ROMAC is a project of Rotary districts in Australia and New Zealand
CREATING NETWORKS | IDENTIFYING NEED | TAKING ACTION
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Message from the Chair
My Friends in ROMAC
Well, much has happened in ROMAC since our last E-Newsletter three months ago.
The most exciting news being we have commenced receiving patients again after a 3 year void brought about by the Covid travel restrictions. Recently, baby Melenaite from Tonga has had a very large tumour removed from her rear side and is now recovering well. The full story of Melenaite’s journey has been included in this newsletter. Our thanks are extended to all our ROMAC volunteers who have enabled this crucial surgery to occur and to the support we have received from the Canberra Hospital.
Unfortunately, during this time our Chair, PDG Harold Sharp OAM, has had to step down, four months earlier than planned, for personal reasons. I would like to acknowledge and thank Harold for his enormous contribution to ROMAC over the last 4 years and to wish him well. It was a difficult period to have to Chair ROMAC and keep the momentum going and we very much appreciate his efforts.
I am pleased to report that despite the lack of patients over the last twelve months and all the pressures on Clubs and Rotarians with the pandemic, bush fires and floods, we still managed to maintain the same level of donations so many thanks to all those who have continued to support us in the last Rotary year. While the total received was almost the same as 2020-21, only about 20% of the clubs in Zone 8 donated so we would like to try and increase that percentage in the coming year.
Given the recent hiatus with patients and the influx of new volunteers we have taken this opportunity to slightly modify our ROMAC committees to clarify roles and relationships, spread responsibilities and enable central coordination and regional collaboration on aspects like fundraising, communication and club liaison. In so doing we have created opportunities for Rotarians or Rotaractors with skills in areas like fundraising, marketing, communications, liaising with Government and Hospitals, pediatrics, finance, recruiting, hosting, producing newsletters and maintaining databases to join our committees at the national, regional and district levels. Anyone interested in joining a ROMAC committee is urged to email me at chair@romac.org.au
Ian D'Arcy Walsh
Chair
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ROMAC IS BACK IN BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA
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Melenaite's Story
The long-awaited phone call to District 9705 ROMAC Chair, Sandra Goldstraw, finally came at the end of June. After more than two years of a COVID-enforced break, a new ROMAC family was coming to Canberra!
Although two ROMAC patients from Tonga had received life-saving heart surgery in Auckland during the past 12 months, Australia’s international border restrictions meant that no children were able to be transported to any Australian hospital for treatment during the pandemic. Vincent Toto who was ROMAC’s last patient to be treated in Australia, returned home to the Solomon Islands in November 2020, so the news of a new patient was met by Sandra, and members of the ROMAC team, with much excitement.
Melenaite was born three weeks earlier with a massive football-sized non-malignant, but nevertheless life-threatening tumour which covered a large proportion of her lower back. Removal of the tumour, due to the complexities of the necessary surgery, and the need for a neonatal intensive care unit, was not possible in Tonga, so ROMAC was approached to have the surgery carried out in Australia.
Sandra, and the volunteer ROMAC team, including Medical Director Dr Larry Roddick OAM, and Operations Chair, Judy Holland, immediately swung into action, finding a hospital willing to take Melenaite as a patient; organising flights from Tonga via Sydney and the necessary visas, passports and other travel documentation; negotiating for a neonatal emergency transport (NET) ambulance to transport Melenaite from the airport to Canberra’s Centenary Hospital for Women and Children who agreed to conduct the surgery; and arranging for accommodation at Ronald McDonald House for Michelle, Melenaite’s 22 year old mother and a specialist Neonatal Intensive Care nurse, Hulitha, who accompanied her on the journey from Tonga, while Melenaite is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
ROMAC works closely with the local Embassies when a new patient is brought into Australia or New Zealand as often English is not widely understood by the parents or carers who accompany the child, and having an Embassy representative interpret for them, and provide moral support, is invaluable.
Along with ROMAC volunteers, including IT Consultant Richard Woodburn, representatives of the Tongan Embassy met the family at Sydney airport, and in Canberra they were met by others from the Embassy, Sandra and her fellow team members, and the NET Ambulance which transported Melenaite and her mother and nurse to the hospital to prepare for surgery.
Then the Tongan High Commissioner, HRH Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku'aho, expressed her desire to meet with Michelle and visit Melenaite in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and bring warm clothing for the visitors to cope with Canberra’s cold weather. This was an exciting although nerve wracking time for Michelle and the ROMAC team!
After numerous tests and medical consultations, Melenaite’s surgery was successfully carried out on 13th July in an 8-hour operation. The tumour weighed 2.5 kg.
ROMAC is continually grateful to the Medical Specialists who volunteer their time and expertise to change lives like Melenaite’s. Our special thanks got to Professor Crocker and the surgeons at Canberra Hospital who operated on Melenaite and gave her the opportunity to live a normal, healthy life.
ROMAC is also indebted to the many wonderful ROMAC volunteers who make it all possible. We are especially grateful to Sandra and the District 9705 ROMAC Team, to Jeff Ibbotson and Gerda Lambeck who are the Rotary carer family, and to the Rotary Club of Murrumbidgee Canberra who have sponsored Melenaite. Thank You!
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Left: Michelle, Melenaite's mother, and D9705 ROMAC Chair, Sandra Goldstraw comfort Melenaite following her surgery
Right: Michelle and Sandra with the Tongan High Commissioner, HRH Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku'aho in the Intensive Care Unit
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Baby Melenaite and her mother, Michelle, (pictured with pram) and Neonatal Intensive Care nurse, Hulitha, were met at Sydney airport by a representative of the Tongan Embassy and long-term ROMAC volunteer and IT Consultant, Richard Woodburn on route to Canberra.
