Our heartfelt thanks to all the individuals and Rotary Clubs who made donations to ROMAC during the FY22-23 year. They exceeded the previous year by a large amount, for which we are very grateful. Your support enables us to continue to support children who need medical aid.

On a sad note, I am sorry to tell you of the deaths of two ROMAC alumni volunteers in the past month. Carol Bourne, Past Operations Manager and Director, passed away on 14 June 2023, after a long illness. Past District Governor Lloyd Roever also passed away on 22 June 2023, aged 81 years. Read their obituaries below.

Apakuki

Apakuki was first referred to ROMAC in 2020 with symptoms of Congenital Cyanotic Heart Disease. This is as a result of a heart defect present at birth that reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to the body.

In 2020, New Zealand was not allowing access to any international patients. Leap to October 2022 and Starship Hospital in Auckland were still not able to accept patients due to the impact of COVID on staffing and theatre resources.

Apakuki was reviewed again in March 2023 and the process of his treatment in New Zealand recommenced. He arrived with his mother Litea on 23 April 2023. Apakuki had to be treated in Auckland Hospital, not Starship, because, due to the delay in his arrival, he had reached the age of 16 years.

After a period of treatment for a chest infection, Apakuki underwent surgery in early June and has recently been discharged to Ronald McDonald House where he is making a great recovery and actively participating in the hospital school. Doctors are very happy with his progress and are anticipating he will be winging his way home within the next three weeks.

Taufa

Nine-month-old baby Taufa and his mother Kalesita from Tonga arrived in Auckland in the very early hours of 19 March. Taufa was very unwell with a heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This is a combination of four congenital heart defects usually resulting in a lack of oxygen-rich blood reaching the body.

The family was met by Rotary Liaison Barbara Watt and immediately transferred to and settled into Ronald McDonald House. Dad, Taufa Snr, arrived from New Caledonia where he was working and immediately baby was much happier. It was obvious that this child really adored his Dad.

Surgery took place on 24 March, with a few days were spent in Paediatric Intensive Care and then he was discharged to a ward. Once back at Ronald McDonald House, the family were together and supporting each other and extended family members in Auckland visited.

Kalesita and Taufa Snr were sensible parents who were so very grateful for all that was done for their son. Dad returned home and Mum and baby followed on 3 May. Another successful outcome for ROMAC, a happy healthy baby and extremely grateful parents.

Ephraim

Nine-year-old Ephraim is continuing to do really well at the hospital school while staying with Mum Priya and Dad Ben at Ronald McDonald House Westmead Children’s Hospital. He attended the eye clinic at the Children’s Hospital Westmead last month for a post operative consultation after his Cataract surgery in May.

Doctors were happy with Ephraim's progress and prescribed glasses to help him see more clearly and will review his progress at the eye clinic in July. On Friday Ephraim received his new glasses. What a great sight!

Senri

While visiting grand-daughter at the Sydney Children’s Hospital this month, Past ROMAC Chair Rob Wilkinson met 14-year-old Senri Tengata from the Solomon Islands.

As often happens in the Solomons, Senri and his friends had come across some old war-time devices, and one of the hand-grenades exploded and severely injured his hand! Over time, and many visits to hospitals in Brisbane and Sydney, courtesy of ROMAC, the surgeons have grafted a lot of skin, and are gradually re-building a useful hand.

Senri told Rob he is a very keen footballer, and wants to be a goalkeeper. Rob asked his son Alex Wilkinson, a retired professional footballer with Sydney Football Club, to get in touch with Andrew Redmayne, Sydney FC and Socceroos goalkeeper.

They had a keeper’s jersey signed and Rob presented it to Senri at the hospital. Rob also gave him a photo of Andrew, just in case he and his family weren’t sure of who it was coming from. However, Senri immediately recognised the photo! Senri’s first comment was “Can’t wait to show my coach!” No doubt, there will be some new Sydney FC supporters in the Solomons this year!!

Thank You

Our thanks to the Rotary Club of Padstow

ROMAC Eastern Chair Anita Robinson attended the RC of Padstow D9675 changeover where ROMAC was given a donation of $5,000.

Pictured (l to r): Club President Charles Mille with Eastern Chair Anita Robinson, presenting a plaque and letter to ROMAC.

Farewell Friends of ROMAC

Vale Carol Bourne

Former ROMAC Operations Manager and Director, Carol Bourne, was recommended by Victorian Rotarian Peter Lee, who recognised Carol would be ideal for the roles. She had a love for children, wanting to help those in need as she had done many years earlier, when she lived in Malaysia.

Carol had recently retired before joining ROMAC, and after many years working in Human Resources, Training and Risk Assessment, she brought these skills with her to her ROMAC roles. Carol took on the Operations Manager role in 2016, working with Operations Directors Barry Wilson and Garth Halliday, before taking on the role of Operations Director in 2018 and retiring in 2020. In these roles, Carol worked tirelessly for ROMAC and the children she organised to bring to Australia and New Zealand. She especially enjoyed working with former ROMAC Medical Director Larry Roddick and the many ROMAC representatives in the island countries, so grateful for her guidance.

Carol was dedicated and passionate in her ROMAC role, and resolved any and all challenges that could possibly risk delaying the travel of critically ill children to our hospitals. The families of these children often relied upon her expertise in navigating the Australian bureaucracies and travel challenges, sometimes having to organise birth certificates for the children, to ensure visas would not be a problem – she treated each and every child as her own. Well done Carol – rest easy, knowing that you assisted so many ROMAC children to enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives.”

Lloyd Roever

Sadly, we also report the passing of another ROMAC Friend, Past District Governor (9690) Lloyd Roever, on 22 June 2023. Lloyd who was well known by many of us, either through his service to Rotary in general, and also his involvement with ROMAC. He was a successful business man, a dedicated Rotarian and co-founder of the Australian Pituituary Foundation.

How you can help ROMAC

Every day Rotarians and Friends are providing funds to cover travel, accommodation and treatment for children and their carers. But we could help more children if we had more donations. Donations all go directly to children and their care. ROMAC funds its administration costs through investment and other income. Volunteers run the organisation.

Give a little, care a lot.

Rotary Clubs: If every Rotarian in Australia and New Zealand donated $20 and every club matched with $20 for everyone of their members, we could cover the costs of all the children referred to us annually.

Friends of Rotary: If every Friend donated $20 we could help even more children.

Australia - Donate now

New Zealand - Donate now

Forward this E-News to a friend

Subscribe to our E-News

Like us on Facebook