FRIENDSHIP, HEALING AND HOPE

JUNE 2022

Dr Ulrike Lamle, a Plastic Surgeon from Germany, has been a volunteer with Smile Asia since 2017. What she values most about her involvement is the unique spirit of the organisation. The team allows the inclusion of many local volunteers, creating a space where people from different backgrounds can work side by side. Though the missions often involve hard work, she notes that everyone gives their best, and through that effort, friendships and mutual understanding naturally grow.

Ulrike with some local volunteers during a medical mission

One of Ulrike’s most memorable moments took place during a 2019 medical mission in Taunggyi, Myanmar. While screening patients, a young lady named May Ri Aung came forward. At 22 years old, she was well beyond the usual age limit for cleft palate surgeries. May Ri had lost her parents early and was raised by nuns in the remote Shan estates. Despite her cleft palate, she had taught herself some English and worked diligently to pronounce words clearly – a task made extremely difficult by her condition.

Deeply moved by her determination, Ulrike and the team decided to give May Ri the chance to undergo surgery. The operation aimed to improve her speech and give her greater confidence. Ulrike recalls that she will never forget the joy and pride on May Ri’s face after the surgery.

May Ri expressing her gratitude in a handwritten letter to the Smile Asia volunteers following her life-changing surgery

For Ulrike, moments like these embody the true spirit of Smile Asia: overcoming hardship together, building friendships across borders, and giving patients not just new smiles but also renewed hope for the future.