Category: Stories

The image of Operation Smile has long been associated with children, young patients born with facial defects such as cleft lips and palates. However, in the journey of restoring smiles over the past three decades, we have also performed surgeries for many teenagers, adults, and especially the elderly. There have been numerous occasions where we performed surgeries for mother and child, grandparent and grandchild, siblings. In August 2023, we successfully treated a father and son from Thua Thien Hue province.

Towards the end of the screening day, when the number of patients had dwindled, our team examined a 6-year-old child who had previously undergone surgery for a cleft lip. Initially, everyone thought that the person bringing the child was his grandfather, as the man had gray hair, a weathered face, sad eyes, and a speech impediment that made him difficult to understand. The doctors asked further about the family’s situation and discovered that this was actually the boy’s father, who had also undergone cleft lip surgery more than ten years ago and still had a hole in his palate, affecting his speech. Upon learning this, the doctors created an additional medical record, provided thorough consultation, and proposed a surgery to complete the repair of the father’s lip. At the moment the family knew they would receive free surgery from these kind and attentive doctors, their eyes, previously filled with insecurity and looking down, lit up with joy, and for the first time, the father and son smiled.

On the day of the surgery, the father took his son into the operating room, waited with his wife, and also awaited his turn for surgery immediately after his son. The couple shared more about their story with us. They met when both were over 40. The wife ran a small store from home, and the husband worked as a mason. It was very difficult for them to have a son. When their son was born with a defect, they loved him dearly. The boy was very attached to his father, following him everywhere and clinging to him. The mother, gentle and soft-spoken, cared for both her husband and son. For them, their son, despite his defect, was the most beloved child, and no matter how hard it was, they would find a way to treat him.

Perhaps because he had experienced the difficulties caused by the defect himself, the father loved his son even more. When the son was brought out to the recovery room, the father held him, crying and saying, “Daddy’s here, daddy loves you, daddy loves you, don’t cry.” The doctors arranged for the father’s surgery to take place right next to his son’s room. His surgery was performed under local anesthesia. As soon as he regained consciousness, he went straight to his son’s room and embraced him.

Parental love does not distinguish between rich and poor, healthy or disabled. The two surgeries that day, to close the deformity in little Thang’s palate and to repair Mr. Phan Trien’s lip scar, helped to heal some of the emotional wounds of a 50-year-old man. After a long life of enduring hardships, he can now look forward to happier days ahead because both he and his son have been healed.

Earlier this May, during a surgery program at E Hospital in Hanoi, we welcomed a special case: Vi Van Tan, an ethnic Tay, from Muong Chieng, Da Bac, Hoa Binh—a highland commune located along the majestic Da River. Like the river of his homeland, Tan has his own story.

Born in 1981 with a facial deformity, Tan has never had surgical intervention until now. Although he visited local healthcare facilities many times, they lacked the necessary equipment for surgery, and Tan couldn’t afford to travel farther to seek treatment. Each visit filled him with hope, only for him to return home disappointed. After many such returns, he resigned himself to “just leaving it as it is,” though fortunately, “since school days, no one has ever bullied him; everyone loves him very much.”

Year after year, Tan worked the fields to support his family, accepting a life of labor with an unhealed lip. But deep inside, there was always something as turbulent as the Da River flowing within him.

He shared that two years ago, the commune’s committee informed him about a surgery program. However, no one followed up. He waited again. Last year, he received information from the committee again and hoped, but once more, there was no further contact. This year, the committee informed him once more, but this time, someone called, giving a clear time and place. He put aside all farm work, packed his bags, and for the first time, traveled to Hanoi with his wife.

When I met him at the hospital, he always wore a mask, removing it only when doctors asked him to for examination. After the check-up, he would immediately put the mask back on and chose to sit in a corner chair while waiting. I felt deep sympathy for him. I understand that there are feelings one can only hope to hide behind a fragile mask, even though he has accepted not hiding them for half his life.

Luckily, he was selected for surgery—after waiting 43 years. For the first time, he temporarily left his homeland’s river, village, and fields, and when he returns, he will have a different life, one where he won’t have to accept or hide anything. The Da River will be more beautiful then.

