Success Story

All, We have a bunch of containers that are about to be emptied in Buka, ready for distribution to aid posts medical clinics and hospitals. Bringing these materials from remote Queensland hospitals all the way to Buka has been a tremendous challenge for our people. It seems that the closer we get the materials to their final destinations the greater the degree of difficulty in the permitting and the communications. Patience is not a virtue that I possess in any quantity. My level of frustration has been reaching towards the sky. However when I read a note like the following I am reminded that I am but a small cog in a large network and that the cause is bigger than all of us. To achieve these tasks we depend on the support of others and they depend on us.  Our partnership with Rotary International continues to blossom and the work completed by Veronica Henderson and her small band of helpers is absolutely invaluable.  Veronica herself attends to the end processing of the shipping, customs and IRC documentation.  Veronica also arranges the sale of the containers when they have served their purpose with us. By the way Vero also holds down a full time job. Francis Tonny leads the Buka Rotary club and this club are joint sponsors of the new club (Rotary Community Corps of Bougainville (Arawa), in Arawa.  Electrical Engineer and local businessman, Clement Bireo is the Chairman of the board. Richard Green and Mark Machen are key members of this Board. At the Aussie end the President of the Bribie Rotary club is Mary Grant. They are joint sponsors of the new Arawa works. Mary`s husband, George is a past District Governor and a fountain of knowledge across all matters, Rotary. We are extremely grateful for the input of our wide mix of networkers.  Over the last several weeks we have been speaking with Biomedical Engineer, Lawry Goodwin who has recently retired. He is taking a keen interest in our operations and we are hopeful that, going forward, we will be able to facilitate his tremendous skills into our works at both ends of our operations, ie, on site, in the Islands Region and here in Queensland. Watch this space. Just this week Lawry has been speaking with the tireless, Stan Neal about a trip to Townsville to evaluate the material in our storage there.  We have a dozen volunteer workers based in Townsville including Ron Whalen, John Gretton, Maurie Dyne, Ian Smith and Fonso Martens . . . . . .  . all of them BCL veterans.  I think that John Feltham is still in Perth.  If any of you could be available on the morning of the 8th February to assist Stan and Lawry to work around the pallets so that they can properly review the goodies. You have my number 0418 784 186. Danni`s contact is 0414 808 139.   Lawry, the lifting device was donated from one of your hospitals. "From: Ann Green [mailto:anngreen0@xtra.co.nz]  Sent: Saturday, 30 January 2016 10:01 AM To: John Davidson <John@johndavidson.com.au> Subject: Success Hi John Just a little good story: When Chris Leonard was here he played a major role in unpacking containers that had donated medical equipment from your Queensland people. Amongst a lot of useful ‘stuff’, including walking frames and quadripods, which as a physiotherapist I especially appreciated, was a patient lifting hoist. In Australia and NZ hoists are in every ward of every hospital and rest home and the nursing staff are well versed in the use of them.  But the staff of the Arawa District Hospital had had no experience of this piece of equipment at all. I subsequently had a workshop with the staff talking about the instructions and general use of a hoist andconvincing all present to use it.  Since then, except for 1 occasion, the hoist has been languishing in a corner, until this week, when I believe, without it, a patient would have died. We had a rather large patient who had suffered a severe stroke.  We started hoisting him each day from the bed into a wheelchair.  I used each session as a teaching time for the staff and his family.  However one day I was unable to be there and he spent the day lying down.  When I returned next day he had a high temperature and his lungs sounded as though he was on the way to developing pneumonia which can, in this situation, be fatal.  However with antibiotics and hoisting him again, he was much improved yesterday.  I think the family have a new appreciation of the importance to move the patient and I am expecting they will now use the hoist over the weekend when I am not there.  Just one little story about the difference donated equipment can make. Thank you Ann Green Volunteer Physiotherapist Arawa District Hospital " In this office we are acutely aware of the true value of this lifting device.  My assistant Danni and her husband, Darryl, have twins who were born extremely premature at 24 weeks. One of the girls, the beautiful Emily has been “through the ringer” and has severe cerebral palsy, epilepsy and vision impairment. Emily is now 4 years old and getting heavier and as she is unable to move herself, a hoist will be a much needed addition to their household in the coming months. As we go about our work accumulating equipment, please keep in mind Emily`s situation and Danni's need for a hoist.