Operation Smile Launches "We Build Hope," Reframing Surgical Scars as Symbols of Strength, Survival and Access

New global creative campaign spotlights Operation 100 - Operation Smile's bold strategy to bring essential surgery closer to home for millions

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Operation Smile, a global nonprofit deeply committed to closing the gap in surgical and health care access, today announced the launch of "We Build Hope," a new global creative campaign that coincides with their latest strategy – Operation 100 –that is bringing access to surgical care closer to home for millions. The campaign upholds the brand's most important belief: access to safe surgery is a basic, human right.

Rather than viewing scars as marks to conceal, We Build Hope encourages people to see them as symbols of access – visible proof that life-changing surgical care is within reach. Through cinematic storytelling, intimate photography, and a global digital activation, the campaign transforms perceptions - inviting the world to see scars as badges of hope: enduring symbols of strength and the human right to safe surgery realized.

A Global Health Gap Hidden in Plain Sight
Globally, over 5 billion people – more than two-thirds of the world's population – do not have access to safe, affordable surgery. This gap is driven by three major barriers: distance to hospitals, limited health infrastructure, and a severe shortage of trained surgical professionals.  To meet the 143 million surgeries needed in low- and middle-income countries annually, the world requires 2.2 million more surgeons¹.

"A surgical scar means you were able to access care. And in too many parts of the world, that is still a privilege - not a right," said Kathy Magee, Co-Founder and CEO of Operation Smile. "We Build Hope challenges us to rethink what a scar really means. Every scar tells a story – not just of surgery, but of access and the dignity that comes with being cared for. This campaign puts humanity – not just surgery – at the center of the story."

Creative Rollout: Telling the Stories Behind Every Scar
Developed in partnership with global creative agency 72andSunny, We Build Hope celebrates the surgical journey with honesty and emotion, spotlighting the strength of patients and providers alike.

"Two-thirds of the world does not have access to safe surgery. It's a statistic so overwhelming it demands a pause," said Matt Jarvis, Chairman of 72andSunny. "Reframing scars as something that went right offers a new perspective, one where the power of surgery to change lives becomes something we want everyone to have access to. Operation Smile is the world's leading advocate for safe surgery, and it's a privilege for all of us at 72andSunny to help tell their story and advance their mission."

The campaign includes:

• A hero anthem film spotlighting real patients whose post-surgery scars tell stories of strength, resilience and hope as each patient is shown living a life that was previously unavailable to them before surgery.
• A series of patient vignettes filmed across multiple countries, capturing the moment healing meets identity.
• A global microsite that turns scars into stories - featuring films, portraits, and an interactive gallery celebrating the badges of hope.

Connecting Personal Stories to Systemic Change
While We Build Hope honors individual journeys, it fuels a broader strategy: Operation 100, Operation Smile's plan to bring essential surgical care closer to home by strengthening district hospitals and training local surgical teams.

Building on more than four decades of delivering cleft care through locally led, globally supported partnerships with medical leaders, health ministries, universities, and NGOs, Operation 100 will train 100 cleft operative teams across 100 hospitals. Each team will be equipped with the skills, tools, and systems needed to deliver safe surgery within a two-hour reach for nearly 500 million people. The child with a cleft condition remains the way in - a starting point for Operation Smile to collaborate with local partners to strengthen surgical systems, expand access, and advance equitable health care so that every child has the chance to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

"For too long, patients have traveled for days only to be turned away," added Magee. "Operation 100 is about changing that story, and We Build Hope is how we show the world what that change looks like. Every scar represents the promise of access fulfilled, and the hope we are working to extend to every patient, everywhere."

Operation 100 is just the start. This strategy is about creating lasting impact - not just for patients, but for families, communities, and entire health care systems.

About Operation Smile
Operation Smile is a leading global nonprofit bridging the gap in access to essential surgeries and health care, starting with cleft surgery and comprehensive care. We provide medical expertise, training, mentorship, research and care through our dedicated staff and volunteers around the world, working alongside local governments, nonprofits and health systems, and supported by our generous donors and corporate partners. Visit operationsmile.org for more information.  

Media Contact:
Molly Speed
Porter Novelli
[email protected] 

¹ The Lancet Commissions Global Surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare, and economic development by Meara JG, Leather AJ, Hagander L, Alkire BC, Alonso N, Ameh EA, et al 

SOURCE Operation Smile