Vi Van Tan is one of 64 cases selected for safe and free surgery out of 80 cases examined and consulted at E Hospital in Hanoi during the program. The program is sponsored by athletes and organized by various groups through sports activities: Vinschool Gardenia, the “Run for Love” event initiated by Rua Runners, RaceJungle’s series, the Vietnam Ultra Trail community, Vietcombank Runners, Quang Binh Runners, and members of the Smile Runners community.

Story and images shared by Operation Smile Vietnam Development Officer – Tran Tien Lam.

Dang Son was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate and abandoned outside an orphanage in Hai Duong. His life turned into a new page when a foreign man from Ireland wanted to adopt Son from the moment he first saw the baby in pictures.

John Hennigan, an English teacher at British Vietnamese International School (BVIS) Hanoi, recalled that moment: “It was heart-wrenching when seeing the baby’s incomplete smile. I immediately realized that he was the child I wanted to adopt,”

The first time they met was the day Dang Son was taken to the Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Hospital for his first surgery to repair the cleft lip in the program of Operation Smile Vietnam. Having undergone various surgeries for Dang Son and a complicated four-month process, adopting Dang Son was indeed a journey showing the unfailing determination of John: “In my life, I have never done anything as difficult as adopting Liam. The biggest hurdle was trying to prove I was capable and deserved to become a candidate to adopt, and in the past, I used to obtain an objection letter from Ireland.”

The miracle finally happened in June 2021, Dang Son with the new name Liam, was officially adopted by his father John Hennigan, and started a happier, more loving, and brighter life.

It’s not usual when you hear of a foreigner adopting a child born with facial deformities. But it happened and sent the message to people to keep believing in the miracles in this life. Maybe you will be the one to make the change, who creates heart-touching stories when you never stop loving.

When the surgery was scheduled for Kim Thuy, Ms. Quyen – her mother – tried to take care of her more carefully so that she would be healthy to face the difficulties ahead. On the day of surgery, the couple was extremely worried, but could only stay outside the operating room. During a long day, when Thuy woke up, her parents finally released when seeing their child’s new face. They know that all their efforts were well paid then. When Thuy got back for a follow-up examination a week after surgery, her wound was gradually recovering extremely well. This is probably the greatest joy in 2022 before entering the new year for Kim Thuy’s family. Thuy’s Smile is now the greatest treasure that the parents hold in hands.

Khiem is a boy from Hai Phong, born in a family with parents who love him so much. When he was just born, his mother was extremely devastated when she saw her child was not as healthy as other children. Khiem had a cleft lip that making it extremely difficult for him to eat and drink milk. His parents were endlessly worried about what their child would be like, how to treat him, what he would look like when he grow up, how people would discriminate against him… Luckily, Khiem’s parents learned about Operation Smile’s surgical misision, right at the time when the medical experts and donors from the United States came to work in Hanoi. Knowing this, his parents decided to take him to the hospital in time for the screening. The 45 minutes Khiem spent in the operating room is also 45 minutes for parents sitting still, both afraid of their child’s pain and looking forward to a successful surgery. After the surgery, Khiem’s ​​parents were truly overwhelmed with happiness. They kept looking at the beautiful face and smile of their child who has just been healed and is now a very handsome Khiem.

 

Khiem’s ​​story is also one of tens of thousands of stories of children and parents who desperated when their child was born with a facial deformity, until the child received surgery with good quality medical treatment. At Operation Smile, with each child healed, we know that we have an additional motivation to continue the journey of smiles for Vietnamese children.

Cu Thi So is a H’Mong child born with a cleft lip and palate, living in a remote area of Lao Cai province. In 2020, with the help of Teacher Quyet, So was fortunate to meet Operation Smile and receive free surgery to fix her cleft lip. However, So still needed to treat her cleft palate to improve her daily life and communication.

 

Two years later, thanks to the care and persuasion of Teacher Quyet and Tien Lam from Operation Smile team, So’s family agreed to bring her to Hanoi to continue the surgical process. However, because both So and her father were infected with Covid-19, they had to return to Lao Cai, carrying many worries and frustrations. A year later, in March 2023, Operation Smile organized the medical program in Hanoi. Coincidentally, before the screening day, So’s case were known and supported by Operation Smile’s supporters to bring them to Hanoi. Therefore, So’s family agreed to let her sign up for the final surgery.

