because every child deserves to smile...therapists as well as occupational therapists. parents often...

because every child deserves to smile

We, at Smile Foundation, are passionately committed to making a difference in the lives of South African children living with treatable facial anomalies such as facial paralysis, cleft lip and cleft palate, craniofacial abnormalities, as well as ear, nose and hand conditions and burn wounds.

We are a non-profit organisation that brings people together to provide expert surgical intervention and pre and post operative care for our beneficiaries. From our initial concept of ‘Smile Weeks’ we have been able to extend our services to provide ongoing operations and care all year round.

Beyond the costs of the patient’s surgery and recovery, we also invest in the infrastructure of the public healthcare system through the purchase of medical equipment, upgrading of existing facilities for the Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the sponsorship of academic skills programmes for surgeons, nurses and other medical personnel.

We proactively raise funds through corporate and private donors to achieve these goals. Our support extends beyond the child, family and hospital into the community where we promote an understanding that children with facial anomalies and those who are burn victims can be helped. If you know of a child who we can help please refer to our website or call 0861 A SMILE (276 453)

Lend a Helping HandA countless number of children need your love and support. Your donation will help our team of selfless surgeons perform life-changing operations. It will help us provide equipment and academic skills development to our participating hospitals and it will also help us support the nurses and auxiliary service providers who give so much of their time to the children.

DonationsYou can help us by:

Donating online at : www.smilefoundation.co.zaSMS: “smile” to 38413 to donate R10EFT: Bank: RMB Private Bank

(select FNB to find RMB Private Bank)

Branch Code: 261251 Account No: 62193026864 Acc. Name: Donations Account

Join our CommunityWe would like to keep you up to date with the work we are doing so please join our growing online community and help us spread the word that every South African child deserves to Smile.

Smile Foundation SA @SmileFundSA Smile Foundation SA

Welcome

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Donate a smile at:www.smilefoundation.co.za

Change a child’s life

forever.

“”

sms “smile” to 38413 to donate R10

This booklet is a tribute to all those remarkably passionate and caring souls who choose to partner with us.

We compliment every medical professional and administrator, every sponsor, donor and every volunteer who gives of themselves to facilitate the miracles that dramatically change the lives of parents and children.

We are committed not only to supporting the rights of previously disadvantaged children, but indeed to ensuring that these rights are fulfilled. Any and every child deserves the opportunity to overcome their disfigurement and enjoy the pleasures of a normal and healthy childhood.

Please take a moment, whilst looking through these memorable photographs, to reflect on just how natural and beautiful it is to be able to smile...and then think of those who cannot.

Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey and please know that your contribution, in whatever way, matters. Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm.

Marc LubnerExecutive Chairman & Co-founder

You make the difference

Smile Foundation offers holistic support for any child, caregiver and family without medical aid during the hospital stay. We provide additional assistance to patients in need of transport for hospital visits; share educational information and arrange psychological counselling before, during and after surgery.

By educating parents while their children are in hospital, they are able to share information with their communities and through word of mouth open up opportunities for many more children to receive the help they need.

Our support also includes a skills programme to augment academic opportunities for medical staff who work with patients needing plastic and reconstructive surgery. Raising awareness and education are very important aspects of Smile Foundation’s vision.

We continue to support the Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and have experienced extraordinary growth. From partnering with one single hospital in Gauteng in 2000, we are now established in seven Academic Hospitals.

I feel privileged to be part of such a dedicated team working towards changing children’s lives. A special thank you goes out to all of our wonderful donors, both corporates and individuals alike, whose generosity makes this all possible. I would also like to thank the medical teams in each of our partner hospitals, the support services, hospital administration and National Department of Health for your continued support. Together we are helping to create more smiles for the next generation of South African children.

Moira GersztOperations Executive Director

We’re all about smiles

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forever.

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Smile Foundation was established as a result of one determined mother’s quest to give her child a smile.

Thando was born with a condition known as Moebius Syndrome which causes partial or complete facial paralysis. She had never been able to smile. Her mother, Thabile, began writing letters every month to former President Nelson Mandela, asking for assistance. One day, fate intervened and one of her letters found its way into Madiba’s personal mail. Touched by her plea, he sought to help this little girl, and contacted the Lubner family to assist.

At that time there were no surgeons in South Africa with the surgical experience to perform such a complex procedure and Thando would need to travel to the United States to consult with specialists there.

It soon became clear that sending one child overseas at a time was not a sustainable model. Together with the Independent Newspaper Group and a host of other sponsors, the Lubner family convinced world renowned specialists, Dr Ron Zucker and Dr Craig van der Kolk, to come to Johannesburg to train Prof. George Psaras to perform the intricate surgery, thus enabling him thereafter to help many more children throughout South Africa.

Thando received her life-changing surgery and the Smile Fund was born. As a result of exceptional growth and success, the organisation became a registered Section 21 company in 2007 and was relaunched as Smile Foundation.

Nelson Mandela’s fervent wish for the organisation to assist as many children as possible who require facial reconstructive surgery - and educate the public about the stigma associated with facial anomalies - has become a reality. Today over 1500 children have received these life-changing surgeries.

