Tag: UAE

Operation Smile UAE recently completed its 14th surgical program in the UAE at Healthpoint

JulieStories, Uncategorized, Updates

ABU DHABI, 8th March, 2024 (WAM) — Operation Smile UAE recently completed its 14th surgical program in the UAE at Healthpoint, an M42 company, in Abu Dhabi, where 19 children of different nationalities received free and safe surgery for their cleft lip or cleft palate, marking a major milestone in their lives and giving them a new smile.

Healthpoint has been a partner with Operation Smile since 2020 and this is the sixth mission performed at its facilities, which has seen the transformation of more than 73 patients of different age groups.

The two-day surgical event saw the collaboration of over 45 medical professionals, including nurses, pediatricians, surgeons, and anesthetists, come to the multi-specialty hospital and volunteer their expertise. Their commitment was complemented by the invaluable support from volunteers at Healthpoint, ensuring a well-rounded and effective medical team.

Omar Al Naqbi, Chief Executive Officer of Healthpoint, said, “Working alongside Operation Smile UAE has been a privilege and we take great pride in contributing to our communities and offering these simple but life-altering surgeries.

These procedures enable patients to lead healthier, happier lives. Our volunteers are dedicated to providing exceptional care, reflective of our commitment to world-class medical care.”

Morag Cromey-Hawke, Executive Director, Operation Smile UAE, commented, “Thanks to Operation Smile medical volunteers, Healthpoint volunteers, staff and management as well as the enormous support of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Operation Smile UAE were able to continue their work at the weekend to treat young patients who would otherwise not have access to safe surgery.

These surgeries allow the patients to eat, drink, speak and socialise and to lead healthier, happier lives. We are honoured to have access to the excellent facilities at Healthpoint for our patients and to the generosity and care extended to them.”

The Operation Smile UAE was founded in 2011 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Alyazia bint Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, wife of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the charity has assisted and screened over 300 patients with cleft conditions here in the UAE.

Thanks to the Foundation’s support,167 of these patients have received surgery followed by comprehensive care including dental, nutrition, oral health and speech therapy.


Charity Book Sale – April 19-21, 2024

Spring Charity Book Sale – April 19 – 21, 2024

Join Operation Smile UAE in the Al Wahda Mall Main Atrium on Friday, April 19 to Sunday, April 20 for our Spring Charity Book Sale.

Proceeds will help provide free and safe surgery to children and young adults born with cleft conditions.

We will have 1000s of pre-loved books for sale, in both English and Arabic.

We will be open each day from 10 AM to 11 PM

We will accept cash or card for payment.

Healthpoint’s Dental Interns reflect on their experience volunteering with Operation Smile UAE

JulieMedical Volunteers, Stories, Updates
Dental interns from Healthpoint with Dr. Ilhaam (centre) during patient screening in November 2023.

As Healthpoint dental volunteers with Operation Smile, our journey has been a fulfilling odyssey of compassion and care.

Through screening, diagnosis, and the meticulous delivery of presurgical and postsurgical instructions of new- borns to adults, we’ve played a pivotal role in ensuring comprehensive dental care for patients with cleft lip and palate.

Witnessing the resilience of these individuals, we were pleasantly surprised by the positivity that permeated every interaction. Not only did we have the privilege of imparting crucial patient education, but we also found immense satisfaction in enlightening parents about the importance of oral health.

The experience has not only deepened our professional expertise but has also reaffirmed our commitment to Operation Smile’s noble mission of transforming lives through surgical and therapeutic interventions.

We thank Operation Smile for the chance to lend a helping hand.

The Links Charity Golf Day

The Links Charity Golf Day will be hosted at Yas Links Abu Dhabi on 14th of October 2023 (12:30 shotgun) in partnership with Marriott International, supported by Golf Club Captains Leonie Sullivan and Francois Bosch. Our chosen charity is Operation Smile UAE.

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

  • 12.30PM Shotgun
  • Team Shambles
  • Best 2 from 4 to Count
  • 85% Handicap Allowance
  • Players without a handicapwill play off 0

ENTRY FEE

Single & Dual Member Midweek/SBGC Member/DG Member Marriott Guest/Visitor
Dinner onlyEntry Includes: Entry Free, On Course Competitions, Prizes, On-Course Beverages, Post Round Food & Beverage.
AED I00 of each entry will go towards the charity.

AED 250 AED 595 AED 795 AED 250

Hole Sponsorships available from AED 10,000.Silent Auction & Lucky Prize Draw on the day.

After a successful 2022 event which raised over AED 80,000, join us as we look to raise AED 100,000 for Operation Smile in our Annual Charity Golf Day!

Secure your space by emailing [email protected]

Autumn Charity Book Sale October 26-28

Autumn Charity Book Sale !

Operation Smile UAE will host a charity book sale in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi from Thursday, October 26 to Saturday, October 28, 2023

Open from 10 AM – 11PM  in the Main Atrium, Ground Floor (Hazza’ Bin Zayed Street entrance)

We will have over 10,000 pre-loved books available.

Children’s, Young Adult, Fiction, Non-fiction, Arabic, French and much more!

All proceeds from the sale will go towards providing free and safe surgery to children born with cleft conditions.

PLEASE NOTE – WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING BOOK DONATIONS.

2023 Cycle for Smiles, November 12 – Hudayriyat Island

Join us at Hudayriyat Cycling Track on Sunday November 12th for a great fund raising event for the whole family.

Need to rent a bike? Contact Wolfi’s Click Here

Register via My Race Result  Click Here 

All proceeds will help provide free surgery to children with cleft conditions.

