APO Christmas Thanksgiving Party

By Dr. Crissie Camara Santayana and Dr. Rossana Sanchez

“Loves Makes Whole” — this was the theme of our APO Outreach Event, held last November 30, 2015 at Our Lady Of Peace Hospital at San Dionisio, Paranaque, in coordination with the Noordhoff CranioFacial Foundation, Inc. The program began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist which was a beautiful reminder of our renewed mission in life — to share one’s talents and blessings for the good of the underprivileged sector in society and hopefully give them a second chance in life!

Our target group here were indigent patients who have suffered from cleft and other craniofacial defects but through a multidisciplinary team approach, were given a second chance in life, to look and speak normally, for hope of a better life.

Over the past 10 years, the APO has been actively involved with this group, as we provide the orthodontic management required by these children to have optimum dental and facial esthetics. Fifteen APO members gave generously to this project, and for this, I as Outreach Chair, am very grateful. Eleven APO members (Drs. Diane Lim, Crissie Santayana, San San Sanchez, Marina Lu Tan, Kathy Ong, Bob Eustaquio, Monica Sison, Chrys Marquez, Janet Pandan, Santy Mulles and Karen Piamonte, were physically present, truly making our donors feel the love. Dr. Rossana Sanchez, APO Outreach Co-Chair, meticulously prepared gift packs for 200 children. Aside from these, Trilanz Distribution under Oral B (c/o Doyle Uychoco) donated toothbrushes while Unilever (c/o Cheskie Ayson and Alexa Tanjangco) also generously donated some personal hygiene products.

We proudly were able to give a cash donation too, amounting to 86,000 pesos for future indigent cleft lip/Palate children in need. Drs. Bernard Tansipek, President of NCPPI, and Xenia Velmonte,NCPPI trustee, warmly acknowledged our presence. “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give”! To those who want to pursue lifetime happiness, giving is the key. We at the APO, continue to accept cash donations throughout the year for this purpose.

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