Smile Foundation changed 23 lives during Smile Week at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
Smile Week is a collaboration of medical teams from Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape.
In its 25th year of restoring smiles and confidence, Smile Foundation hosted a transformative week of care at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital from June 2-6.
The initiative was dedicated to Dr Julian Collis, a renowned prosthodontist whose decades of groundbreaking work have left an indelible mark on South Africa’s oral and dental field.
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The Smile Week saw 23 children receive life-changing surgeries.
What sets it apart is the powerful collaboration of medical teams from Gauteng, the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape. Led by the renowned Professor Chrysis Sofianos, a multidisciplinary dream team of plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthodontists, nurses, psychologists, and medical registrars gave their time, talent, and hearts to restore confidence and change the course of young lives.
Among children whose lives will change is Caroline Maeteleja, a 12-year-old who was born with Moebius syndrome, a rare condition that affects facial nerves and leaves her unable to move her face or express emotion.
Caroline’s mother, Eunice said she was glad her daughter received help from top medical professionals.
“It has been a long time coming. I found out about my daughter’s condition when she was four years old after being misdiagnosed with having Down syndrome and hydrocephalus, until we saw a specialist who diagnosed her accurately.”
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She added that she made it her duty to find out more about the rare condition that hindered her daughter from showing any emotion.
Caroline underwent a complex facial reanimation surgery, performed by top reconstructive surgeons Dr Dimitri Liakos and Professor Tim Christofides.
This lengthy procedure, which can take up to 14 hours, was not only life-changing for the 12-year-old but also a key skills-sharing moment for young doctors observing the operation.
Smile Foundation CEO Tarri Parfitt said, “Smile Week is about more than just surgery; it’s about restoring hope, dignity, and opportunity for these children and their families. We are deeply grateful to Dr Julian Collis for the extraordinary legacy of care he built throughout his career, and to the incredible medical teams who are giving so generously of their time and skill to make these miracles possible.”
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