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ROMAC IN ACTION: TIMOR LESTE
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Photos: top left Justino with his mother and ROMAC volunteers before surgery; bottom left: Jan Conti with Justino at two months of age post surgery; right: Mario de Jesus with Justino aged 5 in May 2022
By Mario de Jesus from the Rotarians Helping Timor office
ROMAC is gearing up again after Covid and this is why.
Rotarian Mario de Jesus from the Rotary Club of Dili and from the Rotarians Helping Timor office wrote on 9th May, that he just met Justino at Leader supermarket in Dili. He was very happy about that, because Justino is one of the Timorese Children who had life changing surgery under the ROMAC program "Justino went to Australia for Surgery and came back with very good health. He hopes he will become doctor in the future to save the lives of others, " explains Mario.
We have been very busy with Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC*). Since I returned home 10 days ago we in ROMAC have transited a total of 12 people through Darwin Airport. These include two carers and two patients last week who attend Royal Darwin Hospital, stayed overnight with me before returning to Dili, three Mothers and three children arrived from Dili on Saturday and transfer to Auckland via Melbourne, the children will have cardiac surgery and our latest little one Justino and his mother returned to Dili Wednesday morning.
Jan Conti wrote in 2017:
Justino arrived in Darwin when he was five days old, he had urgent surgery in Royal Darwin Hospital (for a diaphragmatic hernia) that saved his life and now at two months' old he is a delightful little baby and is healthy and can expect to have a great future. it is indeed a privilege to be a ROMAC volunteer and see the extraordinary results that the ROMAC program provides to children who would otherwise have not such a great future and long life expectancy.
Another great ROMAC success story!
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Some Facts About ROMAC
- Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) is a Rotary International Approved Program
- It is run entirely by volunteers
- It operates in Australia and New Zealand
- It is supported primarily by Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in Australia and New Zealand (Zone 8)
- All ROMAC patients are 15 years old or younger
- Patients come from the Oceania Islands – which form part of Rotary International Zone 8
- ROMAC performs lifesaving or dignity restoring surgery in hospitals in Australia or New Zealand
- Only patients who cannot receive the necessary treatment in their home country are brought to Australia or New Zealand for surgery
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- Since it’s foundation in 1988, over 537 patients have been treated by ROMAC
- More information about ROMAC can be found on our website www.romac.org.au
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Annual Trivia Night in Support of ROMAC a great success
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Trivia Night organiser, Bryan Mason, addressing the participants a the quiz night
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The 12th annual trivia night organised by long-term ROMAC supporter, Bryan Mason and his team was held on 4th June in the Queensland Sunshine Coast. The event was supported by 180 contestants with most of the local Rotary clubs being represented.
It was a very successful evening, despite fewer attendees than in previous years due to COVID, with over $11,000 being raised for ROMAC.
Fierce competition saw Mooloolaba take out the coveted Rotary Trivia Cup during the last round of questions!
ROMAC is sincerely grateful to Bryan and his team for organising the function, and to the local businesses who donated prizes for the raffle.
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And the winners were: Rotary Club of Mooloolaba!
Vicki Stewart, Past President of Mooloolaba Club was excited to accept the much coveted trophy.
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THANK YOU, COMMONWEALTH BANK CHATSWOOD!
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Past ROMAC Chair, and current District 9685 Chair, PDG Harold Sharp OAM had the very pleasant duty of collecting a donation from the Chatswood Branch of the Commonwealth Bank (in Sydney) on Tuesday, 26th July.
The donation was a "Comm Bank Community donation" supporting the work that ROMAC does for the community.
When asked why ROMAC was selected, CBA's Premier Banking Manager, Annette McArdle explained their research showed that ROMAC was a worthy recipient and fitted well with the donation criteria. They were particularly impressed by our Website!
Our sincere thanks go to Annette and her team for their generosity.
CBA Manager Premier Banking, Annette McArdle (at left), and Relationship Manager, Nellie Zhao presented ROMAC Past Chair, Harold Sharp with a cheque for $500 to support ROMAC.
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Have You Seen Our New Video Yet?
With COVID restrictions easing, ROMAC volunteers team members are delighted to be able to visit clubs in person rather than via zoom and are now accepting invitations to attend club meetings and show the new ROMAC promotional video.
If your club has not had a presentation on ROMAC recently, now is an ideal time for an update. Please contact us and we will arrange for one of our volunteers to visit your club (either in person or via zoom) to show our new video and to update your members on the organisation. Contact Chair, Ian 'D'Arcy' Walsh on chair@romac.org.au or by mobile +(61) 0418844170 and he will organise for the most appropriate person to present to your members.
The new video has been well received whenever it has been shown. One comment from a Rotarian who viewed the video recently was "A powerful message ... one of the best promotional videos I have seen in 42 years of Rotary. Graphics, text and voice presentation outstanding".
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ROMAC relies on the generosity of Rotarians and Rotary Clubs in Australia and New Zeland. We currently receive no government funding, so without your financial support, we would not be able to operate.
Please consider making a personal
or Club donation to ROMAC.
Help us to help needy children from the Oceania Region.
Give a little, Help a lot!
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ROMAC is a project of Rotary Clubs in Australia and New Zealand.
It is an approved Rotary International project.
ROMAC 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.
Read more about ROMAC at:
www.romac.org.au
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