Two-year-old Tom from Vanuatu is recovering after surgery in Sydney to correct his club feet.
Without intervention Tom’s future mobility would have been severely limited. Thanks to ROMAC his future is now filled with hope.
Tom has already shown remarkable courage and resilience. Born with bilateral talipes (club feet) Tom has learned to move around on his tiptoes, adapting as best he can to a condition which makes walking difficult and painful.
Tom arrived in Sydney last month from Aneityum Island Vanuatu with his mum Marie to meet orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jeff Ling.
He then started pre-surgery plaster casting, a gentle, step-by-step process to gradually correct the position of his feet in preparation for surgery.
His surgery was an important milestone that gives Tom the chance to walk, run and play like other children his age.
During their stay Tom and Marie are being cared for at RMH Randwick surrounded by the kindness and generosity of the ROMAC Eastern Region team and local Rotarians, supported through visits from Vanuatu Consul Donald Pelam.
This is the difference ROMAC makes, transforming lives one child at a time.
Mothers of patients from two different countries met recently as one headed home through Brisbane Airport following treatment.
After five weeks in Sydney, we recently said goodbye to Vanessa and her dad Ino as they began their journey home to Timor-Leste.
Brenden, aged 12, is recovering at Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital from successful heart surgery to repair damage caused by rheumatic fever.
Any donation you can make will help make treatment like this possible.
