TWO East Timorese young people have had orthopaedic surgery in Brisbane at no cost to their families, thanks to the efforts of some Catholic and Rotary “friends”.
Eliana, a 12-year-old girl, and 14-year-old Afonso flew into Brisbane with their fathers on July 7 for surgery at Holy Spirit Hospital Northside on July 13.
Christian Brother Bill Tynan said several individuals and groups were involved with Communidade Edmund Rice (CER), the order’s community at Railaco Kraic, in making the trip a reality.
He said orthopaedic surgeon Dr Bill Donnelly travelled to East Timor for an immersion in 2011 with his son’s school St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace.
“He did some doctoring and took a few people down to Dili, and they couldn’t fix these two (Eliana and Afonso) up there,” Br Tynan said.
He said Eliana had a damaged hip and Afonso had suffered a broken leg when young that had left him with significant mobility problems.
“To walk to school in Railaco Kraic is about two kilometres so it is a considerable effort for them,” he said.
Br Tynan said Dr Donnelly believed the children could be treated in Brisbane.
“He said, ‘We can do something about this, bring them down’,” he said.
“Holy Spirit Chermside will (give) free medical attention (and) he’s networked all the other surgeons and doctors and anaesthetists so it will cost not a cent at (the hospital).”
Br Tynan said he then contacted the Rotary worker in Dili who worked with Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) and asked for their help.
“So ROMAC provided the flight for nothing,” he said.
“PDL Toll donated the flight from Dili to Darwin return and then ROMAC has paid for the airfare from Brisbane to Darwin return.”
Br Tynan said it was expected the patients and their fathers would need to be in Brisbane for at least six weeks, and an additional network of groups and individuals would provide accommodation during their stay.
Br Tynan said that, at the Terrace Timor Network (TTN) fundraising dinner, a couple spoke to him about being willing to help.
“I’ve had meetings with the Josephite Sisters who are going to put up the father and son for about 10 days at the MacKillop accommodation at Nundah,” he said.
Elaine Morgan, from ROMAC’s northern region committee in Brisbane, said work with the Christian Brothers and the Terrace community added another perspective to what they did.
“It enables us to do things easier and better because we have that great expanse of extra people to help us,” Ms Morgan said.
She said ROMAC would be delighted to think that the East Timorese youngsters were the start of an ongoing relationship with CER.
“We need somebody in these countries who can assist us,” she said.
“We can bring them over (and) we also have the surgeons in place to do all the work who give of their time.”
