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Fourteen more children with cleft lip and palate receive the Gift of Smile
Also present at the event were, Puan Fadillah Yakin, President of RMHC, Dato’ T.Y Lim, Group Chief Executive Officer of Pantai Holdings Berhad and Dr Nirmala Menon, Senior Vice President of ING Insurance and children as well as parents from the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Malaysia (CLAPAM). The “Give a Gift of Smile” campaign was initiated in 2003 in conjunction with McDonald’s World Children’s Day, with the objective of aiding Malaysian children born with cleft lip and palate to undergo corrective surgery that helps them lead a normal life.
“In view of this, we to urge Malaysians who have children born with cleft lip and palate or who know of children with this condition to come forward and seek assistance. Our doors are open and we’d like to help these children to lead a normal life,” said Fadillah. The Give a Gift of Smile campaign not only provides free corrective surgery for the patients but also helps with accommodation and transportation where necessary,” said Fadillah. In his speech officiating McDonald’s World Children’s Day 2005, YB Datuk Dr. Abdul Latiff Ahmad, the Deputy Minister of Health applauded RMHC and its partners for their effort and contribution to the community through the Give a Gift of Smile campaign. He congratulated the partners for their continued dedication to the cause. The Give a Gift of Smile campaign was made possible through proceeds collected from various fundraising activities organized by RMHC and McDonald’s Malaysia since 2003, corporate donations from various organizations, and contributions from generous and caring Malaysians who made personal donations through the World Children’s Day Maybank Account: 514011380385. |
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According to RMHC President, Puan Fadillah Yakin, “RMHC is committed to helping the less fortunate children of Malaysia especially in the area of health, education and social welfare. Through the Give a Gift of Smile campaign, we have helped restore the smiles of 41 children from all over Malaysia on whom 55 operations had been performed and today an additional 14 children will be given this Gift of Smile.”
Cleft lip and palate, is the fourth most common birth defect, and is the first most common facial birth defect in the world. In Malaysia, it is estimated that 1 out of 600 newborn babies from the total average of 570,000 born every year, are born with this defect. To date, there are almost 12,000 babies born with cleft lip and palate. Surgery is needed for these children as without it the defect affects their appearance, speech and dental condition.