Smile Please
The flagship CSR programme of MPF ‘Smile Please’, free surgery mission for cleft patients commenced from last FY, partnering with Mission Smile India, a medical charity organisation who are experts in providing cleft care services.
The Cause
Cleft lip and cleft palate are facial and oral deformities that
occur very early in pregnancy, while the foetus is developing
inside the mother. Clefting is defined as a lack of fusion of the
tissues of the lip and mouth. The cause of clefting is
multifactorial and has genetic, nutritional and other components
which leads to this disorder. Cleft is not just a cosmetic issue;
but has got severe functional challenges and is sometimes life
threatening.
Problems faced by cleft patients
• Breathing
• Eating
• Dental
• Hearing
• Speech
• Appearance
• Psychological stress
• Socially ostracized
Surgery is the only solution for repair of the cleft lip and
palate. In most parts of the country, surgery is inaccessible and
expensive. MPF engaged in to a partnership with Mission Smile the
expert cleft care organisation in India to extend free surgeries to
patients from deserving backgrounds.
The Partnership
Mission Smile is a not-for-profit organisation providing corrective
surgeries to patients with cleft lip and palate deformities. It was
established as a Registered Indian Trust in 2003 and has the Head
Office at Mumbai.
So far Mission Smile has conducted 25000+ surgeries in India and all
of them were safe and successful. MPF joined hands with Mission
Smile from July 2014 and started to provide free cleft surgeries and
allied supportive service to children with congenital cleft issues.
During Phase 1, the target was to provide free surgeries to 350
children from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where the entire cost for the
treatment is borne by MPF.
Preparation Phase: We are not just Donors
A New Model for Corporate Engagement in Philanthropy
From the initial stage of this programme, the Management of Muthoot
Pappachan Group has taken a strong stand that our commitment is not
just financial alone, but we will ensure our active involvement in
the programme in field, responding to the cause.
In India, Cleft is seen as one case among 700 child births. Hence it
is pertinent that the message should filter down to public in order
to identify the patients. Also there is a need for extensive
awareness to go into public on the cleft issue to fight the
misconceptions. This message was disseminated to grassroots through
the branches of MFL.
As a beginning, detailed training programmes were conducted all
along Kerala and South Tamilnadu for the staff of MFL. In the first
stretch, around 900 MFL branch Managers were given detailed
orientation training and they were asked to filter it down to their
team members. Leaflets were prepared in Malayalam and Tamil and
supportive materials were send to all branches in Kerala and South
Tamilnadu. All branches were asked to coordinate with social pockets
like Panchayats, Anganwadis, Schools, NGOs, Hospitals, Associations,
Clubs, Kudumbasree etc. to identify cleft patients. Also the
regional leaders of MFL met almost all the MLAs informing them about
the Mission. Rigorous efforts were taken by our branches to identify
and recruit patients for the first mission at Kottayam and
Nagercoil. This shows the extend of relationship of Fincorp branches
with the society and their active linkages with public and social
institutions in their locations.
This indeed is a model for Corporate engagement in CSR where
various verticals of a corporate conglomerate actively respond
to a heath cause like cleft, by involving their staff in mass
awareness and also identifying patients to provide expert
services in cleft care. The efforts taken by our branch staff
are admirable as they also act as the single point of contact
for these patients in providing them information on the cleft
issue, our free cleft care services, ensuring hospital
connectivity for medical check-up and surgery, post-operative
follow ups etc.
Smile Please Programme Launch
Malayalam Cine Actor Dileep turns our Smile Please
Ambassador
Muthoot Pappachan Foundation in association with Mission Smile India
announced the launch of ‘Smile please’ on 18th Oct at Cochin, a pan
India campaign which will help to create public awareness and extend
free cleft surgeries amongst children in the country.
The campaign was inaugurated by popular Malayalam Film actor Mr.
Dileep in the presence of Mr. Thomas George Muthoot, Director,
Muthoot Pappachan Group, Mr. Thomas Muthoot, Executive Director,
Muthoot Pappachan Group and Mr. Dalip Pande, Director Partnerships,
Mission Smile India.
Mr. Dileep has extended all his support and cooperation for this
program. He said, “I am touched by the initiative of Muthoot
Pappachan Group. I can realise the trauma and embarrassment a person
with cleft-lip undergoes in the society”. Dileep had recently acted
in a movie called ‘Sound Thoma’ in which he played the role of a man
with a cleft-lip, the film very well managed to portray the
humiliation a cleft-lip person undergoes in a society and the way he
overcomes all these problems. He got the inspiration from this to be
part of this initiative lead by Muthoot Pappachan Foundation.
