A moving and important day for the whole project, as president of the Rotary Club of Taveuni, Bob Goddess, unveiled a plaque to the late Geoffrey Amos, a founding father of the club but more significantly the driving force behind the Taveuni Eye Project. Bob’s address was very moving. You can read it HERE if you wish. Without Geoffrey there would be no project. With the help of Rotary district 9920 and the Rotary clubs of Boronia in Victoria, Australia and the Rotary Club of Newmarket, in Auckland, New Zealand the project continues. President Bob Goddess added ” When patients walk past this plaque they will always remember Geoffrey Amos’ beautiful smile”. Geoffrey would be proud.
STORIES FROM TODAY
Keleni Marawa is from Narata village, not too far from Nadi, in Nadroga province. She lives at home with her husband, son and his wife and has 4 grandchildren. She has a special connection that your editor just had to mention: her son is Joeli Lutumailagi one of the famous Fiji Sevens Rugby team. He played for Fiji in both NZ and Australia in 2017. But back to Keleni’s story – she grows cassava, kumera and other vegetables like most Fijians. The picture was taken just before she entered the theatre. Of course we are confident of the procedure’s success – we will be waiting for tomorrow morning’s ‘reveal’ to tell all.
You may ask yourself: ‘How does the eye project manage to find all of these Fijians eligible for cataract and pterygium surgery?’ The answer is: The Fijian Society for the Blind(FBS). They have offices, mostly funded from overseas donations and managed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. They employ a number of trained staff who go out into the most extreme parts of the country, looking for candidates for eye surgery. I spoke to Kara Senitiki, one of these hard working people. She had escorted 39 patients from the western area of Viti Levu to Taveuni. Kara has worked for the FBS for 10 years. She often has to stay out overnight to see patients in distant places, carrying her ophthalmoscope.( see picture)The FBS has offices in Tavua, Nadi, Nausori, Navua and Labasa. The TEP gives the blind society a grant each year to help pay the staff. The FBS provide mobility and orientation training for the blind, teach their clients daily living skills and fine and gross motor skills. Kara says part of the reason for an increase in eye problems is due to the growth in NCD’s – non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes. Kara reminded me that many of the people she is caring for had never left their village. “What does the boat look like?”, they asked. “Is it like a small house?”
Kara spoke to me at length about the program she is actively involved with and if you would like to listen, click or tap this link Another most moving story was related to me about a lady living in the hills behind Nadi. Kara only found her, totally blind with cataracts, last Friday. HERE is her story. Warning: Not for the faint hearted…
Opeti Susu is from Korovuta village near Nadi. He lives with his wife, and four children. Opeti is a pastor with the Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF). Being quite blind means he cannot read or preach in the way he would like. He has had eight years of low vision and simply cannot wait to get back to his chosen calling.
Imeri Namoli is from Uto village in Ba province Imeri’s special story is quite astounding. She has been totally blind for six years and will have surgery today and tomorrow by our panel of ophthalmologists. Imeri is a vegetarian and follow the beliefs of the Assemblies of God. She usually fasts, having no breakfast or liquids until lunchtime. However she was persuaded to have a nicely cooked breakfast today prior to surgery. Thanks Joey!
We finish today with a quote from a patient who will certainly remain nameless….
“It’s hard to steal a chicken if you can’t see the chicken”
Perhaps these stories have moved you to consider helping us for next years Taveuni Eye Project. We rely on small donations from people just like you. What you give goes directly to TEP. Not a cent is wasted. The funds are carefully audited. Or perhaps you would just like some information. Simply fill in the form below:
The Daily Report
| Daily Total | Project Total |
|---|---|
| Cataracts 22 | Cataracts 157 |
| Pterygiums 13 | Pterygiums 34 |
| Others 0 | Others 11 |
| Total Operations 35 | Total Operations 202 |
The Rotary Club of Taveuni, in association with Rotary clubs in New Zealand, Australia and the United States, have made the eye project for Fiji their primary goal for the year. Please visit the Rotary Club of Taveuni here and Rotary International here for more information.