ROTARY CLUB OF MOBILONG INTERNATIONAL PROJECT

Vision of Islands is a non-profit volunteer eye surgical and clinical team, providing free-of-charge cataract removal for South Pacific Islanders (of all ages) who would otherwise be blind. To date the team, led by ophthalmologist Dr John Willoughby OAM, has worked in Tonga and Tuvalu.

 

Vision of Islands operates under the direction of the Ministry of Health of each participating country. Their medical outreach team trains the local medical staff in patient care. They provide medical and teaching equipment and train local staff in their use, as well as extend specialist eye services to remote areas where people lack specialist services because of remoteness.

 

The team provides all equipment, expendables and teaching materials (with backup). They remove  all  their  refuse,  leaving  the  island  as  clean  or  cleaner  than  on  arrival.

 

Their goal is to include Registrar trainees from Australasia in the program to expose them to aspects of humanitarian care where they will also see extreme need and advanced pathology. They also aim to take other professionals who may wish to serve or study topics covering several island nations.

 

Their first volunteer trip back to the Pacific Islands since the Covid-19 Pandemic was made in August 2023 when Dr Willoughby performed 32 surgeries in the island nation of Tuvalu.

 

Dr Willoughby provides his surgical skills free of charge. But there are other huge ongoing overheads like travel costs, medical equipment, transport and mobile facilities to reach remote clinics.

 

 

Your club will be acknowledged by Vision of Islands as a Supporting Donor. Funding support should be transferred to the following account:

For personal or corporate tax deductions click on this link:  https://donations.rawcs.com.au/58 -2023-24

  Please include the name of your club and Vision of Islands in the reference.

We ask clubs to please consider a donation of $500.00 but any amount will be received gratefully.

The Rotary Club of Mobilong will also be applying for a Global Grant to assist Dr Willoughby in his on-going work restoring sight.