INTERPLAST - MEDICAL AID IN THE THIRD WORLD

 

South West Health Care (SWHC) Warrnambool Auxiliary is holding a special morning tea, with speaker, on Tuesday 15 October, 2013 at the Hammond Fellowship Centre, Christ Church, Warrnambool. The visiting guest speaker is Lorraine Meehan, OAM, a registered nurse who has worked in Indonesian Borneo with voluntary surgical teams specialising in plastic and reconstructive surgery. This is a fund raising event for South West Health Care Warrnambool and all are welcome. The function will run from 10:00 am until 12 noon and tickets are available at $15 each.

 

Lorraine Meehan has been involved in nursing since leaving school. From a young age she had always wanted to be a nurse. She did her General Nursing and Staffing year at the former Prince Henry’s Hospital in Melbourne and then studied Midwifery at St Georges Hospital, Kew. After working in London for some time, Lorraine returned to St Georges as the Operating Theatre Sister. She undertook further theatre work at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane before completing her training at the Canterbury Presbyterian Babies’ Home in Melbourne, studying Infant Welfare.

 

Plastic and reconstructive surgery has been an integral part of Lorraine’s working life for the last 30 years. She has worked as the Practice and Theatre Nurse for many eminent plastic surgeons in Melbourne. It was as a result of this work experience that Lorraine qualified to join four consecutive Interplast teams on their initial voluntary visits to Borneo.

 

Interplast is a not-for-profit organisation which was founded in 1983 as an association between the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and Rotary Clubs in Australia and New Zealand.  Interplast works to improve the quality of life for people with disability who are disabled as a result of congenital or acquired medical conditions such as cleft lip and palate, burn scars and other acquired abnormalities. It is staffed by volunteer Fellows from the RACS, volunteer anaesthetists and registered nurses, and also Rotary volunteers who assist with various administrative tasks. Every year about 20 programs are conducted in developing countries in the Pacific Region and also in some areas of the Indian Ocean.

 

Interplast aims to provide free surgical treatment for patients who would otherwise not be able to afford access to such services. In addition to the surgical work they undertake to repair bodies, the visiting teams also focus heavily on facilitating medical training and mentoring for in-country medical personnel by supporting and building the capacity of local health services. Their aim is to provide life-changing surgery for the people now and develop sustainable health systems for the future.

People who would like to attend this important fund raising event for SWHC to hear Lorraine Meehan speak about her experiences with Interplast in Indonesian Borneo are asked to contact Laurel Myers on 5561 7571 or 0411 136 850, or send an email message to laureld@hotkey.net.au.