Jamal Nathan Diasanta had his cleft lip and cleft palate repaired when he was one year old during the first joint mission of Operation Smile Philippines and Watsons Personal Care Store Philippines in 2013.
Nathan and his mother, Nathalie, told their story when they visited the recent mission held by Operation Smile Philippines and Watsons Philippines at The Medical City Clark to mark the 10th year of their partnership.
He had no recollection of what life was prior to his surgery. But his mother, Nathalie, did – and it was painful and humiliating, she said, tears welling up in her eyes. Seeing people cringe at the sight of her baby, and hearing their whispers filled her with shame and guilt. She thought she had done something wrong and was being punished for it.
Nathan is 11 years old now, in Grade 5, consistently at the top of his class with high grades especially in Mathematics, plays chess and watches National Geographic shows. “He dreams of becoming an engineer, and he would be someday,” Nathalie said, her eyes brimming with pride.
One in every 500 Filipinos or around 2,800 are born each year with oral cleft, a congenital condition that causes disfigurement, impaired speech, malnutrition, and a host of other health conditions, including mental health issues. Children with cleft are prone to bullying, which could damage their self-esteem irreparably and lead to social isolation.
“This is why we have to treat them early, ideally before they learn to speak or come of school age,” said Dr. Irene Tangco, a long-time Operation Smile Philippines volunteer plastic surgeon. “In this way, they would not have been traumatized by peer rejection yet, and can learn proper speech even without therapy.”
Joy Ann Faith, 23, was not as lucky as Nathan. She was already 13 when she received her surgery for cleft lip and cleft palate during the same joint mission of Operation Smile Philippines and Watsons Philippines 10 years ago. “I stopped attending school for three years before my surgery because I could no longer stand the constant bullying. It hurt so much,” she said, her voice cracking at the recollection.
When her wounds healed, Joy underwent the speech therapy that Operation Smile Philippines also provides for free. She just recently finished senior high school, and aspires to continue to college and pursue her dream of becoming a flight attendant.
Joy is currently looking for a job to pay for her college education, and to help her family. “I realized I would be nothing if I didn’t return to school; my surgery and speech therapy gave me the confidence to go back,” she said, her speech normal with no trace of nasality.
Like Joy, Arnelyn Garcia was a late recipient of the life-changing surgery. When she was 10 years old, she went to an Operation Smile Philippines mission but for some reason was deemed ineligible to undergo the procedure.
Dr. Tangco explained that many children with cleft conditions could not be operated on immediately because often they are malnourished or suffer from medical conditions that would make the surgery risky.
Despite her condition, and the jeers and taunts thrown her way, Arnelyn bravely continued her studies. “I have no friends; I am shy because I was severely bullied,” she said.
Two years ago, she finally had her cleft palate surgery in one of the joint missions of Operation Smile Philippines and Watsons Philippines in Pampanga. She was already 24 years old by then.
Arnelyn is graduating from college with a degree in Industrial Engineering this school year. “I know that even with a college degree, I would have difficulty landing a job with my cleft condition which is why I persisted in getting a surgery. I am more optimistic now,” she said, breaking into a wide grin.
Operation Smile Philippines and Watsons Philippines have been carrying out joint missions since 2013. The 10-year partnership has provided free surgeries to 2,291 children with oral cleft in 21 cities and municipalities across the Philippines, and engaged over 1,700 employee volunteers in the charity work.
