EMEA Recruitment
Life-changing cleft care for Moses
When Moses was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate in rural Ghana, his mother Aba was heartbroken. She didn’t know what to do, and struggled even to feed Moses because of his condition.
Aba brought Moses to Operation Smile, hoping he would be treated. But at 3 months old and suffering from malnutrition, he was too young and frail.
We made a promise to Aba that Moses would get his chance to receive surgery. She was given nutritional advice to build his strength, so he would be ready for surgery at our next medical mission.
Aba never gave up. For his cleft lip alone, Moses missed two chances at surgery due to his low weight and fragile health. For one, Aba brought him on a 19-hour trip almost halfway across Ghana.
Finally, two years after he first came to Operation Smile, Moses received his cleft lip surgery. He is now almost out of the woods. He still needs surgery to fix his cleft palate, but Aba knows she can count on us for help.
Operation Smile is an international medical charity delivering free surgery to children suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate conditions.
A cleft condition can impact every aspect of a person’s life. You can’t eat or drink properly because of the hole in the roof of your mouth. You can’t go to school because your classmates call you names. Children and adults live lives in the shadows of their communities.
However it can take as little as 45 minutes and cost just £150 to provide a surgery on an Operation Smile medical mission and it can change a life forever. In partnership with EMEA Recruitment, Operation Smile would like to make a worldwide impact and change numerous lives, like that of Moses.
From EMEA Recruitment
“As founder of EMEA Recruitment it is an honour and privilege to partner with Operation Smile.
I was born with a cleft lip and palate, so the mission of Operation Smile is something I have a strong personal connection with.
I was lucky enough to have the expertise of great NHS dentists and surgeons to work on my case.
Through a series of procedures from birth to 13 years old the gratitude I have for every single person that worked with me is beyond words. Coupled with the great love and support of my parents, family & friends, any challenges I faced were overcome.
It is not an understatement to say that the dentists and surgeons that helped me were life changers.
It’s not only about the actual operations that take place, the support and care post/pre operation are beyond value and from personal experience can only say that I would not be the confident, happy person I am today without this support.
I can’t compare the challenges I faced with those of the young children Operation Smile help. All I can say is that from my experience over the years, I changed from being afraid my uniqueness would define me, to embracing the fact that it defined me.
As with many teenagers who are unique, I experienced a number tough years at school. I didn’t know it then, but the defence mechanism I defaulted to in those situations (to laugh and smile rather than fight) was and is one of the main attributes I think people would highlight about me to this day. This has resulted in a very positive outlook on life.
As I reflect with gratitude on life currently, so much I have now has come from my positive attitude, my drive and determination to prove any of the doubters from my earlier years wrong and let me repeat with the great love and support of my parents, family & friends. You can see this in my smile.
When I read about the challenges some children & parents across the world have to endure to receive the surgical care they need and the amazing team at Operation Smile that can help bring safe cleft survey to them, I knew I wanted to help in any way I could.
I want to help children experience the support, care and skill that I experienced on my journey and hope we can do this with Operational Smile.”
Paul Toms
Director
EMEA Recruitment
