereby encouraging more people to take part.

chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn