Doctor Performed 37,000 Free Plastic Surgery Operations For Children

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

One person can make a whole lot of difference. Doctor Subodh Kumar Singh, from India, is one of the best examples you can get of that. He had a difficult life but that has not stopped him from performing plastic surgery for 37,000 children free of charge.

The Doctor Had A Tough Childhood

Doctor Singh was only 13 years old when his father passed away. This directly worsened his family’s financial situation. Today, the doctor suggests that his father may have lived had he gotten better medical care.

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Be that as it may, the untimely passing meant that the older brothers had to seek employment and could not continue their education. He was the youngest among 4. He too did all he could, which included peddling goggles, soaps, and candles that they made at home.

But his older brothers were determined to make sure that the youngest could pursue his dreams. They ensured that he completed school, and even paid for his medical education. In his turn, Doctor Singh carried out his responsibilities, like caring for their sick widowed mother.

He studied general surgery and specialized in plastic surgery. After getting his certification, Dr. Singh decided to build his own hospital to ensure that no one else suffers the same fate as his father. Albeit small, it was a lifeline for the locality. The facility was named the G. S. Memorial Hospital.

Every year, on his father’s death anniversary, the facility sets up a medical camp that lasts for a week. It does not charge anything from the patients. The camp is specifically for babies who are born with cleft lips. Dr. Singh remembers that his parents taught him to live ethically and serve the less fortunate. He feels that he serves a heavenly cause by offering his plastic surgery services instead of being something like a businessman.

The Doctor’s Efforts Were Soon Recognized

The philanthropic efforts of the Doctor soon reached the biggest cleft palate surgery charitable organization known as Smile Train. The charity had started working with the doctor in 2004. By the time 2005 came to an end, the association let the doctor’s hospital carry out over 2,500 surgeries. Since 2008, the hospital has performed over 4,000 cleft surgeries free of charge every year.

Additionally, today, Dr. Singh has become one of the speakers of the Smile Team. He also helps to train other doctors from across the globe in the ways of charity. His hospital, as well, has become one of the largest centers for surgeons internationally to learn about palate and cleft lip surgeries.

Read: Teacher Walks Five Miles To Provide Free Meals For 78 School Children Every Day 

He has also created a program to reach and track down children who have already received treatment for their cleft palates. The program helps the families of such children monitor their nutrition and health. So far, nearly 37,000 children have got back their smiles due to the efforts of the doctor. One of his patients, a young girl named Pinki, even inspired a documentary that went on to win an Academy Award.

The doctor’s work is not just limited to healing the children medically. It also completely changes their lives. These surgeries open up chances for the children that they could not have had because of the social stigma regarding the condition. The doctor explains that the social ailment that is cleft affects the individual as well as their entire family.

His final goal is simple: make society understand that cleft is nothing more than an ailment. It is not something cursed, and repairing them can be free, in facilities like his hospital.

Image Credits: Instagram  G S Memorial Hospital