Dr Eric Horne — Lifetime Recognition Award

He first joined the Rotary Club of Helensburgh, England.  On moving to South Africa he joined Rotary Manzini, in eSwatini, in 1975 and then transferred to Rotary Pinetown, in Natal, in 1981.

After migrating to New Zealand, Eric (pictured with past ROMAC Chair Glenys Parton) joined the Rotary Club of New Lynn in 1988 where he remained a dedicated member until the club handed in its charter on 30 June 2025.  He is now an Honorary member of Rotary Henderson.  

The New Zealand region of ROMAC was formally established in 2004, treating its first patient — a child from Vanuatu — in December 2005. The inaugural New Zealand Chair was Trish O’Reilly, and Dr Max Morris served as the first Medical Advisor.

In 2007, Geoff Dainty became Chair of the New Zealand region and under his leadership Eric joined the ROMAC Committee. When Geoff’s tenure concluded, Eric became Chair of the New Zealand Region from 2010 – 2013, later serving as Medical Advisor of ROMAC New Zealand 2013 – 2015, and Medical Director for ROMAC Australasia from 2015 – 2018.

Eric remained a loyal and committed supporter of ROMAC and continues to serve on the New Zealand Committee, despite the significant personal commitment of caring for his late wife Margaret throughout her long illness until her passing in October 2024.

Margaret was equally a passionate supporter of ROMAC. She and Eric opened their home to host the training of overseas medical staff as part of the Global Grants process, and she was always by Eric’s side attending functions, supporting patients, and living the true spirit of ROMAC.

One such patient was Victoria, an 11-year-old girl from Labasa, Fiji. In 2014, she suffered severe burns when her father deliberately set fire to their home. Victoria’s mother tragically died in the fire. With help from ROMAC, Victoria was flown to Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital for emergency surgery to treat extensive burns and major ankle damage.

Eric was ROMAC’s New Zealand Medical Director at the time and took a special interest in Victoria’s care. He coordinated her treatment and recovery and personally ensured her safe return to Lautoka Hospital after surgery and rehabilitation.

Eric often wondered how Victoria would fare after such a traumatic event — whether she would ever walk, smile, or laugh again.

In June 2015, one year later, Eric wrote this update:

“I have just returned from a winter break in Fiji and while there went up to Labasa for the day to visit Vicky. The visit was with some degree of trepidation, as I was not at all sure what to expect.”

“Vicky and her brother Gaviid and their aunt met me at the airport. I was truly delighted to see that she could walk really well, although with a slight limp. She is a totally different child from the one the burns team at Middlemore looked after so wonderfully.

“Victoria, as she now likes to be called, is really a rather extroverted child who never stops talking and sings in the school choir.

“It was a very humbling day, and to be honest, one of the best days of my life to see Victoria so well and happy.”

Since then, Eric and Margaret have continued to support Victoria, sending regular contributions and helping fund her education at Labasa High School.

Victoria is not the only ROMAC child they have supported beyond treatment. They also provide on-going assistance to Shafaaz, who underwent limb reconstruction; Ishraq, a burns survivor from Fiji who featured at the D9910 Noumea Conference; Varyame, an orthopaedic patient; and Victor, a cardiac patient.

Eric served as ROMAC’s New Zealand Medical Director from 2012 to 2015 from 2015, and as the Australasian Medical Director for four years. During that period, he personally helped restore health and dignity — or even saved the lives — of around 200 children.

One of his greatest challenges came when ROMAC New Zealand and New Zealand hospitals cared for 27 children in a single year, after most Australian hospitals had temporarily closed their doors to ROMAC patients.

His extraordinary dedication to Rotary and ROMAC has been recognised with the award of four Paul Harris Fellow recognitions.

Eric has treated ROMAC’s most vulnerable children with extraordinary kindness, professionalism, and humanity — a fitting recipient for a ROMAC Lifetime Recognition Award.

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