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Operation Smile to open S.C. division Operation Smile, a private, non-profit volunteer medical service organization, which helps indigent children and young adults with correctable facial deformities, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the establishment of a South Carolina division at an inaugural World Journey of Smiles gala set at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at The Harbor Club.   During the past 25 years, Operation Smile has provided free reconstructive surgery and health care for more than 100,000 children with cleft lips and cleft palates through international and local missions to 25 developing countries and the United States.   Organizers of the  South Carolina World Journey of Smiles gala aim to generate enough support to allow Operation Smile to add a new country to the list of countries to which it sends surgical missions, said Kathy Landing, chair of the board of governors, Southeast Regional Chapter and S.C. gala co-chair. “Participants will enjoy an elegant dinner, a beautiful program and live auction culminating with our revealing the name of the new country to be supported through funds raised at the inaugural gala,” said Landing.   It takes as little as $250 to fund the surgery that could change a child’s life forever, she said. Lowcountry surgeon Louie Costa, M.D., and wife, Cindy, will serve as honorary co-chairs of the gala.   “A smile has extraordinary power that most of us take for granted,” Costa said. “But being denied this gift at birth can lead to a lifetime of hopelessness and despair.” He added that Charleston volunteers— medical, non-medical, business professionals and students—have come together to organize this event to help children in need all around the world lead healthy, normal lives.   Operation Smile was founded in 1982 by William P. Magee, M.D., a plastic surgeon, and wife, Kathleen, a nurse and clinical social worker, after they traveled to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children’s cleft lips and palates. They discovered hundreds of children with deformities. The Magees promised hundreds of children they had to turn away that they would return to conduct more surgeries.   Today, the Magees’ efforts have evolved to become the Operation Smile initiative. More than 6,000 medical professionals donate their time and expertise to bring life-saving and life-changing surgeries to children at home and in developing countries, who would otherwise not be able to obtain necessary medical treatment. In addition to performing surgeries, volunteers educate and train health care professionals around the world to achieve long-term self sufficiency.   In addition to the founding of the S.C. division, Operation Smile’s 25th anniversary celebration will culminate in November with 40 simultaneous missions to 25 countries, to help provide new smiles and lives for an estimated 5,000 children living with facial deformities.   To reserve tickets for the gala or receive additional information contact 860-3919.     Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.