UK businessman and former stalwart of the TV show Dragons’ Den Duncan Bannatyne has a longstanding and significant relationship with Operation Smile, the global non-profit organisation providing free cleft lip and palate surgery to children and young adults who would otherwise have to live with their life-altering conditions.
If left untreated a cleft condition is likely to leave children facing daily challenges, from long-term health issues, such as dental and orthodontic problems, to speech impediments, nutritional challenges and emotional problems. However, since 1999, Operation Smile has provided more than 13,420 patients in Morocco with cleft surgery and hosted 152 additional surgical programs in the country.
Duncan, founder of the Bannatyne Group, health clubs, spas, and hotels, has supported the organisation financially for a number of years. This month he, his wife Nigora and two of his children, Tom and Emily, along with Nigora’s daughter Gabby, joined Operation Smile’s most recent surgical programme to Morocco to see the charity’s work for themselves.
One in 800 children born in Morocco has a cleft condition. This particular programme, part of Operation Smile’s Women in Medicine female-led initiative, saw a team of doctors and nurses carry out life-transforming operations to correct cleft lips and palates for 111 children. In addition to surgery, each patient receives other services including nutritional support, speech therapy, oral health care and psychosocial support for both themselves, and their families. And because education programmes sit at the heart of Operation Smile’s strategy, this mission also enabled skill sharing and mentorship for female Moroccan medical professionals, to help build capacity in the areas of greatest need.
Duncan, who personally funded the medical team’s travel and week-long stay in Morocco, plus all the equipment they needed, commented: “There were five days of operations. The first two days were spent seeing all the children and getting them onto the treatment register, and operations began on the third day. It looks like organised chaos, but it’s fantastic to see so many people’s lives being changed.” He also witnessed first-hand the effect surgery has – accompanying some children into the operating theatre, and later seeing the emotional reaction of the young patients when they looked in the mirror, along with that of their families. “They’re just shocked at how much we’ve changed their lives.” he adds.
Duncan’s health club staff are also keen to contribute, regularly holding fundraising events. As he explained “They just want to get involved all the time. This year they’ve held a Britain’s Got Talent style event, fun runs and various fitness fundraisers and they’ve raised more than £45,000, which is absolutely fantastic.”
Adds Mairead O’Callaghan, Executive Director of Operation Smile: “It was an absolute privilege to spend time with Duncan, Nigora and their children during this programme and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support. The Bannatynes have been part of the Operation Smile family since 2013 when they funded and attended our surgical programme in Mexico. We have also been touched by the energy and enthusiasm of staff from The Bannatyne Group whose fundraising efforts helped make this programme possible. We very much look forward to working together in the future with our shared goal of transforming the lives and futures of more children with cleft conditions.”
Women In Medicine
Operation Smile’s Women in Medicine Initiative provides education pathways for women to become global leaders in medicine, health care and surgery. Its aim is to advance the number, standing, and leadership of women in international healthcare. Indeed, increasing the number of women in healthcare professions is pivotal to meet the shortfall of trained specialists overall. Its initiatives include: Women-led Surgical Outreach Programmes; Educational Opportunities for Women in Healthcare Training and Leadership; Thought Leadership on Advancement of Women in Global Medicine and Gender and Health Equity Innovation & Research.
Operation Smile carries out hundreds of surgical programmes to help people with cleft lip and cleft palate. Just £150 provides one child with cleft lip or cleft palate with a life-changing operation. For more information, visit www.operationsmile.org.uk/fundraise
