| About Us | What We Do | Where We Work | Community | Corporate GIK | Contact | Home
PROGRAMS
Disaster Relief
Helping Children
Hunger Relief
Life Skills
Medical Services
  • Program Details
  • US Dental Missions
  • MedEx Program
  • Cleft Lip/Palate Surgery
  • Dental Volunteer Registration
  • News Archive
  • Water Wells & Cisterns

    GET INVOLVED
    Email Updates
    Volunteer
    Tell A Friend
    Donate Now
    Community

    SITE SEARCH
     
    provided by google


    Download this month's BLESSINGS

    News Home Disaster News Archive Press Releases Photo Gallery

    Double "curse" haunts family

    POSTED: April 10, 2007
    By Staci Dennis


    Thanks to OBI donors, these two children were able to have their cleft lip and palate repaired.



    Shanker, left and Mamitha were both born with a cleft lip and palate.

    ORISSA, India - Duka and her husband, Janardhan, felt their lives had been doubly cursed.

    After five years of marriage, the couple decided to have a baby. But when their son, Shanker, was born with a cleft lip, people in their remote village considered the birth defect a curse.

    A cleft lip is a deformity that affects approximately one in every 700 infants and results from the lip and/or palate failing to close during fetal development.

    The birth defect can create hearing, speech and dental problems – and in severe cases – prevent a child from getting the proper nutrition due to chewing and swallowing problems

    "When a child is born with a cleft lip in India, celebration turns to sadness," said Kumar Periasamy, regional director for OBI India.

    With no access to medical facilities and no money to pay for a surgery, Duka and her family tried to accept their fate and move on. Three years later, she gave birth to a daughter, Mamitha. But the news of her birth proved doubly shocking: Mamitha had also been born with a cleft lip.

    "Neighbors told them their children could have corrective surgery," said Shirley Joyce, a representative with Operation Blessing, "but it would cost them more than what they could earn in their entire lifetime."

    Then, a villager told Duka and her husband about possibly receiving a free surgery for the children, and the family decided to make the 621-mile journey to the hospital in Madhya Pradesh. To help the family, friends and neighbors raised money for their trip.

    Thanks to OBI donors, the children were able to have the corrective surgeries and return to school. The family was also given a place to stay at no charge and provided daily meals while the surgeries were being performed.

    Padhar Hospital, in partnership with OBI, performed 10 free surgeries in one day.

    "No one will tease my children anymore," Duka said. "They look like any other normal child."

    How You Can Help

    Take part in bringing life-changing surgery to those in need by giving toward OBI’s Cleft Lip and Palate program. A gift of just $34 a month for 12 months - or a special gift of $400 - will sponsor a corrective surgery for a child who otherwise would not be able to afford such medical care. Please make an online donation today.

    Who is Operation Blessing?
    An international humanitarian aid organization dedicated to alleviating human need and suffering by providing food, water, medicine and disaster relief to those in need.

    Contact Us By Phone
    1-800-730-2537

    Sign Up For
    Email Updates:


    TAKE ACTION
  • Get Involved
  • Get Prepared
  • Build A Disaster Kit
  • Donate Now


  •   RELATED LINKS
    bullet Cleft lip shames Cambodian family
    bullet Cambodian Girl’s Smile is Repaired
    bullet About the cleft lip/palate program.
    bullet Among tragedy, family finds hope in a repaired heart









    [ Send To A Friend] [ Print] [TOP ]

    Copyright © 1999-2008 by Operation Blessing International of this page and all contents. No part of this site may be used without prior written consent from OBI. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Email us at operation.blessing@ob.org. If you want to graphically link to the Operation Blessing web site, click here to go to the download page.