Charity
Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided free reconstructive surgery to more than 150,000 children and young adults in the developing world, who suffer from facial deformities such as cleft lip and palates. Working with a team of world-class healthcare professionals who volunteer their, Operation Smile has changed the lives of thousands of patients and their families, working in over 50 countries across the globe. It can take just a 45 minute operation, costing as little as £150, to give a child a new smile and a fresh start in life. Clefts are the 3rd most common birth defect worldwide and it is estimated that every 3 minutes a child is born with a cleft. In the UK, a baby with a cleft will have it repaired in the first year of it’s life. However, in the developing world 1 in 10 children born with a cleft die before their first birthday and for those who survive, 75% of all cases will go untreated, many of which will live a lifetime of shame and isolation. Clefts hamper breathing, eating, drinking and speaking and many children do not go to school because they are ridiculed and teased, far reducing their opportunities and development for the future. However, in just 45 minutes and for as little as £150, Operation Smile can change a child’s life, forever.
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Climbing Kili for Smiles!
On July 10th 2010, I am attempting to climb 5,895m to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro with my son George (who at 13 is 32 years younger than me and significantly fitter!).
‘Kili’ as it is often tagged is one of the largest volcanoes ever to break through the Earth's crust with its snow-capped summit rising high above the dusty plains of Tanzania.
Our trek takes us up the less-trodden Machame route, allowing us to camp and fully appreciate the splendour of our surroundings and the clear night skies. We pass through thick forest, moorland and scree on route to the highest point, Uhuru Peak. This is a challenging trek at altitude, climbing one of the most impressive and well-known mountains in the world.
Our chosen charity is Operation Smile, a children’s medical charity which provides free reconstructive surgery for children and young adults with facial deformities, predominately cleft lips and palates. Clefts are the 3rd most common birth defect worldwide and it is estimated that a baby is born every 2½ minutes with a cleft which can affect their ability to breathe, eat, drink and speak.
Here in the UK, most cleft cases are repaired in the first year of a child’s life, however in the developing world, families are often too poor and many do not even know treatment is available for them. Over 75% of cleft cases in the developing world go untreated, often resulting in children living a lifetime of isolation, unable to go to school, make friends and distanced from their communities and all because of a facial deformity that can be repaired in as little as 45 minutes and for only £150.
As an active Trustee of the charity and having seen firsthand the work Operation Smile does, I have set an ambitious fundraising target with George of £25,000 (inc. Gift Aid) to change the lives of over 160 children. 100% of the proceeds raised will be used towards surgery to help these children with facial deformities.
£150 will pay to repair a child’s cleft lip
£45 will pay for medical supplies for a child’s surgery
£15 will pay for the antibiotics for 10 children.
Please give generously and donate now to help George and me give more children a smile that will last forever.
For more information about Operation Smile please visit www.operationsmile.org.uk
Recent donors
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The Milseys £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 24.09.10 Congratulations to you both!! wishing you all the best with the fund-raising. Suzanne, George, Rob & Bethan x |
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Helen, Matt and Eliza Bond £50.00 09.09.10 Fantastic achievement - very well done to you both! x |
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Jan and Jenny Skarbek £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 17.08.10 Very well done to you both (and apologies for this late donation) |
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Daniel Sumner £15.00 (+ £4.23 giftaid) 06.08.10 Huge congratulations to you both - I bet George would have run up and down once more just for fun, if he'd had the chance! |
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Alex Simon Emma Katie Annie Robbie £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 30.07.10 Well done - so proud - sorry we didn't sponsor you before but we were thinking of you. |
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Andrew Ball £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 30.07.10 True British grit- very well done to you both. It's a very tough challenge- the Chairman of my charity nearly killed himself doing it- and an exceptional cause. |
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Mark Pettman £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 30.07.10 George and David - magnificent effort and well done. |
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Sall Abraham (Personal Trainer) £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 29.07.10 Well done David!, very glad George & yourself made it all the way the way to the top of Kili! Back to the gym next week for some more work!!. |
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Dominic Slade £250.00 (+ £70.51 giftaid) 25.07.10 Well done. |
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Robert, Julie and family £30.00 (+ £8.46 giftaid) 21.07.10 Good luck David and George, and your feet! |
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Bill & Svea Berry £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 21.07.10 Well done George and David. Super achievement. |
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Jamie, Benita and Katia £100.00 21.07.10 Congratulations all of you on reaching the summit.......! Hope to see you in RSA for the wedding. |