Where we began

With the selfless support of our hospitals, surgeons and medical personnel we have supported over 1,500 reconstructive surgeries since 2009. Smile Foundation’s presence has grown from working in a single Academic Hospital to working actively, in 2015, in seven such hospitals. We are committed to expanding our efforts to ensure that we are supporting many more Academic Hospitals around South Africa by 2020.

1,500 Smiles later

Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital

Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital

Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital

Universitas Academic Hospital

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital

Tygerberg Academic Hospital

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

2000 - 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 -20 17

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forever.

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After a few years of working in this field we began to realise that children with facial anomalies had also been badly hurt by social stigma.

That’s why Smile Foundation’s holistic healthcare vision includes ongoing psychological support to assist in transforming the lives of these children, their families and caregivers. This policy provides the best possible opportunities for recovery and improves the general quality of their lives.

Children who suffer from facial anomalies encounter a variety of challenges beyond looking different. It is critical that they feel supported and cared for in order to develop a healthy self-esteem and cope with the stigma related to their condition. A child’s speech may be affected and patients are therefore assessed by speech and hearing therapists as well as occupational therapists.

Parents often experience shock, confusion, grief or guilt when the child is born. These emotional reactions, although common, can impact on the wellbeing of the child - especially if the parents or caregivers do not receive support to work through their feelings.

All our parents receive counselling before and after their surgery and are invited to join a monthly support group. This is hugely beneficial to the healing process, allowing parents and caregivers the chance to share their stories with others who have had similar experiences within a safe, contained environment.

Family counsellingSurgery processPost-operative careSpeech therapyPsychological servicesPhysiotherapyBuilding self-esteem

The right approach

The work we do at Smile Foundation allows me to simultaneously do two things that are close to my heart - help children in need and use the tools of my profession.

Since our Foundation was formed I am delighted to have watched it grow from strength to strength, helping hundreds of children annually. I look forward to the day when facial anomalies in children are a rare occurrence.

I would also like to commend all my colleagues in the Academic Units in South Africa who continue to support Smile Foundation. Your surgical expertise makes a difference to the many South African children needing reconstructive surgery.

Thank you to all our sponsors and volunteers wholeheartedly for their generosity.

George PsarasMedical Director & Co-founder

Our MissionSmile Foundation brings people together for the purpose of providing expert surgical intervention, creating greater social involvement & enabling sensible corporate social investment. Our mission is to make a difference in the lives of children living with anomalies.

Why I do what I do

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Dedicated weeks of specialised surgeries changing the lives of children one smile at a time.

A Smile Week involves mobilisation of operating theatres and additional nurses and staff in an Academic Hospital for a week. During this time, the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has the opportunity to operate on as many children as possible and sometimes perform complex procedures.

This aids the hospital in reducing any backlog of patients waiting for surgery. Each Smile Week can assist up to 45 children, depending on the complexity of the cases, and time required for each procedure.

Each Smile Week is sponsored by a headline donor. Branded elements such as surgical scrubs, nurses’ gowns, t-shirts and pyjamas create a vibrant and unified energy for the duration of the Smile Week.

Once the surgeries are completed and all the little patients are recovering, balloons, branded items, health snacks and educational activities are the order of the day to create an uplifting atmosphere to celebrate the week’s success.

A Smile Week is a comprehensive project whereby surgeons, doctors, nurses, anaesthetists, occupational therapists, speech and hearing therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, the Department of Health, sponsors, patrons and various individuals, work together.

What makes a Smile Week so unique are the individuals who volunteer their services because they are moved by the opportunity to contribute and see immediate results.

Smile Weeks

Although the main focus of Smile Foundation will always be on helping children suffering from facial conditions, we have extended our services to include supporting plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures such as burns, ear conditions, craniofacial abnormalities and even hands when required.

Facial Paralysis (Moebius Syndrome)A condition in which a person is unable to move one or both sides of the face caused as a result of weakening or paralysis of the muscles in the face. This is usually present from birth, although it can develop later in life from an external incident, such as an accident. In some cases a patient may experience incomplete paralysis in which case they are unable to move only a part of the face, like the eyes or the mouth. Moebius Syndrome is always present at birth and easily identifiable due to additional facial and other features and in most cases can be treated. Cleft LipA cleft lip refers to the physical separation of the two sides of the upper lip that appears as a visible gap in the upper lip, varying in size depending on the severity of the condition. This occurs early on during pregnancy when there is not enough tissue formed in the mouth or lip area and the available tissue fails to join together properly. The lip can be affected on one side only or both

sides. Although the lip and the palate develop separately, a cleft lip is often linked with a cleft of the palate (internal cleft). This may cause problems when feeding the child, requiring medical intervention. If untreated it may lead to poor speech development. It is always repairable, most often with excellent results. Cleft PalateDeveloped during pregnancy, a cleft palate occurs when the baby’s mouth doesn’t form correctly and a gap occurs in the roof of the mouth. It is easily recognisable by looking inside the mouth of the child. The gap may extend from the front teeth all the way to the back of the throat and can occur in either the hard or soft area of the palate. In some cases a child may suffer from both a cleft palate and cleft lip (external cleft). This condition can be repaired surgically, allowing the child to swallow and speak correctly. Craniofacial ConditionsCraniosynostosis is a condition caused by the premature closing of one or more of the sutures of bones in the skull. Children with craniosynostosis may have an abnormal skull shape or forehead, asymmetrical eyes and or ears, and may experience raised intracranial pressure (pressure inside the skull) which can cause delays in development or permanent brain damage if not corrected.

