Donor Spotlight

Citigroup

Citigroup, through its foundation, has made an on-going commitment to the children that Operation Smile serves. Citigroup, which has financially supported Operation Smile since the early 1990s, has been instrumental in ensuring many successful medical missions. Not only have they provided funding for missions, but they have also provided employee volunteers who have offered their services on missions and implemented Operation Smile workplace programs at their facilities.

The Citigroup Foundation has helped Operation Smile provide missions and/or education programs in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Kenya, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam. Additionally, Citigroup has donated funds to Operation Smile to be used for special projects and the annual Physicians' Training Program.

Citibank, a subsidiary of Citigroup, has employees who spend much of their time each year volunteering to support Operation Smile medical missions. They have even helped Operation Smile create lasting in-country relationships and connected the organization with sponsors, supplies and contacts throughout the world.

Since 1997, Citibank has been one the strongest sources of volunteers for Operation Smile Honduras. Employees serve as non-medical volunteers during the international missions and provide monthly donations from them through a program they have established called "Un lempira por una sonrisa."

Since 1995, 141 Citibank employees in Colombia have been involved in missions to Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla and Bucaramanga, serving as translators, assisting with patients and helping with logistics. Citibank employee Mónica Alvarado (pictured) helps during Operation Smile Colombia's June 2005 local mission in Bogotá. Photo by Liliana Vélez

Financial Times

In April 2005, Operation Smile began a partnership with The Financial Times to help raise awareness for the organization. The Financial Times is published six days a week and provides more than 485,000 readers around the world with comprehensive coverage of global markets, combined with news and analysis. Since August 2005, The Financial Times has given Operation Smile 140 free insertions of a series of promotional ads, an in kind donation valued at $1,246,000.

Steve Howe, Vice President of Advertising for The Financial Times, The Americas, said, "As a global publisher, The Financial Times is very proud to help raise awareness of all the incredible work that Operation Smile does for the children around the world. We look forward to our continuing partnership in 2006."

Abbott Fund

For 15 years, Abbott’s generous support of donated medical supplies to Operation Smile has been instrumental in our humanitarian mission to help children. Each year, thousands of impoverished children who had no access to this specialized medical care have received life-changing surgery thanks to Abbott’s generosity. Since 1993, Abbott has donated close to $4 million dollars in medical supplies to Operation Smile.

Throughout the years, Abbott has grown to support other Operation Smile initiatives like our Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training programs. With Abbott’s support, we have been able to certify hundreds of medical volunteers in these programs worldwide. In 2007, members of the Abbott team, including Katherine Pickus, Abbott’s Director of Global Citizenship & Policy, visited a PALS and ACLS training program in Hangzhou, China.

Continental Airlines

On January 21, Operation Smile received a donation of 1,400 medical kits from Continental Airlines. The kits contain some of the basic medical supplies used during Operation Smile missions and by our global hospital partners. FedEx was instrumental in making this donation possible by shipping the kits from Houston, Texas, to Norfolk, Va., at no charge. The kits included stethoscopes, syringes, needles, airways, blood pressure cuffs, and various pharmaceuticals. These supplies served as emergency first aid kits on Continental airplanes.

Beth Marshall, International Director of Central and South America for Operation Smile, traveled to Houston to thank Continental and FedEx and the individuals who made the donation possible.

"Operation Smile is fortunate to have a partner in Continental Airlines,"said Beth Marshall. "It is impressive that during a time when airlines have scaled back on corporate donations, Continental found a way to provide a valuable contribution."

Dante Marzetta, Continental Airlines Senior VP of Technical Operations and Purchasing, said, "Continental Airlines has tremendous respect for the Operation Smile organization and the amazing work they do for thousands of children each year. It is our privilege to have this opportunity to partner with them."

Photo by: Ben Clark (Left to right) Katrina Manning, Continental Airlines Staff VP Corporate Purchasing & Business Operations; Dante Marzetta, Continental Airlines Senior VP of Technical Operations & Purchasing; Richard Siciliano, FedEx Houston Metro District Market Manager; and Beth Marshall, International Director of Central and South America for Operation Smile.

