Anu is a Southern Region success story
Anu Kumar arrived from Fiji with her dad, Ram, on May 22, 2007. Anu had an unusual problem. She had Apert syndrome which exhibits features of an incorrect development of the bony features of the face but she had other special disabilities such as fusing of the fingers and toes.
The first days for such a patient are taken up with appointments with various specialists to diagnose exactly what is the condition of the patient. In Anu's case these were undertaken quite soon after arrival. For her, there had then been an extended period while her surgeon assessed the results and tried to determine how she should be treated. It then appeared that she would need some more specialist appointments before surgery. The dates set for these have involved more delay because of the unavailability of the specialists. Her surgery was finally set down for August 14, again involving more delay.
This extended timetable meant that ROMAC's original plan for a June operation followed by a period of hospital recuperation and then a stay in the care of a country Rotary club hads been put behind significantly. There were also difficulties with accommodation. After being originally settled in the outer suburbs with a family with whom ROMAC had worked previously and with success, it was decided that it would suit all concerned better if they were moved to a location closer to the city so apartments near the Royal Children's Hospital were the next stop; unfortunately a big sporting weekend caused a further move to an East Melbourne apartment kindly loaned by a member of RC of Echuca. In the meantime an agreement had been reached with RC of Echuca that that club would assist with home hosting for the planned country stay.
With appointments in Melbourne in the first half of July the move to Echuca would not now take place until after that time. . Tthe delays experienced gave members of the host club the opportunity to take them on a number of outings over the past 5 weeks mincluding Healesville Sanctuary, the Melbourne Museum, the Botanic Gardens, Scienceworks at Spotswood, Cirque du Soleil and Docklands and Sovereign Hill.
Before the Operation
Ram and Anu were fortunate to have the opportunity of a few weeks in the country being home hosted by members of the RC of Echuca. Rick and Vicki Reid and Dianne and Chris Holland were these members
A paddle steamer ride on the Murray River and an outing in a stretch limo were two of the highlights of their time in Echuca.
Back
in Melbourne, other Rotarians such as Jeremy Gray of RC of Melbourne La
Trobe became involved taking Indian food to their house in Richmond and
taking them for a picnic at Albert Park Lake
The Operation
August 14 was the date when plastic surgeon, Mr Alan Breidahl, headed a team of four surgeons who performed the 10 hour operation to address Anu's facial deformity.
An upshot of this procedure was that Anu had two pins protruding from her cranium which had to be tightened 1mm per day for twenty-one days so as to move her forehead forward gradually.
The idea was that there should be a secondary operation on December 4 to remove these pins. This would allow plenty of time to assess the success of the operation and ensure that there were no unwanted side-effects.
A number of visits to the surgeon for check-ups occupied the weeks up to the end of October.
Anu's 21st Birthday
Anu
is most unusual reaching the age of 21 while being a ROMAC patient. The
charter of ROMAC specifies that it facilitates operations which are
life-saving and/or dignity-restoring to children under the age of 15
years from Pacific Rim countries where those operations cannot be
performed in the home country.
Anu had been in the ROMAC system since 2000 when she was 14 but it had proven impossible to get her through the local bureaucracy in order to travel to Australia until 2007. In these circumstances, it is ROMAC policy that the operation should be performed as soon as it is possible for the patient to travel to Australia.
Anu's actual birthday was on 16th October and she celebrated that day with Fijian friends and by making a phone call to her mother back in Fiji.
Anu in the country
One
of the interesting things about Anu's presence in Melbourne as a ROMAC
patient is how well Anu and Ram have been supported by the local Fijian
Indian community.
We learnt not long after they arrived that Ram had a cousin resident in
suburban Doveton. Invitations to stay were issued as were invitations to join in
local activities.
Unrelated folks in Roxburgh Park also became friendly with the result
that Ram and Anu have been house guests there for a number of
weeks.This family even took our visitors with them to Adelaide in early
November where they were the guests of more Fijian Indians.
