Making a Difference with Operation Smile: A Conversation with Mark Climie-Elliott – Part 2
“Sound is probably one of the most prevalent things that we focus on with our children at Operation Smile. And you know, they’re so thankful that they have, they work as hard on their homework for speech therapy as they do in school, right? And, you know, as both of us sort of being maybe teased and bullied in school, maybe we were actually, excited about doing our homework. And maybe we did study a little bit harder, and we did our homework. These kids are amazing pupils when they know that they’re getting this free therapy to help optimize their speaking, and then you go back a year later and then you hear the kids again, and you understand every word that they say. It just puts a smile on your face.” – Mark Climie-Elliott
This episode, “Making a Difference with Operation Smile” is the second half of my discussion with CEO and Chief Smile Officer of Operation Smile Canada Foundation Mark Climie-Elliott as we talk about Mark’s work with Laura, a particularly memorable patient who’s gone on to make a positive influence of her own, the time and effort that building language skills can take even after a successful cleft-palate surgery, and more about Operation Smile’s plans to open a hundred new hospitals around the world over the next five years.
This conversation is being released during Podcasthon, so thank you to Jeremie and all the wonderful staff there putting this initiative together. And if you’d like to learn more about Podcasthon, and maybe participate in it next year, be sure to check out podcasthon.org.
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(0:00:00) – Operation Smile Volunteer Opportunities and Impact
The second half of our conversation starts as Mark tells us about how people can reach out to Operation Smile and the need for volunteers on every level. “We are always looking for trained and skilled pediatric specialists,” he says, “in anesthesiology, in plastic surgery, specifically if you have cleft specialty, we’re looking for educators.” We also talk about Laura, an Operation Smile patient who’s continuing to make a positive impact. “There’s Laura,” he recalls, “seventeen years old, telling them that they don’t have to worry, ‘Look at me.’ And so she shared the story of her journey and the parents, all of a sudden, like those tears that were running down their faces became tears of joy.”
(0:08:20) – Stories of Resilient Cleft Lip Patients
Mark and I talk about our own experiences with bullying, and how it impacts the children Operation Smile works with. He tells us more about the organization’s anti-bullying efforts and the hope that working with young people has given him. “When I look at these next generations that are now coming together with better acceptance,” he says, “with better acceptance, with what I call different lenses, you know, and while bullying and teasing still exists and it still needs to be addressed, there are ways in which students can get involved.” We discuss how sound plays a pivotal role in recovery and developing underdeveloped language skills, and the reward of seeing children finding their voices as they recover. “And then you go back a year later,” he says, “and then you hear, hear the kids again and you understand every word that they say. You know it just puts a smile on your face.”
(0:24:10) – Supporting Operation Smile Through Collaboration
Our conversation concludes as Mark tells listeners how they can get in touch. “Anyone can reach out.” he says, “and you can just say, ‘Hey, Mark, heard you on the podcast and I want to learn something.’ I’d be more than happy to get the answers or questions that weren’t asked or answered to them.” He shares more about the progress Operation Smile has made so far as well as their plan to open a hundred new hospitals by the end of the decade. “I want to thank everyone listening,” he adds. “Even if you haven’t made a gift. I want to thank you for listening, to learn a little bit about Operation Smile.”
Episode Summary
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The life-changing impact of Operation Smile’s work with patients and their families.
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How bullying affects patients and the steps being taken to change things for the better.
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Operation Smile’s ongoing work to expand and help children around the world.
Connect with the Guest
Website: https://operationsmile.ca/
Follow Mark Climie-Elliott on Facebook: https://facebook.com/operationsmilecanada
Follow Mark Climie-Elliott on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4fGyfFHpRtz1LOftio1s8A
Follow Mark Climie-Elliott on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/operationsmilecanada
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This interview episode was very skillfully made to sound beautiful by the talented Humberto Franco.
** Transcript available upon request
