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Volunteer Stories

Six years on – How Amrita built the life she hoped for

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This Craniofacial Awareness Month, we’re revisiting Amrita’s story – six years after two successful surgeries with Operation Smile Australia (OSA) changed the course of her life.

After 12 unsuccessful surgeries, Amrita was visiting family in Australia from Mongolia when the pandemic unexpectedly left her stranded. At the time, she was coming to terms with the possibility that further surgery may not be possible, until a family member reached out to OSA for help.
 

A team of OSA medical volunteers performed two complex operations to close her palate and reconstruct her upper jaw using a bone graft. The surgeries took eight and six hours. Both were successful.

For the first time, Amrita could chew, use a straw, and learn to speak properly.

What is Amrita doing now?

Today, Amrita is thriving. She has learned to speak Japanese which enabled her to complete a master’s degree in engineering and now works in Japan as a software engineer for a company that designs and manufactures everything from cars to medical equipment.

For Amrita, the life she has built since surgery is defined by something many people take for granted: the chance to live a normal life.

“I’ve had around 15 or 16 surgeries – honestly, I’ve even lost count over time. Operation Smile Australia gave me two life-changing surgeries that truly transformed my life.

Now, I’m able to live a normal life, just like everyone else, and that means everything to me. My dream was simply to live a normal life and I’ve been able to achieve that.”

Her experience has also shaped what she hopes to do next.

“I feel deeply grateful for my life and for all the doctors and people who made this possible.

In the future, I hope to give back by helping others as a medical equipment engineer.”