One lady recognised Ram when he appeared on that short segment on the Channel 9 news as having been in her class at primary school in Fiji over 40 years ago. She went to visit Anu in hospital shortly after her operation and has continued since to maintain contact.
Country Rotary clubs have been keen for Ram and Anu to visit during the period leading up to Anu's second (smaller) operation on December 4. Mansfield, Benalla and Echuca (for the second time) were the host clubs for a week each.
The opportunity to see different parts of Victoria and to be hosted at several different Rotary clubs was not one to be missed
Anu's Mansfield diary
My
name is Anuradha (Anu) Kumar and I come from Fiji. ROMAC arranged for
me and my dad to come to Australia so I could have a whole new face. I
had my operation in August and I was on the Channel 9 news when I was
in Epworth Hospital.
When I was on Channel 9, one of my father's friends from Fiji saw us on TV and next day, she came to visit us.
On the 16th of October I had my 21st birthday. Lots of Rotary people
and Fijian friends came to my party. I was very happy on that day.
Every time I look in the mirror, I see my new face. I am enjoying my
new face. On the 2nd of December my Mum is coming from Fiji to visit
me. Dad hasn't sent any photos of me with my new face, so when she
comes to see me, she will have a big surprise. She will be there when I
have my next operation on the 4th of December.
This week I enjoyed living in Mansfield with Christel and Phillip and
their friendly animals Ben and Chino. They were very good to us.
Another ROMAC patient Bradley, his Mum Nellie, Dad and I arrived on
Monday. On Tuesday we went to Mt Buller and climbed right up to the
top. It was the first time we saw snow, and we had fun playing with the
snow.
On Wednesday morning me and my Dad went to the radio studio in
Mansfield and we talked on the radio for about an hour with Christel.
Bradley, his Mum Nellie, and Robyn came and then we all went to have
lunch at the Produce Store. In the evening we went to the Rotary Club
with Phillip and Christel.
Thursday was the "Animal Day" for us because we visit the animals
living at Jamieson Wildlife Shelter and at Mansfield Zoo. Kathy had
many baby animals to care for, and she let us feed them and cuddle
them. There were kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and a dingo
At the Mansfield Zoo, I had a ride on a golf cart with Bronwen to feed
the animals. I saw lots of animals there and I fed some of them. I
would like to thank Kathy for giving me a chance to visit her animals
and Bronwen for making our time interesting.
Then me and my Dad had dinner with Russell, Robyn, Bradley and his Mum at Phillip and Christel's place.
On Friday we stayed home to have a rest and write in my diary. Also we
had a special visitor and his name was Charles. He knew of my family in
Fiji because he grew up there. He lives in Australia now and he is a
church minister in Mansfield.
In the evening we went to the 100 Years Celebration at the Magnolia.
Many people were friendly to us. We have enjoyed the music and the
dinner and had a fabulous time.
Christian and Kim were great to us and I would like to say a special thanks to them.
On Saturday we went to the Mansfield Show. In the Animal Nursery I fed
a lamb and had a photo taken with one of the parliament members.
In another building I saw lovely flowers, interesting pictures and
craft and delicious cakes. I watched a wood cutting show, people
dancing, a dog circus and dogs chasing sheep.
I was given a Police Showbag by a friendly policeman and I sat in a new red police car.
Dad and I ate fairy floss for the first time and we liked it. Because I
popped five balloons with a dart, I won a honey teddy bear. I found a
small red heart.
On Sunday morning I went to church because Charles invited me. It was my first time to visit a Christian Church. It was different than going to my temple in Fiji. Afterwards we had a cup of coffee and yummy cakes. We had photographs taken of Russell, Robyn, Nellie, Bradley, Christel, Charles, Phillip, Me (Anu) and Ram, my Dad.
Anu's Second Operation
Anu underwent a second shorter operation at Epworth Hospital on 4th December to remove the two tightening pins from the sides of her head, these having achieved their desired effect of re-aligning her face. She then returned to Fiji on 18th December.