40KM Cycling for Smiles Challenge    6:45 AM start     105 AED (per person)

20KM Cycling Challenge                     8:00 AM start       75 AED (per person)

10KM Junior Cycling Challenge          8:00 AM start       55 AED (per person)

10KM Family Cycle (non competitive) 8:30 AM start       40 AED (per person)

3KM Family Cycle (non competitive) 8:30 AM start       40 AED (per person)

 

 

 

Sheets for Malawi

JulieUncategorized, Updates

In March Operation Smile UAE answered the call from Operation Smile Malawi for urgently needed linens for their cleft and burns unit at a hospital in Malawi.

Marriott hotels in Abu Dhabi, who are long time OSUAE supporters, donated gently used sheets and towels, as well as a venue to sort the items.

Over four days more than 15 community and five student volunteers joined the Operation Smile UAE team to inspect, sew, and pack the linens. One room was set up as a sewing room, where volunteers (some of whom brought their own machines!) hemmed the sheets to the required size. In another room a team inspected, sorted and packed the items to ship to Malawi.

The sheets are already in use in Malawi.

We had so many sheets that we were also able to send a suitcase full back with Richmond, a medical volunteer from Operation Smile Ghana who attended our recent surgical mission in Abu Dhabi.

This Ramadan Light The Way with Operation Smile UAE

JulieEvents, Light The Way, Uncategorized, Updates

This Ramadan, join Operation Smile UAE in their campaign to #LightTheWay for those affected by cleft conditions by spreading awareness and encouraging donations.

This campaign focuses on giving hope and healing to those who need it most. Let’s come together this Ramadan and show that we can make a difference in the lives of children with cleft conditions. Let’s light the way for those in need, and help them find their way to healing and hope.

As little as 880AED helps provide surgery to a child with a cleft condition. This is possible thanks to the generous contributions of medical professionals who volunteer their time and expertise, as well as corporations that donate critical supplies and equipment necessary for safe surgery. This cost includes expenses incurred for essential medical team members to be at a surgical program, the expenses for additional required supplies and cargo shipping costs.

At Operation Smile, we envision a future where health and dignity are improved through safe surgery. Our mission is to create solutions that deliver safe surgery to people where it’s needed most, and through our expertise in treating cleft lip and cleft palate, we are making this a reality.

Help us #LightTheWay this Ramadan by spreading the word, donating or taking part in the various activities organised throughout the campaign.

Download the patient information leaflet here

OSUAE Patient Info LeafletDownload

Download the information leaflet here

Light The Way Campaign LeafletDownload

Operation Smile Egypt Mission Jan 27-Feb 2, 2023

JulieEvents, Uncategorized, Updates

At the end of January, eight Operation Smile medical volunteers from the UAE and seven guest volunteers from Mubadala who sponsored the mission, joined other international and Egyptian volunteers at the Operation Smile Egypt surgical mission in Aswan, Egypt.

During the busy six day mission,143 patients were screened, with 78 receiving corrective surgery for their cleft condition.  

OSUAE would like to thank the hardworking UAE medical volunteers who attended, as well as the team from Mubadala.

Mubadala’s recent MOU with OSUAE will ensure that two more international missions are funded this year, providing many more new smiles to children in need.

Watch the video to see how Operation Smile changed lives in Aswan, one smile at a time. 

Mubadala, Operation Smile UAE partner to sponsor three international volunteering missions

JulieUpdates
Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO and Chief Corporate and Human Capital Officer at Mubadala (left) and Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and member of the board of OSUAE during the signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI, 19th January, 2023 (WAM) — Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), signed an agreement with Operation Smile UAE, to sponsor three international volunteering missions in 2023.

The first mission will take place at the end of January going to Egypt, where its employee volunteers will support children and adults as they undergo transformative procedures for cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial anomalies.

The agreement was signed by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and member of the board of OSUAE, and Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO and Chief Corporate and Human Capital Officer at Mubadala, in the presence of H.H. Sheikha Alyazia bint Saif Al Nahyan, Founder, Chair of the Board and Patron of Operation Smile UAE, and wife of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The partnership with Operation Smile UAE was established as a result of Mubadala employees’ eagerness to support international causes that support children, as well as the important work the charity executes for communities worldwide.

Sheikha Alyazia said, “Operation Smile UAE has grown and accomplished so much since 2011 and we are delighted that Mubadala has agreed to partner with us and share our vision of providing surgeries for all children with cleft conditions. By sponsoring three international missions Mubadala will help us reach children throughout the world who would otherwise not have access to safe surgical care and not only improve their lives but the lives of their families and communities. We continue to encourage others to support our cause and share our belief that every child deserves a smile.”

OSUAE-Mubadala-1-1-300×276.jpg

Al Shimmari said, “As a global and responsible investor, we proactively seek ways to engage and make a positive difference in the communities where we deploy capital. It is an honour for our employees, through our Employee Volunteering Program, to partner with Operation Smile UAE. In our fifth year of volunteering and as we continue to make a tangible positive lasting impact.”

A total of five volunteers from Mubadala ─ will support the mission across several areas including child-life area support, data collection and patient screening and applicants’ registration, they will be joined by six of our Operation Smile credentialed medical volunteers from Mubadala Health – a network of world-class healthcare providers. The volunteers include one surgeon, two anaesthetists, two nurses and a dentist.
Mubadala’s Employee Volunteering Program is a purpose-driven engagement platform that provides meaningful opportunities for employees to contribute their time, skills and charity to the community. The Program was launched in 2018 with a focus on supporting the Special Olympic World Games and has continued to evolve, enabling the organisation to make a difference through volunteering activities in line with its responsible investment approach.