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Nicaragua

Care for Brighter Futures: Iris' Story, Part 2

Nicaragua

Care for Brighter Futures: Iris' Story, Part 2

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Iris story is the third of a three-part series highlighting our care centers in Colombia and Nicaragua. Continued from “Care for Brighter Futures: Iris’ Story, Part 1.”

Early in the morning, Operation Smile Nicaragua’s volunteer medical team arrives at Hospital Alemán Nicaragüense to prepare for the two surgeries to be performed that day.

Iris is one of those patients.

In a bed in the pre-operative ward, Iris is lying face down, not wanting to talk to anybody. 

“She is nervous and afraid because it is the first time she is at a hospital, undergoing surgery,” says Sandra, Iris’ mother, as she sits on the bed next to her daughter. “I am praying to God that everything will go well and that she feels better after. 

“She is beautiful as she is, but I think she will be a happier person when this is over,” Sandra says as she strokes Iris’ hair carefully.

It’s almost time for Iris’ cleft lip surgery and Dr. Maria José Chevéz, the psychologist who she met yesterday at the center, is there to keep her calm. They walk towards the operating room and sit on a bench for a while, playing and talking.

Iris enjoys therapeutic play time before her cleft lip surgery from Operation Smile Nicaragua. Photo: Jörgen Hildebrandt.

But now it’s time to go. He takes Iris’ hand and they together walk into the operating room, leaving Sandra outside to pray and wait.

“I have been waiting for this since she was a little baby,” Sandra says. “Ever since I got in touch with Operation Smile in January, we have been treated well. Everybody has been so nice and accommodating. Now I feel so happy that this moment is here”.

In the operating room, Iris is moments away from undergoing anesthesia to receive her life-changing cleft lip surgery. Photo: Jörgen Hildebrandt.

An hour later, the moment has arrived for Sandra to see her daughter for the first time after surgery. As Iris is brought to the recovery room on a rolling bed, Sandra can’t hold her tears back. She cries openly, embraces her daughter and talks to her with so much love in her voice:

“Thanks to God everything went well, my darling. You can relax and just recover now. I am crying because I want to thank God and everyone who has been working with you.” 

With tears in her eyes, Maria is also there to witness this emotional moment.

“After this surgery, Iris will be able to come back to her village and feel and look like the rest of the children there,” Maria says. “She will be able to feel confident and overcome her shyness a little at a time so she won’t feel the need to cover her face anymore.”

Full of emotions, Sandra sees Iris’ new smile for the first time after surgery. Photo: Jörgen Hildebrandt.

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It takes as little as $240 and as few as 45 minutes to provide life-changing surgery and a bright, beautiful new smile to a waiting child.