Professor Anil Madaree, the head of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine and the medical director of Operation Smile. Picture: Puri Devjee

At first glance, Professor Anil Madaree could be easily mistaken for a 1980s punk rocker, but when he’s not playing air drums in his spare time, he’s wielding his scalpel, transforming yet another face.

Madaree, the head of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine and the medical director of Operation Smile, can take credit for changing the lives of hundreds of people, with minor and severe deformities from SA and sub-Saharan Africa, by giving them a new face with which to brave the world they once shied away from.

In 2006, when the international children’s medical charity Operation Smile, which enables children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate to undergo reconstructive surgery, came to the country looking for medical professionals to assist them, Madaree did not need to be asked twice.

Deformities

During his missions to Madagascar, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madaree quickly became aware of the many patients with severe facial deformities.

One mission could see Madaree operating on up to 200 patients.

Due to time constraints and lack of equipment to treat these patients solely on the Operation Smile mission, in 2007 the charity’s World Care programme, specifically for major deformities, was born.

Muriel Msane from Ezimbokodweni, near Amanzimtoti, who lived with a giant blood tumour on her forehead for nine years, was Madaree’s first World Care patient.

Since then Madaree has performed so many similar craniofacial surgeries, he lost count.

“In sub-Saharan countries parents hide these children and these children are shunned by their communities. Patients are unaware that these surgeries can be done.”

Madaree has two sons, Amrik, 23, and Tanur, 21, who have both chosen careers in the field of commerce.

His daughter, Kiya, 14, has accompanied him on missions and could be the only one to follow in her dad’s footsteps.

“She seems interested in what I do, but it’s still too early to tell.

“The boys always say: ‘Dad you work too hard for so little money,’” he said.

Born and raised in Chatsworth and the first in his family to graduate as a doctor, Madaree. who now lives in Umhlanga Rocks, speaks fondly of the place where he grew up.

“My brother still lives in Chatsworth and I love it there. It’s where you’ll find me every weekend.”

The former Clairwood High School pupil said it’s the sense of community that he loves.

At first glance, one might assume that it was his love for 1970s and ’80s music and icons like Bob Dylan, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin that inspired Madaree’s rocker hairdo, but he said his hairdresser had moved, hence the long locks.

“I travel a lot and some years ago, when I returned from one of the missions, I found that my hairdresser had moved to Joburg. I do have the occasional trim, though.”

Although some people might consider being able to transform someone’s face to be somewhat of a miracle, Madaree said it’s all in a day’s work.

“I think it’s like any regular job. I try to do it to the best of my ability. I put my heart into every surgery I perform. It’s not like I’m doing anything unusual.

“I love it. It’s always exciting to come to work.

“The day I wake up and don’t feel passionate about my surgeries is the day that I’ll quit.”