There are smiles on the faces of the family of Genilton De Jesus following successful surgery onboard the Mercy hospital shop to repair his cleft lip. The operation was part of 'Operation Smile,' a worldwide children's medical charity providing free surgeries to children with facial deformities.

"My son was born with a birth defect. We are very happy that the surgery has corrected it. Now he can eat and drink normally like other children," Mateus De Jesus Baptista, Genilton's father, told UNMIT Radio.

The four-year-old boy, who lives with his family in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) located across street from UNMIT Headquarters, was selected for the surgery on 23 July thanks to the efforts of UN Police Officer Janet Mitchell. She is just one of many UNPol officers working throughout Timor-Leste who identified candidates for surgery. More support came from the Singapore UNPol Contingent which donated $2,200 to the charity 'Operation Smile.'

The USNS Mercy anchored off the coast of Dili from 12 - 25 July. During its two-week stay in Timor-Leste, a team of international medical and engineering specialists from the hospital ship provided medical, dental, and civic assistance to thousands of people across the country. A team of health care providers from the ship also went to Dili, Baucau, Gleno, Liquiça, and Viqueque to provide care to people in the districts. Those in Viqueque needing surgery onboard the Mercy were flown by helicopter to Dili.

USNS Mercy is now over half way through its four-month humanitarian deployment to Viet Nam, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Micronesia.

Photo caption
UNPol Officer Janet Mitchell (left) greets Genilton De Jesus (right) and his family after successful surgery onboard USNS Mercy to repair Genilton's cleft lip. The family is standing in front of their living quarters in the Obrigado Barracks Parking Lot IDP camp.