On a mission to change the lives of those who are born with cleft lips and palates, a charity will offer surgeries to up to 20 patients in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday.

The surgeries will be conducted by volunteers of Operation Smile, with assistance from the staff at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Till date, Operation Smile has provided more than 200,000 free surgeries to children and young adults around the world and over two million comprehensive healthcare evaluations.

The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has set aside two operation rooms for the charity's medical volunteers, along with food and other supplies. Moreover, as many as 186 hospital staff will turn volunteers to assist the charity mission on both days. The volunteer strength is almost twice the number needed.

Morag Cromey-Hawke, executive director of Operation Smile in the UAE, is overwhelmed by the hospital's welcoming response. "From the first time we came to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, we were overwhelmed by the offers of help. It's been really heartwarming," Morag said. "Everyone we came across from management downwards wanted to get involved to the extent that we have almost more support than we can use."

The foundation Operation Smile UAE (OSUAE) was established in January 2011 under the patronage of Sheikha Aljazia Saif Mohd Al Nahyan, wife of Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and works to provide cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgeries for children and adults all over the world.

In addition to raising funds to perform the surgeries, Operation Smile works to recruit medical volunteers and raise awareness about the condition.

While the foundation has supported operations around the world, this is the first time it has had access to the facilities at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. "Often when we run an Operation Smile mission overseas, the facilities we get to use are quite basic and still the children and the parents are so grateful," Morag said.

Morag said the hospital offers top-class facilities. "Being able to use a facility like Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for our mission will be an absolute dream for our patients and our volunteers. Here, patients will be able to have their own rooms where they can stay overnight with their parents or guardians, they will have access to some of the best medical facilities in the country and we know that the care they will be receiving will be absolutely top class."

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has spent months preparing to host the event and ensuring that Operation Smile patients receive the same level of care as all other patients.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi volunteers participating in Operation Smile include 21 operating room nurses, 32 nurses specialising in pre- and post-operative care, two surgeons, two anaesthesia physicians, nine technicians and a number of non-clinical staff.

Ann Williamson, chief clinical and nursing officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said the hospital is happy to be part of such an initiative.

"It is fitting that in the UAE Year of Giving, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been able to assist Operation Smile in transforming people's lives through surgery. We've been very pleased to see so many hard-working nurses and team-members from the hospital volunteer their time for this initiative."

Source: Khaleej Times