 

On the way to bus station to go back home, So’s father choked with happiness and held Lam’s hand tightly as a way to express gratitude. The joy of So’s father, of the Operation Smile team, the doctors, and nurses who helped treat on her, and above all, all came from the joy of everyone working together to achieve a miraculous thing: bringing NORMALCY to So.

The first time I saw K’ Quy is when he was sitting with his grandmother in the hallway of the hospital. His innocent eyes immediately caught us. The naïve eyes which showed nothing but sadness, confusion and fear. K’ Quy’s grandmother told us that even though K’Quy has turned 7 years old already but he cannot speak Vietnamese native language and he could only communicate with his grandmother.

K’ Quy is from a poor family in a remote area in Lam Ha District, Lam Dong Province. His grandmother described to us about his house which is not exactly “a house” because it is almost empty which only has the most basic furniture without television and vehicles at all. K’ Quy’s family has a small piece of land for cultivation. They used to harvest crops once year, however, in the past few year, due to the harsh weather, their life is more and more difficult. His parents, therefore, must do whatever they got hired to earn extra money to make ends meet.

K’ Quy often stays at home alone. Sometimes the neighbors helps to look after K’ Quy because his brother goes to school while his parents go to work outside all day long. Grandmother also lives quite far away and cannot visit K’ Quy frequently. This time, knowing about Operation Smile Mission, his grandmother left behind her works to accompany K’ Quy to Ho Chi Minh City. More than everything, she only wants K’ Quy to have a beautiful smile like every children.

K’ Quy’s grandmother shared that although K’ Quy pronounces very slow but he is very smart and intelligent. She hoped that after surgery, K’ Quy could go to school like his brother and other friends. However, after just a few minute, she hesitated and said that “K’ Quy’s parents also want to let him go to school, but I’m afraid that they could not afford the tuition fee for two children!” Those desperate words cannot get out of our head.

The 6-month-old Nguyen Trieu Hai Bang – abandoned by her own mother due to her natural-born deformed face, was very lucky to be taken into the shelter of a Buddhism priest. To be able to survive is already a miracle not to mention a future where Hai Bang can go to school and having friends like a normal person.

Nun Nguyen is the one who took care of Hai Bang since she was just 2 months and 4 days old. At that time, she was severely malnourished, weighing merely 2.15 kg. Nun Nguyen told us that during the first week, the baby was hardly able to eat even a little milk. Everyone who saw Hai Bang at this moment said that she would not be able to survive. Yet, with the effort, patience, and boundless love, Nun Nguyen days to days took care of Hai Bang and the baby was getting better little by little.

One day, the crew from FPT arrived bringing great news for the poor kid: Operation Smile had come to Ho Chi Minh City for the surgical mission. With great assistance from the FPT team, Nun Nguyen and Hai Bang were able to reach Operation Smile‘s screening day.

Surrounded by the arms of Operation Smile’s volunteers, Hai Bang’s incomplete smile touched everyone’s hearts. When our doctor said that Hai Bang could receive surgery the following day, everybody was filled with happiness and joy as they know after this surgery, her life would change forever. And most importantly, Hai Bang would smile brighter than ever after the surgery.

The morning after surgery, when nurses cleaned and changed the surgical bandage, we once again met Hai Bang before she discharged from the hospital. Although the wound still hurt a lot, Hai Bang did not cry, she just lied in the hospital bed and looked at us with her lovely bright eyes.

Before saying goodbye, Nun Nguyen confidently told us about the positive plan for Hai Bang in the future. From now on Hai Bang would no longer need to hide behind the pagoda’s doors. Instead, with her smile, she can live like a normal person: having friends and attending school. If she has a good affinity with Buddhism, Nun Nguyen can help her to become a priest. But if Hai Bang wishes to go to college, Nun Nguyen will also do her best to support Hai Bang. Education is not just a dream; it is surely reachable.