Molnlycke Health Care

Biogel^® powder-free surgical gloves and Molnlycke surgical gowns join the list of medical supplies contributed to Operation Smile. Molnlycke Health Care, formerly Regent Medical, donated surgical gloves and gowns valued at over $400,000, enough to supply all of Operation Smile's 2006 international medical missions. Through a Patented Puncture Indication System, the donated Biogel^® gloves will alert the wearer with a dark green spot if a puncture occurs in the presence of body fluids.

In addition, Molnlycke will donate an additional $175,000 of Biogel^® gloves to Operation Smile in 2007. "Medical gloves are critical because they protect both the patient and doctor,"said Dr. Robert Rubin, Operation Smile Chief Medical Officer. "Operation Smile is extremely grateful for the opportunity to provide our medical volunteers with the option of wearing the double-glove system."

In September 2006, Milt Hinsch, Technical Service Director, attended Operation Smile's gala in Beverly Hills. Hinsch said, "I was first introduced to Operation Smile at their Los Angeles Gala held in September 2004. The 2006 gala reminded us how much Operation Smile benefits the world and renewed our commitment to partnering with Operation Smile."

Datascope Corp and Operation Smile Partner in Paris!

In April, Operation Smile had the occasion to attend the 2004 World Congress of Anesthesiologists (WCA) in Paris, France at the invitation and sponsorship of Datascope Corp. This wonderful opportunity provided Operation Smile with the chance to meet new medical volunteers from around the world. In addition, sharing a booth with Datascope, enabled Operation Smile to reinforce its commitment to using top-quality medical equipment on all of its international missions.

For over a decade, Datascope Corp's Patient Monitoring Division has partnered with Operation Smile by providing state-of-the art monitoring equipment for use in the operating rooms and recovery rooms for all of our international missions. As a result of this ten-year relationship, Operation Smile has increased the level of medical quality assurance.

Ethicon

ETHICON, a global medical device company, has been a worldwide leader in surgical sutures, or stitches, for more than 100 years. Known for developing quality products, ETHICON is a Johnson & Johnson company, and part of the world's most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of healthcare products. Since 1982, ETHICON has been a strong supporter of Operation Smile’s commitment to changing the lives of children and young adults. The company has contributed more than $6 million in medical supplies including sutures, without which our missions would be impossible. For Operation Smile’s World Journey of Smiles in November 2007, ETHICON contributed close to $1 million dollars in medical supplies which allowed us to treat over 4,000 children. “For a company whose products save lives and improve the quality of life for patients, supporting Operation Smile was a natural fit for us,” according to Sandy Kiser, Director of Community & Public Affairs at ETHICON, Inc. “Having been a guest participant on a medical mission myself, I have seen how these children’s lives are transformed and I’ve come away with great respect for what Operation Smile has been able to accomplish.”

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble has been a long standing supporter of Operation Smile. Since 1993, Procter & Gamble has graciously donated more than $775,000 worth of Dantrium® IV. Dantrium® IV is used to treat malignant hyperthermia (MH), an event triggered in susceptible individuals by various anesthetics. Dantrium® IV is rarely needed, but it is always kept on hand on an Operation Smile medical mission to fight the effects of MH which strikes fast and without warning, and is a life threatening condition.

Focusing on charitable contributions and sustainability efforts to help children in need, Procter & Gamble is a natural fit as a partner for Operation Smile. Procter & Gamble demonstrated their commitment by providing products and services that have improved the health and hygiene of children around the world. As an industry leader, Procter & Gamble has a strong history of operating with integrity and they take product safety very seriously. Operation Smile is enthusiastic to retain this fifteen-year relationship and to work together to ensure the safety of children worldwide.

Globus Relief

Since 2004, Globus Relief has provided Operation Smile with more than $100,000 in medical supplies and consumable items, creating a significant reduction in costs for medical missions. By gathering surplus goods from distributors, manufacturers and hospitals, Globus Relief has enabled Operation Smile to help more children in need of surgery.

Operation Smile is fortunate to have the valuable expertise of an organization like Globus Relief. Our newly initiated Global Standards of Care allow for only the safest and most reliable materials to be used during medical procedures on Operation Smile missions. The rigorous evaluation process that all materials undergo before being donated by Globus Relief guarantees that each child treated on an Operation Smile mission receives the best treatment possible. The current partnership between Globus Relief and Operation Smile is a model of how non-profit organizations are able to complement each other by focusing on the needs of children around the world.