Vanessa had received positive reviews from her medical teams and was given clearance to return home following her surgery and treatment. Vanessa and Ino departed Sydney, travelling via Darwin before continuing to Dili and then making their way home to their village.
Vanessa has been under the care of eye surgeon Associate Professor Krishna Tumuluri for the treatment of a right eye proptosis and neurosurgeon Dr Jun Kim who performed a craniotomy as her tumour had spread.
While their time in Australia centred on Vanessa receiving the specialist medical care she needed from the Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery teams at Westmead Children’s Hospital, there were also some very special moments along the way.
After recovering from her surgery, Vanessa and Ino enjoyed a special day out at Sydney Zoo.
For Vanessa it was a chance to relax, enjoy being a child, and discover more of Australia after what had been a challenging time in Sydney. She was fascinated to see koalas, lions and kangaroos up close. For a child who may previously have only heard about these animals or seen them in pictures, seeing them in real life created wonderful memories for Vanessa and Ino to take home with them.
A special thank you to Rotarian John Heslop and his wife, Liz, who generously gave their time to take Vanessa and Ino to the zoo. Their kindness gave the family the opportunity to enjoy a memorable day together and experience something quite different from hospital appointments and treatment.
Vanessa also enjoyed seeing some of Sydney’s famous sights, including the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
During her time in Sydney, Vanessa attended the hospital school, where she enjoyed spending time with other children and taking part in school activities. With the help of her teachers and classmates, she settled in well and enjoyed this important part of her normal routine.
We are incredibly proud of Vanessa and the courage she has shown throughout her journey. She faced major surgery while being far from her extended family and friends, in a country that was unfamiliar to her. Throughout it all, she continued to show a wonderful spirit and resilience.
The Eastern Region ROMAC team, Marzieh and Eugene from the Timorese community, and the volunteers at Ronald McDonald House all helped to make Vanessa and Ino feel welcomed and supported during their time in Australia.
As Vanessa and Ino began their journey home, there were certainly some emotional goodbyes. But alongside the challenges of their time in Australia, they leave with special memories of Sydney and, most importantly, Vanessa has returned home with the opportunity to continue her life with the care she needed.
ROMAC has given Vanessa the opportunity to receive specialist medical treatment and, along the way, experience moments of childhood that will become treasured memories.
There are many more children across Oceania waiting for access to life-changing medical treatment. With the continued support of Rotarians, Rotary clubs and our wider community, ROMAC can reach more children like Vanessa and give them the opportunity for a healthier future.
This is the difference we can make together.
Brenden, aged 12, is recovering at Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital from successful heart surgery to repair damage caused by rheumatic fever.
Brenden, aged 12, has been welcomed to Auckland for cardiac surgery needed as a result of rheumatic fever.
Keysha has returned home to Port Vila after successful heart surgery in Auckland.
Any donation you can make will help make treatment like this possible.
