Katrin Kandel, CEO of the charity Facing the World was the only foreigner to win this prestigious award. — Photo courtesy of Susie Wright

Quỳnh Anh*

Katrin Kandel, CEO of the charity Facing the World, was the only foreigner among the ten individuals honoured with Việt Nam’s 2024 National Volunteer Award by the Central Youth Union.

The ceremony took place on December 29 in Lào Cai.

“This award really came out of the blue,” said Katrin, an American lawyer who lives in the UK.

“Recognition like this is fantastic, a great honour. But the real hard work is carried out by the amazing medical staff, both visiting doctors and the fabulous and dedicated Vietnamese surgeons. Really, they are the ones who deserve all the plaudits.”

Facing the World, a charity established in 2002 in the UK, aims to assist children with facial deformities in developing countries.

It embarked on its mission in Việt Nam in 2008, a pivotal moment that marked the start of Katrin’s enduring bond with the country.

Facing the World initially brought Vietnamese children to the UK for complex surgeries, costing an astronomical amount of money per child. Later, it shifted to sending international medical teams to Việt Nam to work with local doctors on these surgeries.

Katrin told Việt Nam News: “At the beginning, the model was very different and children with severe facial differences were brought from all over the world to the UK for operations.

“Many children from Việt Nam were referred to the foundation, and when we were then invited by another medical foundation to visit Việt Nam’s general hospital, we accepted and began to send annual medical missions there. Since then, the model has changed dramatically.

“We work closely with the government where applicable. We have moved following successful development and a ten-year project to Hà Nội and work with state, military and private. We have a close working relationship with the Ministry of Health.”

That charity also runs training programmes, sending Vietnamese doctors to leading hospitals and medical schools worldwide to learn facial surgery techniques. The training began in 2015, with hospitals in the UK, Canada, the US and Australia.

Their latest mission in November saw UK doctors work closely with staff at Việt Đức Hospital.

“Our focus is very much on the training of the Vietnamese doctors in the applicable specialties needed in the surgical treatment of head and facial disfigurements. This involves many specialties depending on conditions being treated,” Katrin said.

“We have been able to work with the Royal College of Surgeons, and four of our Vietnamese doctors have attained prestigious recognitions of honorary fellowship status from the Royal College of Surgeons, and our three centres have achieved accreditation from them.”

After 16 years, Facing the World has carried out life-changing facial surgery for thousands of Vietnamese children.

Facing the World has also funded $3.12 million worth of telemedicine equipment and technology for surgical centres in Việt Nam. Additionally, it supported the establishment of the country’s first craniofacial and cosmetic surgery centre at the 108 Military Central Hospital in late 2018.

In 2024, Facing the World held several initiatives in Việt Nam, including the International Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Sinus and Head-Neck Disorders (WAAM) with Hồng Ngọc General Hospital. It also led to international consultations, helping Vietnamese doctors access new techniques, improve their skills and gain confidence in handling complex cases.

A key initiative of Facing the World, is connecting Vietnamese doctors with global specialists for remote consultations and training. It allows doctors in major cities to assist those in remote areas with child healthcare, offering guidance on treatment and referral decisions.

In the years ahead, Facing the World will sponsor 40,000 surgeries by Vietnamese doctors trained through its programme. The organisation also plans to send at least 200 Vietnamese doctors abroad for further training, while continuing to fund medical equipment to support telemedicine services over the next five years.

She added: “This all shows that the approach is working, and now thousands are being successfully treated at these centres.

“We are an example of what friendships between countries and people can achieve. I love Việt Nam. The people and the approach to life give the country a lifeblood that is hard to put into words. There is an amazing sense of peace and love in the country coupled with an extraordinary drive to achieve and help.

“We have many plans to intensify the collaboration and for our journey in Việt Nam to continue to achieve new levels of medical excellence as we are steered by our partners at our three hospitals and the partners at the Ministry of Health and ultimately help more children in Việt Nam.”

For her efforts in treating and operating on children, Katrin has received several awards, including the LOANI VNUK Global Leadership Inspiration Award (2023), the Vietnam International Award for Creativity (2024), Vietnam's Friendship Medal, the 2021 Certificate of Merit for significant contributions to socio-economic development from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, and the UK's Points of Light Award (2017). - VNS.

* Additional reporting by Paul Kennedy