First Smile Week held at Durban's Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital
The Smile Foundation hosted its first Smile Week at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban last week.
Image: Supplied
The Smile Foundation, in partnership with Adcock Ingram, held the first-ever Smile Week at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) in Durban last week.
The foundation said the initiative saw 16 children receive life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries - each surgery not only restored a smile but transformed a child’s ability to eat, speak, and live with confidence.
The foundation is a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of children with facial abnormalities, burns and other reconstructive needs.
Cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries were undertaken on children in need.
Image: Supplied
The week also focused on building long-term impact through skills transfer and specialist training. Under the leadership of Professor Mahendra Daya and Dr Khumalo, registrars and anaesthetists participated in presentations and hands-on theatre sessions, gaining valuable experience in complex reconstructive techniques.
“In a time where Department of Health budget constraints often limit surgical slates, collaboration is essential,” says Tshidi Chabane-Xaba, COO of Smile Foundation.
She expressed gratitude to all involved.
“This Smile Week has been a beautiful example of what happens when passion and partnership come together. We are grateful to Adcock Ingram for their unstinting support and to the incredible team at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital for welcoming us with open hearts. Their skill, commitment and compassion made it possible for us to change lives, not only for the children in theatre, but for the future of reconstructive surgery in South Africa.”
Nkosinathi Mthethwa, Group Executive: Public Affairs at Adcock Ingram, added: “It has been an honour to stand alongside Smile Foundation and IALCH for this historic week. By supporting both patient care and medical training, we are investing in something that will continue to make an impact long after the last surgery is completed.”