RCG Helps Operation Smile Promote Landmark International Outreach Project

Operation Smile marked its 25th anniversary by coordinating simultaneous medical missions to 40 sites in 25 countries, and Rubin Communications Group was pleased to have a hand in promoting the effort, primarily in the charity’s headquarters market of Hampton Roads.

The World Journey of Smiles mobilized more than 700 volunteers from the United States and more than 1,000 volunteers from 43 other countries working in hospitals, care centers and clinics in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America from November 6-17, 2007.  Those medical professions provided free screenings to 7,320 patients and free surgical treatments to 4,149 children born with cleft lips and cleft palates.

For the anniversary year, Op Smile placed an emphasis on capacity-building and helping its partner countries achieve self-sufficiency.  With that goal in mind, in 2007, Operation Smile launched Comprehensive Care Centers in Colombia, Honduras, Vietnam, China and Morocco, and forged agreements to build additional Centers in Brazil, the Philippines and India.  With these facilities, Operation Smile will be able to provide in-country, year-round, multidisciplinary, team care by Operation Smile-trained professionals in the areas of surgical treatment, post-operative follow-up, dental and speech therapy, rather than relying solely on mission teams traveling to these sites once or twice a year.  With the launch of these Operation Smile Centers, the organization predicts a significant increase in the number of children who can be treated annually - from 10,000 in previous years to 15,000 in 2008, and 40,000 by 2010.

With RCG’s help, Operation Smile announced in 2007 that it would be moving its headquarters from Norfolk to Princess Anne Commons in Virginia Beach, where it will share a campus with a health professions building to be built by Tidewater Community College.  Besides media and government relations assistance, RCG has also produced promotional videos for Op Smile to assist in fund raising.