M'sian-led NGO helps Cambodians with facial deformities smile again
PHNOM PENH : A Malaysian banker turned social worker is bringing joy to rural Cambodians who had previously isolated themselves from society because of congenital facial deformities.
Children and adults who once lived with birth defects such as cleft lips and palates can now smile with confidence, and interact with their friends and families without fear of stigma.
This life-changing transformation is largely credited to 65-year-old Chan Kok Choy, the vice-chairman and executive director of Smile Cambodia, who has dedicatedly led his team to carry out numerous surgical missions.
'It brings me happiness to see these patients smile again. Cleft lips and palate deformities are not something difficult to treat: it can be done in an hour, and the recovery is fast,' Chan told Bernama in the capital recently.
Chan, who previously headed a major Malaysian bank in Phnom Penh and later led a Cambodian bank, has been at the helm of Smile Cambodia since 2015.
The NGO is a member of Smile Asia, an international alliance of charities that provides free surgery to children born with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.
Smile Cambodia was established after a previous effort, Operation Smile Cambodia, ceased its operations in the country in early 2015. Chan was also the chairman of Operation Smile Cambodia.
Collectively, Operation Smile and Smile Cambodia have conducted nearly 5,700 surgeries. On its own, Smile Cambodia has provided free operations to over 2,085 Cambodians, who range from three months to 81 years old.
Smile Cambodia helps rural Cambodians by offering free surgery to those born with facial deformities. (Pan Asia Life / Smile Cambodia Facebook pic)
'As these surgeries significantly transform their physical appearance, they are very appreciative, which is very touching,' Chan expressed.
Earlier this month, Smile Cambodia carried out a mission – its third this year – at the Kampot Provincial Referral Hospital in Kampot province.
'During this three-day mission, 45 patients were screened and 30 received life-changing operations with success. The others were either too young or did not meet our minimum criteria for a safe surgical procedure,' explained Chan, who grew up in Kampar, Perak.
In addition to the free surgeries, Smile Cambodia provides speech therapists and orthodontists to support those in post-surgery recovery.
'We want to improve their speech capabilities,' Chan explained. 'The patients also suffer from speech defects, and many children have low self-esteem because of this.'
In the near future, the organisation plans to expand its services to include treatments for other conditions, such as microtia – a deformity of the outer ear – and burn injuries.
Learn more by visiting Smile Cambodia's website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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