Last year, you may have read about Dr Ben Norris and his fundraising efforts to get a volunteer surgical team to Samoa. Thanks to the support of his generous network of patients, friends, colleagues, and incredible supporters like you, a volunteer Interplast team has returned from a successful surgical program in Apia, Samoa, delivering critical care to many children and adults.
Dr Ben Norris and his fellow volunteers, reconstructive surgeon Associate Professor Damian Marucci, nurse Norma Schwalger, anaesthetist Dr Alan Goodey, theatre nurse M-J Laing, hand therapist Katie Anjou, and anaesthetic nurse Caz McLoughlin, have been visiting Samoa to provide surgeries, post-operative care, and training for local partners and clinicians.
Last year, limited funding threatened to delay the program, but Ben, Damian and Norma took action, starting a simple fundraiser to make sure it could go ahead.
With your help, the volunteer surgical team returned to Samoa to provide care to children and adults who were desperately waiting.
Here’s what you helped achieve:
- 33 life-changing surgeries for children and adults
- 68 patient consultations
- 14 allied health treatments for post-operative care
- 27 local partners and clinicians received mentoring and training
Some patients were new to the program, while others returned for follow-up care, showing just how critical your support is to families in Samoa and other parts of the Pacific.
Ben reflected on the fundraising support: “In all the years I have been volunteering with Interplast, extended family, friends, and my own patients have told me how wonderful it is that myself and our team can help the people of Samoa. When they heard that limited funding meant our team may not be able to continue to provide a program, many asked how they could help.”
He added, “I was overwhelmed by the generous response I received from my friends, colleagues and even my patients, who were all willing to help.”
Because of you, more families have received access to life-changing surgeries, and the skills of local surgeons and clinicians continue to grow.
Dr Ben, A/Prof Damian, and nurse Norma hope to return to Samoa in November to continue providing the critical care needed.
On the impact of the program in Samoa, Ben said: “There is nothing more satisfying than being able to provide, often a very simple operation or a simple service which is commonly taken for granted back in Australia or New Zealand, but here is, perhaps, not something that’s easily accessible.”
Thank you for your kindness in helping children and adults in Samoa get the care they need. It’s your compassion that helps our skilled volunteers return to continue the critical care that is so desperately needed.
Fa’afetai lava (Many thanks) from Team Samoa!
Acknowledgements
This program was delivered in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Interplast would also like to thank Team Samoa and their donors for helping to make this program possible.
