Operation Smile: Transforming lives
Dragons’ Den stalwart helps Operation Smile put new smiles on the faces of children
Scottish businessman and former stalwart of the TV show Dragons’ Den, Duncan Bannatyne, has a longstanding and significant relationship with Operation Smile.
The global non-profit organisation provides free cleft lip and palate surgery to children and young adults who would otherwise have to live with their life-altering conditions.
If left untreated, a cleft condition is likely to leave children facing daily challenges, from long-term health issues, such as dental and orthodontic problems, to speech impediments, nutritional challenges and emotional problems.
it looks like organised chaos, but it’s fantastic to see so many people’s lives being changed
However, since 1999, Operation Smile has provided more than 13,420 patients in Morocco with cleft surgery and hosted 152 additional surgical programmes in the country. Bannantyne has previously visited the Philippines, Mexico, Vietnam and Ghana with Operation Smile, witnessing first-hand the transformative impact of their work.
Bannantyne, founder of the Bannatyne Group, which operates health clubs, spas and hotels across the UK, has supported the organisation financially for a number of years. Earlier this year, he and his wife Nigora and two of his children, Tom and Emily, along with Nigora’s daughter Gabby, joined Operation Smile’s most recent surgical programme to Morocco to see the charity’s work for themselves.
One in 800 children born in Morocco has a cleft condition. This particular programme, part of Operation Smile’s Women in Medicine female-led initiative, saw a team of doctors and nurses carry out life-transforming operations to correct cleft lips and palates for 111 children.
In addition to surgery, each patient receives other services, including nutritional support, speech therapy, oral healthcare and psychosocial support, for them and their families.
Because education programmes sit at the heart of Operation Smile’s strategy, this mission also enabled skill sharing and mentorship for female Moroccan medical professionals, to help build capacity in the areas of greatest need.
Bannantyne, who personally funded the medical team’s travel and week-long stay in Morocco, plus all the equipment they needed, said: “There were five days of operations. The first two days were spent seeing all the children and getting them on to the treatment register, and operations began on the third day. It looks like organised chaos, but it’s fantastic to see so many people’s lives being changed.” He also witnessed first-hand the effect surgery has by accompanying some children into the operating theatre and later seeing the emotional reaction of the young patients when they looked in the mirror, along with that of their families. “They’re just shocked at how much we’ve changed their lives,” he said.
Babbantyne’s health club staff are also keen to contribute, regularly holding fundraising events. “They just want to get involved all the time,” he said. “This year they’ve held a Britain’s Got Talent-style event, fun runs and various fitness fundraisers, and they have raised more than £45,000, which is absolutely fantastic.”
Mairead O’Callaghan, Executive Director of Operation Smile, said: “It was an absolute privilege to spend time with Duncan, Nigora and their children during this programme and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support.
“The Bannatynes have been part of the Operation Smile family since 2013, when they funded and attended our surgical programme in Mexico.
“We have also been touched by the energy and enthusiasm of staff from The Bannatyne Group, whose fundraising efforts helped make this programme possible. We very much look forward to working together in the future with our shared goal of transforming the lives and futures of more children with cleft conditions.”
Women in Medicine provides education pathways
Operation Smile’s Women in Medicine initiative provides education pathways for women to become global leaders in medicine, health care and surgery.
It aims to advance the number, standing and leadership of women in international healthcare. Indeed, increasing the number of women in healthcare professions is pivotal to meet the shortfall of trained specialists overall.
Initiatives include women-led surgical outreach programmes, educational opportunities for women in healthcare training and leadership, thought leadership on advancement of women in global medicine and gender and health equity innovation research.
Operation Smile carries out hundreds of surgical programmes to help people with cleft lip and cleft palate. Just £150 provides one child with cleft lip or cleft palate with a life-changing operation. For more information, visit www.operationsmile.org.uk
Operation 100 for enhanced healthcare infrastructure
Earlier this year, Operation Smile announced the launch of Operation 100, an initiative aiming to equip cleft operative teams with advanced skills, essential equipment and enhanced healthcare infrastructure.
These teams will be able to independently deliver life-changing surgeries at district hospitals, making essential cleft surgery accessible within two hours of home for nearly 500 million people.
With more than five billion people – more than two-thirds of the world’s population – lacking access to safe, affordable surgery, the global surgical crisis demands urgent action.
To meet the 143 million surgeries needed in low- and middle-income countries annually, the world requires 2.2 million more surgeons. Operation 100 aims to help close this gap by training and equipping local surgical teams to bring safe, high-quality care closer to home.
Leveraging Operation Smile’s 40-plus years of expertise in expanding surgical access, this strategy will train 100 surgical teams across 100 hospitals, providing them with specialised skills, essential equipment and strengthened healthcare infrastructure.
“For too long, patients have been forced to travel for days, exhausting their resources just to reach surgical care – only to be turned away,” said Kathy Magee, Co-founder, President and CEO of Operation Smile.
“Operation 100 is about building hope. By strengthening district hospitals, we’re not just expanding access to essential health care and surgery – we’re building resilient healthcare systems, equipping local health care professionals and ensuring sustainable access for generations to come.”
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