High School club helps put smiles on people’s faces

Group has gotten a lot of recognition in the last year

By: Nick D’Amore
   It was only a year ago when relatively few students at South Brunswick High School knew about the Operation Smile Club.
   These days, meetings can attract 30 to 40 students and the number is growing as the year goes on.
   Operation Smile has been existence nationally for 20 years and is a nonprofit medical mission charity.
   Medical staff, such as doctors, nurses, surgeons and dentists, volunteer to travel to different countries around the world to perform reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities, said Jill Gora, a Operation Smile volunteer for eight years and a family physician.
   The organization sends its volunteers out on missions throughout the year to different countries all over the world to perform such services.
   At SBHS, the club has been in existence for five years, but only recently started getting increased participation.
   Club advisor Karen Kozarski said since the club merged with the Medical Futures Club last year, response has been increasing.
   The club at the high school will do fund-raising and sponsor events to promote and support the worldwide missions volunteers go on every year. Also, the state Operation Smile chapter will be holding a benefit on Nov. 8 in honor of the organization’s 20th anniversary. The benefit will be at the Short Hills Hilton in Short Hills and begins at 6:30 p.m.
   She said club co-president, senior Sarah Shawki, got interested in Operation Smile after speaking with high school students who had gone on Operation Smile missions.
   Pranava Upadrashtam, a senior and co-president of Operation Smile, said she and Sarah began the club as freshmen.
   "The club didn’t have much of a focus then," said Pranava. "But, now there’s a lot of people involved."
   Junior member Priya Kalyan said last year the club had between 15 and 20 members, "but now we have almost 50."
   Jamil Shaikh, also a junior member, said the club has become stronger with the added membership.
   The club now focuses half on medical career options and exploration and half on the Operation Smile mission.
   The club is planning a stuffed animal and toothbrush drive around the holidays for children who undergo the reconstructive surgery performed by Operation Smile medical volunteers.
   Ms. Kozarski said the club is looking into having speakers come in, hold more fund-raisers and participate in more regional events, as opposed to staying local.
   Pranava, Priya and Jamil said they all have an interest in science and working in the medical field and being a member of the club is exposing them to their options and opportunities in that field.
   "I liked science and wanted to become either a doctor or teach in medical school. Joining the club seemed like a good start," said Jamil.
   "It helps to see the broader applications of the medical profession. Working in the suburban atmosphere as a doctor is different than working in the field," said Pranava.
   Ms. Gora said high school students who attend the global missions are as important as the medical staff performing the actual procedures.
   "We usually take two high school students on each mission and their job is absolutely crucial to the success of the mission. When all the families are waiting in the screening area, the students entertain the kids, teach fire safety, teach dental hygiene, hydration and good nutrition. Our students go to a foreign country, where they can’t speak the language and manage to get their point across. They connect with parents and kids in a way that’s astounding," she said.
   Ms. Gora said the high school students also help ease the young patients’ fear of the operating room.
   "When the kids are waiting to be operated on, the high school students do play therapy with them, so the kids aren’t so scared when they go into the operating room. When the kids come out of surgery, the students are there to distract them and comfort them. We can’t do it without them," she said.
   According the Operation Smile Web site, the organization was founded by the husband-and-wife team of William Magee, a plastic surgeon, and Kathleen Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker. In 1981, they went to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to perform facial surgery on children there. There, they found the need was so great they had to turn some children away. The Magees promised the children they would be back next year and, in 1982, the organization formed.
   Ms. Gora said the organization travels to 20 different countries and go to all 20 every year. The volunteers include native doctors from the country they are visiting.
   "We have a very international team. When we go to a mission country, half are made up of natives in the country. They’ve really paired well with their counterparts. There’s a great rapport that goes on at every level. They all work hand-in-hand. The goal is to make each country and mission site self-sufficient," she said.
   One such country is Panama, whose own doctors and medical staff now perform the surgery without help from Operation Smile.
   Pranava said, with the increased membership, the club is now able to hold more events and activities.
   "It’s neat now because we can do major events in school with a greater impact. It’s hard to organize with fewer members," she said.