Superdrug’s parent company hits milestone of 5,000 corrective surgeries with Operation Smile

Superdrug’s parent company, A.S. Watson, has reached the milestone of sponsoring 5,000 corrective cleft surgeries through Operation Smile, as well as launching the Women in Medicine programme.

A.S. Watson and its retail brands have been working to change the lives of cleft children globally since 2018. This year, the Give a Smile campaign has reached a significant milestone of having sponsored 5,000 life-changing surgeries, which coincides with the 40th Anniversary of Operation Smile.

Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe), commented: “At A.S. Watson, we’re not only putting a smile on our customers’ faces today and tomorrow, but also on the people who need our help. That’s why we partnered with Operation Smile to launch our first-ever global community programme “Give a Smile” in 2018 to raise awareness and funds for children born with cleft palates or cleft lips, giving them beautiful new smiles and fresh hope through life-changing surgeries.”

In addition to its partnership with Operation Smile, A.S. Watson announced the launch of the Women in Medicine programme, which empowers women in medicine and the healthcare sector to provide educational pathways for those following in their footsteps.

This initiative aims to help women excel as leaders in global medicine, expand opportunities for female healthcare workers in underserved communities, and elevate the quality of cleft care.

Kathleen Magee, Co-founder and President of Operation Smile, added: “The ultimate goal of Women in Medicine is to inspire and enable women to take on leadership roles in the medical field so that they can help shape policies that would attract more women into the field and equip them with global-standard skills to widen access to safe surgery and quality cleft care.

“We appreciate the tremendous support from A.S. Watson for the Women in Medicine programme, and giving more smiles to the children suffering from cleft lips or cleft palate through its worldwide Give a Smile programme.”