Noting that cleft lip and palate remain common birth defects in the Philippines, affecting one in every 1,000 children, Sen. Cynthia Villar has hailed a medical mission to address this concern.
She specifically acknowledged “Operation Restore Hope” on its 30th anniversary of bringing this life-changing medical mission to underprivileged children with these deformities.
“The condition can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to eat, speak, hear, and socialize normally, leading to low self-esteem and social isolation. That’s why this medical mission, which provides free lip and cleft palate surgeries to underprivileged children, is so important,” the senator said. Macon Ramos-Araneta
This surgery to repair cleft lip and palate, Villar said, can significantly improve a child’s quality of life and self-esteem.
“It can restore normal function and achieve a more normal appearance with minimal scarring. By providing these surgeries for free, we are giving hope and transforming lives,” she emphasized.
Through her Villar SIPAG Foundation, the senator joined Ben Mead, founder of Mead Foundation, who brought the Operation Restore Hope Australia medical mission to her home city of Las Piñas.
She also showed appreciation to the Las Piñas City Medical Center for its invaluable partnership in providing the venue and support of its medical practitioners and workers in this mission, the “Libreng Operasyon Para Sa Bingot.”
“Let us all strive to make a positive difference in the lives of these children,” she added.
