A FAMILY SPIRIT WITH SMILE ASIA

SEPTEMBER 2022

Dr Marty Clayman from the United States is a Paediatric Anaesthesiologist volunteer with Smile Asia. What he enjoys most about each medical mission is the unique sense of family it creates. Even when working with entirely new teams, the warmth, camaraderie, and shared purpose always make it feel like home. For Marty, that spirit is what makes Smile Asia so special.

Marty (second row, left) with fellow international volunteers and a young patient before surgery

When asked about a memorable experience, he admits it is difficult to choose just one because every mission has been remarkable. Yet one particular moment stands out — though for unusual reasons. On a wet and rainy day during a mission in Yangon, Myanmar, Marty slipped on his way to the hospital and was briefly knocked unconscious. It was certainly not the kind of memory he expected to make, but he now recalls it with good humour, calling it “something different” — and something he never wishes to repeat.

What stayed with him most, however, was the care he received afterwards. The Smile Asia team and the staff at Yangon General Hospital looked after him with the same dedication they showed their patients. Professor Moe Thuzar, Head of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, even insisted that he undergo a CT scan to ensure he was completely well. For Dr. Clayman, the experience became a reminder that the spirit of care and family within Smile Asia extends not only to patients, but also to its volunteers.