Reconstructing smiles, restoring futures with Operation Smile SA | Sarah Scarth | The CEO Lens

In this episode, host Paul Miller chats to Operation Smile’s Sarah Scarth about the extraordinary global impact of an organisation that has transformed millions of lives one smile at a time.Operation Smile is more than a surgical charity. It is a movement dedicated to restoring dignity, confidence, and opportunity to children born with cleft lip and palate in underserved communities around the world. Operating in over 60 countries, the organisation provides free, high-quality care through a powerful network of volunteer medical professionals.Paul and Sarah explore how Operation Smile’s work goes far beyond the operating theatre, strengthening health systems, challenging stigma, and giving children the chance to eat, speak, smile, and thrive.The conversation also unpacks the role of cleft lip and palate surgery in this mission: why timely access to surgery is life-changing, and how a single procedure can alter the trajectory of a child’s entire future.In this episode, you’ll hear about:• The real-world impact of Operation Smile on children, families, and communities• How restoring a smile restores confidence, inclusion, and opportunity• The stigma surrounding cleft conditions, and how Operation Smile helps break it• Why access to cleft lip and palate surgery is critical in low-resource settings• How you can support the mission through volunteering, fundraising, and initiatives like Miles for SmilesEvery smile restored is a future reclaimed.