Windows Live $500,000 Donation Commemorates Operation Smile's 25th Anniversary

    NORFOLK, Va., March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Operation Smile, a
 worldwide children's medical charity, today announced that Microsoft Corp.
 donated $500,000 to the organization as part of a 'sharing smiles' campaign
 from Windows Live. The funds will be used to provide free physical
 examinations and surgical treatment to children in 26 countries in 2008.
 Microsoft partnered with Operation Smile to commemorate its 25th
 Anniversary, and celebrate the launch of Windows Live
 (http://www.windowslive.com), a set of free online services designed to
 help people communicate and share with the important people in their lives
 from anywhere they have Web access across multiple devices.
 
 
 
     The donation culminates a two-month campaign that encouraged Windows
 Live customers to share photos of their smiles with people around the world
 to show their support for the cause. The donation from the Windows Live
 campaign will help enable Operation Smile to provide 2,083 free surgical
 treatments to children during the upcoming year.
 
 
 
     "Windows Live is proud to join with Operation Smile in its pursuit to
 change children's lives, one smile at a time," said Chris Jones, corporate
 vice president of Windows Live Experience Program Management at Microsoft.
 
 
 
     Operation Smile celebrated its 25th Anniversary with the World Journey
 of Smiles (WJOS), simultaneous medical missions to 40 sites in 25 countries
 worldwide. From November 7-16, free physical examinations were provided to
 7,414 patients, and 4,086 children born with cleft lips and cleft palates
 received free surgical treatment during the WJOS. The initiative mobilized
 more than 700 volunteers from the United Sates and more than 1,000
 volunteers from 43 other countries working in 40 hospitals, care centers
 and clinics in 25 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle
 East and Latin America.
 
 
 
     "This donation and partnership are a great way to culminate our 25th
 Anniversary and the World Journey of Smiles," said Dr. Bill Magee,
 Operation Smile CEO and Co-founder. "This alliance with Windows Live
 demonstrates that a smile is a universal language, and this donation will
 help us bring new smiles to children in need."
 
 
 
     About Operation Smile (http://www.operationsmile.org)
 
 
 
     Founded in 1982, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia,
 is a worldwide children's medical charity whose network of global
 volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of
 children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers
 have treated more than 115,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates
 and other facial deformities. In addition to contributing free medical
 treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its 26
 partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork
 for long-term self-sufficiency.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SOURCE Operation Smile