ROMAC Update from the Chairman

Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children - ROMAC is a project of Rotary Clubs in Australia and New Zealand. 
 
ROMAC is an approved Rotary International Project and provides medical treatment for children from developing countries in the Oceania region in the form of lifesaving and dignity restoring surgery not accessible to them in their home country. Please read more for the Chairman's September Update. 
 
My Fellow Rotarians and Friends of ROMAC

I sincerely hope this newsletter finds you safe and well and coping with the ongoing day-to-day challenges of the COVID virus.

Regrettably the Federal Government will still not allow us to bring children into Australia or New Zealand because of restrictions due to the pandemic.  However, we have around 40 patients on our waiting list who will be treated as soon as possible once border closures are lifted.

For your interest, ROMAC's contact in Timor Leste, Mario and his wife, Zhy Da Cruz, welcomed a new baby daughter recently, but while she was in hospital following the delivery Zhy was diagnosed with COVID.  Fortunately, she is okay and continues to improve daily.  Congratulations to Mario and Zhy from all at ROMAC.

Recently ROMAC's IT Support Chair, Richard Woodburn, undertook a review of ROMAC patient information and has reported that the number of children treated by ROMAC since our inception currently stands at 537.  There have been more cases on record - in actual fact, these total 634 - but because some children have had to return to Australia or New Zealand for follow-up treatment, sometimes on multiple occasions - the case numbers outweigh the actual patient numbers.

Thank you to those of you who purchased wine through our recent Tyrrell's Special Wine Offer for ROMAC.  This has been another successful event and an important contribution to our fundraising targets.

As in previous Chairman's Updates, I again remind you that if you haven't recently had a presentation from one of the ROMAC team, we would be delighted to either join your meeting via Zoom, or attend personally (COVID permitting) to show our 10 minute Video on ROMAC and answer any questions.  Please contact me, either by my email: chair@romac.org.au, or on my mobile: 0411 044 691, to organise the presentation.

Keep safe and stay positive.

Harold Sharp OAM
Chairman
 
Central Region Luncheon Raises $16,000 for ROMAC


Pacific Island Cultural Group entertained guests at the Central Region Luncheon


A very enjoyable and successful fundraising luncheon in support of ROMAC was held in Adelaide on Sunday 29th August raising over $16,000 for ROMAC.  Organised by Central Region Chair, Ian (D'Arcy) Walsh and the Central Region ROMAC Committee, the lunch was attended by 200 guests including the founder of ROMAC, Melbourne based Barrie Cooper who joined via Zoom.

Despite also not being able to attend in person due to COVID lockdowns in New South Wales, special guest, ROMAC's 5th patient and now a ROMAC Ambassador, Rosie Lotawa, was able to present a moving account of her ROMAC experience remotely. Similarly, ROMAC Chair, Harold Sharp, who had planned to attend the function, had to welcome guests via Zoom. 

The Luncheon compere, well known local identity, Tony Pilkington, ensured that formalities flowed smoothly and guests had plenty of opportunities to participate in the fundraising projects (including the sale of donated wine, a silent auction, and - of course - a raffle!) as well as enjoy the entertainment provided by the Pacific Island Cultural Group performers and a wonderful musical recital from "Brilliant Brass".

Congratulations to all involved in the event!
 
PATIENT UPDATES
PENNY




Ten year old Penny arrived in Auckland from Tonga in May courtesy of a humanitarian visa issued by the New Zealand Government due to the seriousness of her condition, and the fact that Tonga, at that stage, was COVID free. Penny was suffering from severe Rheumatic Heart Disease which had affected her heart valves requiring urgent surgery.

On arrival in Auckland, Penny had to spend time in quarantine before being admitted to hospital.  Unfortunately, when she was expected to be admitted a virus swept through Starship, closing the ICU unit at the hospital, meaning that she needed to stay in quarantine.

Finally, Penny's operation took place on 23rd July and lasted 8 hours!  Two of her heart valves were repaired and a third replaced.

When she was about to be discharged from hospital New Zealand went into lockdown due to another outbreak of COVID, and to date she and her father, Hola, are still waiting to be able to return home to Tonga.  It is hoped that they will be able to fly out in the next week or two.

Penny is the only patient to have been treated by ROMAC in either Australia or New Zealand since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of borders of our two countries.


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MOURINE


Mourine, before and after her surgery to remove a tumour from her neck.



Mourine recently turned 18 years old 
  
Four years ago, 14 year old Mourine, from a remote island in the Solomons, was flown to Sydney by ROMAC to have a huge football-sized, fast-growing, non-malignant tumour removed from her neck.  The medical specialists at the Children's Hospital in Randwick quickly established that it was too risky to operate immediately because of the proximity of major blood vessels and nerves throughout the tumour, and recommended that Mourine first undergo chemo and radiation treatment to shrink the tumour to a more manageable size to allow surgery.

When she arrived in Sydney Mourine had had just 6 months of schooling during the previous three years, firstly due to her school being destroyed in a major earthquake and then the embarrassment of the growth prevented her from attending.  Fortunately, she was able to catch up at the hospital school whilst awaiting surgery.

When she finally had surgery, a 1.5kg tumour was removed!

Last month Mourine celebrated her 18th birthday.  Rotarian Russ Evans and his wife, Jan, from the Rotary Club of Norwest Sunrise in District 9685 were sponsors of Mourine and her family during their stay in Australia and have kept in touch with them on their return to the Solomons.  Russ reports that Mourine is now a very healthy and happy young woman (as is obvious from the above photo!) and has no evidence of regrowth of the tumour.

Mourine was the 500th patient to be treated by ROMAC.  Another great ROMAC success story!
 
Read more about ROMAC at: 
www.romac.org.au