The surgery target for 2014-15 was 350 and the programme was
initially proposed to implement in Kerala and Tamilnadu. In Kerala,
surgeries were planned at Muthoot Life Brigade Hospital and in
Tamilnadu a centre of Mission Smile at Nagercoil.
Smile Please – 52 New Smiles from First Mission at
Kottayam
The first Mission of ‘’Smile Please” was conducted at Life
Brigade Hospital, Kottayam during 11th to 18th October 2014
targeting 50 surgeries. Once the Mission was over, 52 patients
were given free cleft surgeries. A 40 member medical expert team
all across from 7 states volunteered for the Mission. The team
included Plastic Surgeons, Maxillofacial Surgeons,
Anaesthesiologists, Dentists, Paediatricians and other trained
medical personnel.
At the pre-screening conducted at Muthoot Life Brigade Hospital
on 11th Oct around 150 patients turned up for medical check-ups
and evaluations. From these patients, 52 have been referred for
surgeries at the first mission.
All these 52 patients undergone surgeries successfully and all
of them turned up for the post-operative follow up check-up on
21st Oct. This mission is marked as the first one in the Mission
Smile Missions in India for 2 reasons. Firstly, there were no
complications reported for any of the patients in the entire
process and secondly there was 100% attendance for
post-operative check-up.
Another 17 patients screened at Life Brigade which required
complex surgical processes and prolonged post-operative care
were referred to the Mission Smile Centre at Nagercoil to
receive surgeries in this scheme.
WE ARE THERE TO CHANGE LIVES
|
Mr. Thomas Muthoot Executive Director, Muthoot Pappachan Group  We are overwhelmed by the response received during our first leg
of the program conducted in Kottayam. It’s unfortunate that
individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate are often
stigmatized and face much psychosocial adversity. Social
attitudes and beliefs have a direct impact upon the
psychological development of these individuals. Providing cleft
surgeries to children and youngsters helps change their lives.
With a perfect smile on their face and overcoming their
functional challenges through corrective surgeries, they set
forth for a new life with enhanced confidence. Muthoot Pappachan Foundation is proud for being a part of this noble cause, offering free surgeries to children, which will help them all, live a life free of any stigma. Also we welcome other corporates as well to walk with us in helping more kids smile and live their new life. |
Second Mission at Nagercoil - 38 New Smiles
Second Mission of Smile Please at Nagercoil was scheduled from
13th to 19th Jan 2015 and we received 80+ patient registrations
through Fincorp branches. Most of the patients were primary
cleft cases who came for their first surgeries. Though there
were challenges like Ponkal holidays in Tamil Nadu, connectivity
to Nagercoil through both rail and road due to Makara Samkranthi
and Sabarimala pilgrimage etc. the Mission concluded
successfully with 38 new smiles.
Continued Centre Activities - 260 New Smiles
Fincorp branches in South Tamilnadu and Kerala were asked to
continue patient recruitment to provide surgeries at Nagercoil
Centre. During the FY 260 surgeries were provided at the
Nagercoil Centre through the continued programme. Altogether 350
patients received free surgeries during 2014-15 and many of them
also received their second stage surgeries through this
programme.
CASE STUDY
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MANUEL MATHEW (6 months)
When they saw the baby for the first time the whole family felt so sad and depressed. But the mother who believed that if god has created him so there will be a plan for him. She was sad mostly due the fact that she couldn’t feed him on her milk. Till now the child has eaten only alternate supplements. But her elder children were so happy to get him. The eldest daughter calls him ‘’Lucky’’ and second son calls him ‘’Unni’’. They got the information of Smile Please Mission at Life Brigade through nearby MFL Branch (Ezhukumvayal, Iducky). Manuel was having a congenital lip cleft issue marked as L Unilateral Incomplete at the screening for Kottayam Mission. He also has got an issue on his palete as well. Manuel successfully undergone the first surgery for lip correction on 15th Oct at Life Brigade and relieved from the Hospital on the very next day. Whole family turned up on 22nd Oct for the post OP Check-up at Life Brigde and also for acknowledging the services they received. They all are happy now seeing his innocent and perfect smile. The whole family are thankful to God for Manuel’s safe and successful surgery. His mother wants him to be a priest when he grows up, if he also agrees to it. 3 months later in January 2015, Manuel received his second surgery for palete issue at Nagercoil Mission which was also successful and he is perfect now. Going forward, Manuel has to do some speech therapy exercises to get perfect delivery of words and the first lessons are already given by the Speech Therapist at the Mission. MPF will continue to support him to get this done and grow smart. Cheer up Manuel !!! |
Manuel is the third son of Mr. Mathew Thomas and Mrs. Ruby Mathew. They are from a rural agriculture family residing at Valiyathovala, near Kattappana in Iducky district.