Surgeries offered

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forever.

Ear DeformitiesMicrotia is a congenital deformity where the pinna (external ear) is underdeveloped (microtia). A completely undeveloped pinna is referred to as anotia. Microtia can be unilateral (one side only) or bilateral (affecting both sides). Microtia occurs in 1 out of 8 000 to 10 000 births. In unilateral microtia, the right ear is most commonly affected. In most cases, surgery is offered for this type of condition. BurnsBurns are a common occurrence in South Africa due to socio-economic circumstances. Living in shacks, paraffin stoves and the use of candles can all cause fires. Burn cases are very complex, require extensive treatment, prolonged hospital stays, stringent infection control and considerable reconstructive surgery. An advanced treatment method for burn scars is the use of tissue expanders. Tissue expansion is a relatively straightforward procedure that enables the body to “grow” extra skin for use in reconstructing almost any part of the body. A silicone balloon expander is inserted under the skin near the area that needs to be repaired and then gradually filled with salt water over time, causing the skin to stretch and grow. The expander is subsequently removed and the excess skin used to re-drape over the scarred area.

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Every year we assist many brave children with the gift of a brighter future. These pages are a tribute to them and their families, our donors, and all those that help make a difference through Smile Foundation.

Smiles of success!

“Your assistance has provided for

so many children and their families,

allowing them to focus almost entirely

on a full recovery and happy future.”

“Smile Foundation could not change the

lives of so many children without the help

of generous corporates, both large and

small, as well as a number of individuals

who assist to fund our cause.”

“Thank you to all for your ongoing support. Through

these partnerships, the impact we have on the lives

of the children we help, is beyond measure.”

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forever.

Smile Foundation celebrates having assisted over 1,500 children since inception in 2000.Smile Foundation is an organisation dedicated to giving children the opportunity to smile, both internally and externally. Partnering with the National Department of Health and the Academic Hospitals we provide facial reconstructive surgery while simultaneously boosting the confidence of these young people with psychological support and other auxiliary services.

This wonderful milestone has been made possible because of the generosity of both corporates and individuals who step up to demonstrate that South Africans have huge hearts and that the art of giving comes naturally to them.

With your support Smile Foundation can continue to assist even more children and you will have the joy of knowing that you have made an investment that will change the course of lives that last a lifetime.

These children are our future - let’s make them smile.

Hedley LewisExecutive Director

Building a legacy “”


Smile Foundation endeavours to enhance and improve the skills of the medical professionals working with hospitals to ensure that all patients receive the best possible treatment.

Our official Academic Skills programme is aimed at ensuring sustainability and augmenting the existing skills base of the medical professionals that we work with in Academic Hospitals. This programme offers Plastic and Reconstructive surgery consultants and registrars the opportunity to attend conferences, workshops, and observe new surgical techniques. Consultants also have the opportunity to travel internationally to broaden their knowledge.

Ward and theatre nurses are able to attend specialised training courses, such as pain and stress management programmes and workshops. They are also invited to attend Smile Weeks in other regions to gather additional skills and observe best practices.

Clinical psychologists, speech and hearing therapists and occupational therapists who facilitate the support services that we offer are also given the chance to attend local symposiums, conferences and training programmes.

Academic Programme

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forever.

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In its campaign to improve children’s lives, Smile Foundation also aims to raise funds to upgrade facilities at our partner hospitals ensuring a sustainable and lasting legacy through which others in need can access better care.

Over the years we have assisted with the following projects:

Infrastructure and equipment

Renovation of Ward 13 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (shown on right)

Building of a Burns Unit at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital

Investment in equipment for use by Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Refurbishment of Ward 275 at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

Revamped the “Facing the Future Room” at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

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3

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Before

After

Patrons & board members

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Patrons

Board Members

The Late Mr Nelson MandelaChief Patron

Mr FW de Klerk The Lubner Family

Mr Marc LubnerExecutive Chairman

& Co-Founder

Mr Gavin Koppel Mr Gidon NovickProf. George PsarasMedical Director & Co-Founder

Mrs Suzanne Ackerman-Berman

Mrs Christina Playne Mr Hedley Lewis Mrs Moira Gerszt

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forever.

because every child deserves to smile

Smile Foundation0861 ASMILE (276 453)

Smile Foundation SA | @SmileFundSA | Smile Foundation SA

www.smilefoundation.co.za | [email protected]. Box 652411, Benmore, 2010, Gauteng, South Africa

because every child deserves to smile...therapists as well as occupational therapists. parents often...

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