In May, 140 runners from across the country gathered at the Wild Coast Sun for the start of the 2024 PONDO Trail. Their goal: to complete the 103km run (either in a one day ULTRA or three-day COASTER) and raise funds for the Pondoland Conservation Trust and Operation Smile.
In February 2024, Operation Smile’s Mpumalanga Patient Coordinator, Dakalo Maguga, supported the Department of Health in presenting a community outreach training programme.
Last November, during a visit to Puebla, Mexico, the Beast Philanthropy team witnessed firsthand the life-changing work done by Operation Smile.
Recognizing the challenges in the current medical education system, Operation Smile forged a pivotal partnership with COSECSA, the largest surgical training institution in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2021.
Around 25 delegates, mostly locally based Eastern Cape Government employed dentists and dental technicians attended our recent training workshop in Mthata, while seven delegates attended our speech therapy training workshop.
Dr Ncumisa Sabona has joined the global Operation Smile team as a paediatric anaesthesia in global surgery fellow. She was formally welcomed to the team during our recent surgical programme in Mthatha.