ROMAC Brunch

Posted by Stuart Batty on Mar 11, 2017
 

Life Saving and Dignity Restoring Surgery for Children

 
Peter Maitland, Secretary of Operations for ROMAC is in Christchurch on holiday. He is a good friend of our Foundation and International Director Stuart Batty. He kindly agreed to address our club and other Rotarians at an informal Brunch at Reality Bites Café this Saturday Morning.
 
ROMAC is the acronym for “Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children” and is a combined Australia and New Zealand Multi District Rotary initiative.
 
ROMAC commenced in March 1988 out of the actions of an Australian Rotarian who, with a group of surgeons, visited Lambasa in Fiji.
They found the child mortality rate as high as 25% in some places and quickly identified that lack of medical and surgical facilities and skills for children of the island nations, was a major cause.
 
Rotary faced the challenge to assist an 18-year-old Fijian girl whose right leg was threatened if immediate surgery was not performed. During the next four years, eight children were brought to Australia and New Zealand for major, often lifesaving surgery.
 
ROMAC quickly went about harnessing assistance from medical experts, hospitals, nurses, physiotherapists, pathology and radiology services, airlines, sponsors and other supporters. ROMAC was making a difference, ROMAC was Giving Life to children who had no hope!
Today ROMAC is Giving Life to around 50 children every year – they are making a huge difference in the lives of these small Island Countries.
 
It was a most interesting presentation and likely to inspire Papanui Rotary to provide some funding towards this excellent organisation which is a recognised Rotary Program.
 
Also, famous kiwi golfer, Lydia Ko, has been an ambassador for ROMAC since 2013.
 
Some examples of the patients are show below:
 
 

Junitilia

Two-year-old Junitalia from Timor-Leste was a very sick little girl. She was diagnosed with a Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) which meant her little heart had multiple problems and required urgent open heart surgery. Junitalia was referred to ROMAC for assistance.

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Teretoriano
 
Teretoriano was referred to ROMAC by the Biro Pite Clinic in Timor-Leste. He had been diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumour of the kidney. As his mother had suffered TB, Teretoriano’s grandmother Claudina had to accompanied him. He arrived very ill and had to have immediate surgery
 
Zoe
Baby Zoe had an encephalocoele (protruding brain tissue) which covered most of her face and restricted her sight. Her young mother covered Zoe face with a blanket so no one could see her.
 
Clara
Lydia Ko took time out from golf to visit children and their families staying at Ronald McDonald House (RMH). She has been an ambassador for Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) since 2013.
Read more about ROMAC at www.romac.org.au