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Caaarden £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 20.07.10 Well done Fooorbes. What a fantastic effort. Many congratulations. |
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Paul Marson-Smith £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 20.07.10 David and George, congratulations to both of you on your brilliant achievement. Paul |
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Alfie, Amelia, S-J & Adam Ashcroft £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 20.07.10 Well done guys, what a fabulous way to celebrate George's great results! |
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Jon, Helen and all the Little family. £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 20.07.10 Well done both of you! |
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Jo and Rob £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 20.07.10 Well done David and George, a fantastic achievement! All love Jo, Rob, Sam and Max |
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Anonymous £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 19.07.10 well done on completing the hike |
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Anonymous £500.00 (+ £141.03 giftaid) 16.07.10 David, Very excited for you and your son. Looking forward to hearing all about the experience. Hope to see pictures. |
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Anonymous £150.00 09.07.10 Good luck! |
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Anonymous £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 09.07.10 best wishes from the Kempner family |
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Katie Morris £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 09.07.10 Good Luck! |
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Linklaters £200.00 (+ £56.41 giftaid) 09.07.10 Good luck, hope you have an amazing time! Yen, Jacquie and Rob |
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Pip and Steve £45.00 (+ £12.69 giftaid) 09.07.10 Good on you David and George |
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Tom & Sally Manners £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 08.07.10 Good luck Forbes. |
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Laurence Raven £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 08.07.10 Hope you have a fantastic time. All the very best. |
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David Dominey £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 07.07.10 Have fun and enjoy |
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Nick Harvey £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 07.07.10 |
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Filippo Sampietro £30.00 (+ £8.46 giftaid) 07.07.10 |
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Stuart Moon £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 07.07.10 Best of luck to you both. Great cause. |
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Roughton-Smiths £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 07.07.10 Best of luck David and George. Be kind to your Dad George!! |
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Fusion Advisory Partners £200.00 06.07.10 Well done father and son! |
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Terry H £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 All the best for the climb Terry |
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David Tosh £250.00 (+ £70.51 giftaid) 06.07.10 Go Forbes - we can do it! |
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Andrew McCullagh £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 Best of luck. |
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John Humphrey £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 Best of luck David - will be a tremendous esperience |
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Duncan Priston £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good luck David - great cause |
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Damon Woods £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good luck. That is a great effort. |
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matt smith £500.00 (+ £141.03 giftaid) 06.07.10 good luck david....great cause....... |
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Setu Pathak £30.00 (+ £8.46 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good luck! |
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Dan Fabian £30.00 (+ £8.46 giftaid) 06.07.10 Best of luck! |
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Rashmi Madan £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 06.07.10 Well done! |
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Sebastien Illat £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 06.07.10 Great achievement! |
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Dimitri Abadie £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good Luck George! See you in Gassin in two weeks with lots of pics. Your fellow golfer Dimitri Abadie |
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PAUL Sennett £30.00 (+ £8.46 giftaid) 06.07.10 good luck David and George.. take it steady |
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Giles and Alexa Underhill £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 06.07.10 Very best of luck to both of you - hope the knee holds out! |
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The Franks Family £100.00 (+ £28.21 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good luck and enjoy yourselves |
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Jeremy Mills £25.00 (+ £7.05 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good Luck! |
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Di, John & Paul Fowling £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 06.07.10 Good luck! |
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David and Felcity Lough £250.00 (+ £70.51 giftaid) 06.07.10 All best luck David and George - a special cause and also a father+ son bonding exercise that will resonate for a lifetime, I'm sure - |
