Neri: A Thanksgiving Gala

The formal opening of the Cebu Comprehensive Cleft Care Center of Excellence at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) was a red-letter day for Operation Smile (OS). The state-of-the-art facility on the seventh floor of CCMC is the world’s largest center dedicated to cleft conditions and it aims to be a global model of comprehensive cleft care. A memorandum of agreement was signed between OS and the City Government.

Frontliners during the opening ceremony were Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia; OS-Philippines president Donald Lim; OS executive director Emiliano Romano; Mariquita Yeung of the MSY Charitable Foundation (Cebu partner of OS) and son Martin; and Kevin Thor, director of global project development of OS. The milestone marked the fulfillment of OS founders William and Kathleen Magee’s vision to provide free surgery to children with cleft palate problems. The Thanksgiving Gala was a black-tie affair at the ballroom of Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.



It was an evening of appreciation and thanksgiving to the people who have given their support (time, effort, money and all else) to the laudable cause of OS. Kudos to the volunteers, to the dedicated medical team, the financial contributors, the MSY Charitable Foundation and the Operation Smile mainstays!.