Susan Bell - Rotary Member-  Lower Blue Mountains & District Chair for Interplast. visited Crows Nest on November 14th.
 
Interplast was established in Australia in 1983 as a joint venture between Rotary and the Royal Australian College of Surgeons.  It's main objective to conduct re-constructive surgery in countries ( South Pacific region) where these services were either non existent or minimal.  The most needy patients being children with cleft pallets and sever burns.
The aim of Interplast is to take an experienced team of surgeons, nurses and support personnel to countries like P.N.G, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Fiji to conduct life altering operations on children previously identified as being urgent.
The result being these children are now able to return to village life , school and eventually jobs without the stigma of facial deformity.
Funding is always needed and sought to cover transportation of equipment, medicines and staff.  Rotary plays an important role in this ongoing need.
Part of the ongoing need is training.  Once a team from Australia leaves - the care and support for the young patients is in the hands of the local medical personnel and training sessions are undertaken by Interplast to ensure that aftercare is of the highest standard.
Naturally donations are need to maintain Interplast as an integral part of the Rotary landscape.
Sue was thanked by Tom Sweeney on behalf of the members and questions sought.  One being why doesn't Interplast and ROMAC combine?   The answer remains in the air.