ROMAC team steps up to save Baby Xinyue

Baby Xinyue (pictured above) was born in the Solomon Islands just days ago, on 7 August.

She was diagnosed with a tracheo‑oesophageal fistula, a life‑threatening condition requiring urgent surgery.

A medical referral reached ROMAC quickly and thanks to swift coordination across our network, mother and baby were on a plane from Honiara by Friday afternoon accompanied by a medical escort.

Their journey was to take them first to Brisbane then onward to Canberra, where our ACT ROMAC colleague and a skilled paediatric surgical team were ready.

However, the late arrival of the flight into Brisbane meant the connecting flight to Canberra was missed.

In an extraordinary display of collaboration, paediatric surgeons in Canberra and Brisbane worked together to ensure Xinyue received immediate care. She was transferred directly from the airport to the Queensland Children’s Hospital for an overnight stay.

Overnight, Xinyue’s condition changed, making further travel unsafe. Queensland Children’s Hospital stepped forward without hesitation, agreeing to keep her in Brisbane and proceed with the urgent surgery she needed.

It is often said it takes a village to raise a child. In Xinyue’s case, an entire village across Oceania and Australia mobilised within hours — medical teams, ROMAC volunteers, Directors and hospital staff each playing a vital role to ensure Xinyue’s safety and to give her the best chance of a healthy future.

Xinyue’s story is a powerful reminder of what compassion, partnership, and rapid action can achieve for our children.

You too can be part of our village and save more children.

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