Respectfully Dr. Joseph Wong,

How are you?
I am writing this letter with respect and admiration.

As a face and jaw plastic surgeon working at the frontier of the hospital, I am always frustrated by the fact that many children in poor areas are born with cleft lips for various reasons. Each time when I look at their innocent eyes and defective smiles, I really do not know how much I can help them to regain a bright smile. It has always been distressing for me, as a physician, not being able to relieve the pain of my patients.

I met you in the fall of 2002, while you led your medical team to our area in western China. That was the first time I heard about Smile China. It was the first time I work together with you as an internationally well-known physician. In the beginning, I suspected that you came seeking fame and compliments. However, I witnessed your striving efforts and dedication to complete operations for children one after another. When I saw the parents - who had given up hope of the chance to cure their kids - now with eyes filled with satisfaction and gratitude, I then learned the meaning of the simple words, "Smile China". At the same time, your exquisite surgical techniques impressed me. During the course of assisting you, I acquired a great deal of enhancement and benefits to my techniques, which I will employ and provide a more reliable and secure technical performance in my future work with patients.

At one time you said, "I feel compelled to help by extending knowledge, skill and medical equipment to treat those who are not as fortunate as us. I've led the Smile China medical team to the most remote parts of China. The experience was unforgettable. So many children's lives were forever changed and improved. The local surgeons were so eager to learn about modern medical techniques. Still, there are so many that need to be helped."

I think this is the best annotation to "Smile China". Your philanthropic mission created a great echo from western China. A lot of people here knew about an amiable smiling world-class physician voluntarily doing the operations for children in poverty. However, there are a lot of underprivileged families who have not had the chance to receive the treatment and are hoping that Dr. Wong and his medical team will come again with the gospel.

Giving innocent kids a perfect smile is giving them a beautiful new life. "Smile China", while giving smiles to every child, and to every poor family, is also giving smiles to the whole of China, and the whole world. "Smile China" has not only planted smiles in you and me, but also in every heart that anticipates help, and deeply in this great land of China. I wholeheartedly admire you, your medical expertise, your medical virtue, and your devoted heart.

Sincerely,

Dr. Shouchang Lu
Director, Stomatological, Face and Jaws Plastic Surgery Dept.,
Gansu Provincial People's Hospital

Oct. 15, 2005

Before and After	About Smile China	Team CVs