From the remote reaches of Kampot province, nestled amidst the tranquil backdrop of a fishing village, comes a tale of parental devotion. 

Der Fittri, a father confronted with the harsh reality of his second son’s condition, found himself at a crossroads of doubt. 

“When I saw his face, I was devastated. But he’s my child, and even if his condition is difficult, I cannot abandon him,” he says.

Seven days later after the birth, upon hearing about a cleft lip surgery mission, Fittri and his wife brought their son to the Kampot Provincial Referral Hospital. 

However, due to the baby’s small size, they were informed that they would have to wait until he reached 3 months old, and then undertake the arduous journey to Siem Reap province, where Smile Cambodia were offering surgery for children born with cleft lip/palate.

As a poor fishing family from a remote area of Kampot, the couple were unsure if they could make the long trip to Siem Reap. 

They explain that they didn’t know the location of the hospital, lacked the financial means and were doubtful about the effectiveness of the treatment for their child’s condition.

“We were skeptical. His mouth was severely affected, and we were told that the surgery might not be successful,” Fittri tells the Post.

However, with the encouragement and support from the organisation, particularly from Smile Cambodia’s vice-chair Chan Kok Choy – known as Chan to the many families he has helped – who assured them that all costs would be covered, they decided to take the risk and bring their child for treatment.

Fittri adds that if they hadn’t gone ahead with the surgery, they would have regretted it and their child would have faced societal stigma and numerous challenges in the future. 

An ‘excellent outcome’

The surgeons from Smile Cambodia explained that his son’s condition would require three surgeries to correct.

Following the first procedure, Fittri was overwhelmed by its success and optimistic that the two successive treatments would be as effective, giving his beloved son an opportunity at a life he would otherwise never have had the chance to enjoy. 

He acknowledges that the results of the first surgery astonished him, as at first he did not recognise his own son, so great was the transformation.

Chan explains that Smile Cambodia’s Siem Reap 2024 campaign was held for two days, March 21 and 22, with a fund raising event on the 23rd. 

“Personally, I was very happy with the outcome of the Siem Reap surgical mission,” he says. 

“With 44 patients treated, there was excellent cooperation between the Cambodian and Malaysian medical volunteers, great support from many local and overseas donors, and fantastic backing from the Kingdom’s provincial authorities, as well as the ministry of Health and Economy and Finance,” he adds.

Healthcare professionals offer their time

Ngov Kang, health ministry secretary of state who visited the Siem Reap Provincial Referral Hospital while the project was taking place, expresses his gratitude towards Smile Cambodia for providing free surgery to Cambodian children.

After observing the work of the surgeons, Kang remarks that this initiative has alleviated the burden of many of the Kingdom’s most valuable.

He noted that in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of children receiving surgery as a result of this programme.

Kang explains that this humanitarian collaboration between Cambodian and foreign doctors fosters knowledge exchange and benefits public health. 

“This mission not only aids in training and communication but also contributes to public health,” he tells The Post.

The official also draws attention to Chan’s compliments about the capability of the Cambodian doctors who performed cleft lip and palate surgeries. 

He notes that the health ministry fully supports the organisation’s mission as a humanitarian endeavour, with active participation from Cambodian doctors.

“We encourage more of Cambodian doctors to engage in this humanitarian effort, and expand their expertise,” he adds.

An active participant in Smile Cambodia’s missions, Tea Sok Leng, an emergency surgeon at the state-run Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh, has performed thousands of oral and cleft lip and palate surgeries, both within the country and abroad.

He says that during the latest round of surgeries in Siem Reap, four Cambodian doctors and five of their Malaysian counterparts took part.

Sok Leng explains that in Cambodia, numerous cases of cleft lip and palate persist, largely due to chemical exposure, contaminated food, maternal drug usage during pregnancy and toxins from the surrounding environment.

“The primary solution lies in reaching out to remote areas, as the majority of children with cleft lip and palate originate from impoverished families,” he tells The Post. 

“These families often face issues such as maternal drug use during pregnancy, consumption of unhygienic food and exposure to pesticides,” he adds.

Generous global support

Mathilda Ma, president of the Rotary Club of Likas Bay in Malaysia, expresses her gratitude for the success of the Smile Cambodia Surgical Mission 2024, which saw 30 delegates from Malaysia and three Rotarians from Taiwan. 

“On behalf of the Likas Bay Rotary Club, I extend my sincere congratulations to the esteemed Smile Cambodia board members, led by Chan, for the mission’s outstanding success,” she says.

Ma’s club is a service organisation affiliated with Rotary International. And like other Rotary Clubs around the world, it focuses on community service, humanitarian projects and promoting goodwill, both locally and internationally. 

They typically engage in initiatives such as educational programmes, health campaigns, environmental projects and community development efforts aimed at improving the quality of life of people in need.

Ma is proud of how the initiative has brought hope and new life to the 44 patients in Siem Reap, showcasing the remarkable collaboration and teamwork among the local and international medical teams. 

She also draws attention to the longstanding partnership between Rotary Club of Likas Bay and Smile Cambodia, which now spans more than 15 years.

“The hospitality of Smile Cambodia and support from the health ministry and the provincial [administration] made our four days in Siem Reap a memorable and homely experience,” she says.

Grateful parents

A couple from Takeo province, who were bringing their first child to the Siem Reap Referral Hospital for surgery, explain that they were referred to Smile Cambodia by the state-run, Phnom Penh-based Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital.

Sim Vibol, the father of baby Vibol Chantra, says: “The organisation informed us that the surgery would be scheduled when he reached 3 months old, or about 6kg. We travelled from Takeo province on the 19th, to prepare for the surgery on the 21st.”

Lai Nin, a 42-year-old construction worker, first learned about cleft surgery through a nurse at the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Referral Hospital. 

He brought his 10-month-old child to the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital in February, but was told that Smile Cambodia would arrange for the surgery when its mission took place in Siem Reap.

“While I was waiting for my baby to undergo the operation, I was filled with anxiety and couldn’t sit still. I walked around in circles until the doctor informed me that the surgery was complete. I was overcome with joy and excitement to see his mouth,” Rith tells The Post.

“His cleft has been successfully repaired. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the doctors who helped my precious child,” he adds.

Giving back smiles

Kevin Lua, co-founder and CEO of the One Road Group and the One Road Charitable Foundation, which serves as one of the project’s major sponsors, expresses his belief that Smile Cambodia’s involvement can be instrumental in altering the trajectory of these children’s lives.

“As a foreign investor in Cambodia, I feel a moral obligation and responsibility to extend assistance to those in need. Participating in activities like these holds a very special significance for me,” says Lua.

Although this marked his third participation in such events, Lua remains profoundly moved by witnessing the gratitude of the children towards the efforts of the medical professionals and the foundation’s partners.

“As a representative of the One Road Charity, I aspire to witness more of these initiatives in the future, aimed at aiding all those in need,” he tells The Post.

Chan says the activities of Smile Cambodia are only made possible thanks to generous contributions from sponsors and donors.

He was encouraged that Tuy Chi, the wife of Siem Reap provincial governor Prak Sophoan, attended the closing ceremony, together with many local dignitaries.

“They extended a substantial donation to Smile Cambodia. We are also delighted by the visit of the health ministry’s Kang to the hospital,” he adds.

According to Chan, as of December 2023, Smile Cambodia has provided almost 6,000 free surgeries.