Operation of Hope: Surgical Mission in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Every year, families in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe wait for the volunteer surgeons of Operation of Hope. The team offers free surgery for cleft lips and cleft palates, as well as the removal of large lipomas, for patients who would otherwise go without care. For many children, a cleft means a lifetime of stigma; a single operation can change that.

These photos follow patients through the whole mission: screening and medical histories, long days in the operating theatre, and recovery on the ward with nurses and families. The doctors and nurses of Operation of Hope are some of the most passionate and skilled people I have met. Learn more at operationofhope.org.