Free cleft surgeries - The Mirror partners Operation Smile Ghana
The Mirror is to work with Operation Smile Ghana (OSG), a non-profit organisation, to help more children born with cleft conditions smile again.
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Discussions on this took place when the Country Manager for OSG, Henry Quist, and the Communications Assistant for OSG, Ms Princess-Maxine Kas-Vorsah, called on the Editor of The Mirror, Doreen Hammond, at the head office of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd in Accra.
At the meeting, Mr Quist emphasised OSG's dedication to providing free, comprehensive cleft surgeries for children across the country. He advised the public to desist from stigmatising children born with the condition and their mothers and encouraged parents to have hope as the condition was easily correctable through surgery.
“Every three minutes in the world, a child is born with a cleft, which causes difficulties in eating, breathing, hearing and speaking. Fortunately, cleft lips and palates surgery, which takes about 45 minutes makes the condition easily correctable,” he noted.
“This partnership is a big step to help us reach more people, raise awareness, and gather support for our cause and continue helping children with cleft lips, palates and other dental problems”, he said.
He added: “OSG has been doing this for years with our surgeries being fully funded, covering medical procedures, accommodation, nutrition and other essential needs for both children and their guardians.”
Mr Quist said the OSG was ready to provide the needed support to not only build the capacity of journalists to provide the needed information on the condition but also logistics to gather such information.
For her part, Ms Hammond expressed excitement about working with OSG, saying that as a brand, which had the family, with the focus on women, as its target audience, the health of the family was very important to it.
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“At The Mirror, we believe in using our platform to drive meaningful change, and this partnership aligns with our values of compassion, community, and support for the underprivileged,” she said.
Ms Hammond said The Mirror would publish content, including news stories and feature articles on its digital platforms and newspaper, with the view to creating awareness about the condition and providing information to not only reduce superstition and stigmatisation associated with the condition but also how to get the needed medical assistance.
Addressing concerns about reaching children in rural areas, Ms Kas-Vorsah explained that OSG relied on a network of dedicated medical professionals, volunteers and financial donors.
“We use social media, personal visits and word-of-mouth to create awareness and help as many children and families as possible,” she said.
She added that OSG had a history of providing high-quality surgical care, free training of numerous medical professionals in plastic surgery, especially of the face and support for children and their families.
“These surgeries not only fix physical deformities but improve the overall quality of life for the children, boosting their self-esteem and opening new opportunities for them. This collaboration provides hope for many families dealing with cleft conditions,” she noted.