I went and helped with some smiles… it’s my job.
Johannesburg, 21 October 2011: Faces will light up when The Smile Foundation and kulula.com celebrate their first Smile Week in early November. With the help of kulula fans, the airline, in partnership with The Smile Foundation, has raised over R800 000 that will grant 60 disadvantaged children the opportunity to receive brand new smiles.
During the first kulula Smile Week, which runs from 31 October until 4 November 2011, 30 children will undergo life-changing facial reconstructive surgery at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Apart from cleft lip and palate repairs, numerous other reconstructive surgical procedures will take place during this week. Three lengthy facial reanimation surgeries will also be performed by Professor George Psaras, Medical Director of The Smile Foundation and the team from the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Witwatersrand. Prof. Psaras is one of only a select few surgeons in the world skilled to perform this complex surgery.
“Facial reanimation involves the grafting of the Gracillis muscle from the inner thigh and parachuting this into the cheek. Microsurgery is then conducted to attach the veins, nerves and arteries,” says Psaras.
