by: JCI Incoming President Dr. Marc Phua

A mother’s smile is a picture of silent triumph and selfless sacrifice. There is a story behind every curve, every wrinkle, and every fine facial line. But there is one special story that can only be read in the her eyes that reflect promise, and in her lips that amplify the smile of her child. It is the special story we delight ourselves in each year. The characters and minor details constantly change, but the plot remains ceaseless and timeless. It is a comedy and drama that never fails to touch the hearts of those who take part in that ever evolving story.

Each year, thousands parents are devastated when they learn that their children are born with physical aberrations that render the child and even the parents the object of social judgment or discrimination. Of these birth defects, cleft lips and cleft palates are among the most common.

Without appropriate medical care, these children endure both physical and emotional trauma and suffer an almost inconceivable fate. Many have difficulty breathing, speaking and eating. The social stigmas that they face are isolation and even abandonment. Whether those deformities have their origin in birth, disease or accidents, their impact on the young lives affected by them is the same. Given these overwhelming circumstances, these children cannot become productive members of society.

Statistics show that three-quarters of the world’s population live in “developing” countries and in the Philippines; one in every 300 children is born with a cleft lip and palate.

By 2004, the Cities of Cebu and Mandaue were homes to many cleft lip and cleft palate children sufferers. In spite of local initiatives and internationally sponsored surgical missions to address the problem. Not all from the afflicted pediatric population could be served, much less for those who sought proper post surgical care and follow up.

Early that year, a young man from Junior Chamber International -Mandaue, after assuming responsibility as chapter president, sat down with members of the Human Resource Team of E-Telecare Cebu. Wishing to address the problem of inadequate facilities for children afflicted with cleft lips and cleft palates, Mr. Roy Sencio representing the Mandaue Jaycees forged an agreement with the E-telecare team that gave birth to the project we now know as JCI E-smiles. The Mandaue Jaycess would organize a local team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, dentists, nurses, and other personnel to perform screening, sugical cleft lip and cleft palate repair, post-operative care, and subsequent long-term patient follow-up on children coming from the City of Mandue, the City of Cebu, and from the neighboring municipalities of the province.

After extensive newspaper, radio and TV coverage, more than 50 patients from all over Cebu showed up for screening, the bulk of who had to be denied surgery due to multiple health complications and other screening disqualifications.

The first surgical team was composed of JCI Mandaue members headed by renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Alain Senerpida, anesthesiologist Dr. Christopher Codoy, Dr. Marc Phua, and dentist Dr. Phil Phua. The first round of E-smile operations were done on 15 patients on August 7 and 8, 2004 at Mandaue City Hospital. The second round of operations were done on June 11 and 12, 2005 under the LOM presidency of Carlo Pontico Fortuna at the Mandaue City Hospital where 13 patients were operated on. The 3rd E-smile operations were done on July 8, 2006 at Cortes Hospital in Mandaue City where 10 patients were operated on under Dr. Alain Senerpida’s LOM Presidency. Later that year, on April 20, 2009 the 4th E-smile Operations were done on 9 patients in Gullas Medical Center in Cebu City. The 5th E-smile operations on 12 patients under the leadership of LOM president Ed Latonio was held on December 7 and 8, 2007 at the Mandaue City Hospital. It was on that same month that the first Kiddie Party for previous patients were held. The 6th E-smile operations on November 14 and 15, 2008 under LOM President Nelson Gabate saw its largest yield of patients numbering 33.

Thanks to continuing support of E-telecare and the relentless efforts of the ever merry gentlemen of JCI Mandaue, we have realized and utilized our chance to give the gift of smiles, laughter, and hope to the less fortunate children in our society. In contrast, and supplemental to foreign sponsored annual surgical missions, this has also allowed local surgeons to initiate charity cleft lip and cleft palate reconstructions on a larger scale.

Currently utilizing the advances in modern medical technology, the defect can now be corrected and the stigma, eradicated. Today all it takes is a 45 minute operation.

Our work is far from complete. We are hoping to perform cleft lip and cleft palate operations on as many indigent patients possible for the many more years to come.

Related posts:

1. 2008 eSmile Promo Video