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FASD Clinic in operation

Alaskan Vocational Training Team

The Alaskan team arrived in Perth and commenced their training on 2^nd April 2019. The team comprised

Name	Qualifications	Role
Mr Michael Jeffery	Retired Superior Court Judge.	Team Leader (Rotarian)
Ms Marilyn Pierce Bulger	Family Nurse-Practitioner/Certified Midwife	Coordinator/Medical Manager for the Anchorage FASD Diagnostic Team
Tami Eller	Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Psychology. Master Psychology	Clinical Supervisor-Treatment Foster Care Program
Monica Mae Charles	Bachelor Education (Elementary Education)	Guardian ad Litem, Office of the Public Advocacy President (2015- present) Association of Village Council Presidents (Bethel Alaska)
Dr Pam Hill	Fellow American College Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Fellow American College of Surgeons	Retired -Volunteer specialist

Their training including meeting with the Aboriginal Refence group, the PATCHES team, the team at Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) - FASD is an area where TKI is a Centre of Excellence in Australia. They presented at the District 9455 conference where Professor Carol Bowers (TKI) was a keynote speaker.

Northern Exposure for FASD Aid

Posted by Josh Chiat, Kalgoorlie Miner

Raised in Anchorage, Alaska, by her grandparents, alarm bells rang for nine-month-old Tami Eller’s carers when it became clear her head was not growing. Her mother had a history of substance abuse, and she was later diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. While her body did begin to grow, the disorder manifested itself in different ways.

Ms Eller has a telltale deformity common to people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb — a short pinky finger and underdeveloped hand muscles that make writing a chore. She only wears terrycloth socks because the tactile sensation from the seams of normal socks hurt when she was a toddler, and she distinctly remembers her joy when, later than most children, she first managed to colour inside the lines and enjoy reading a book. Spelling and grammar rules still confound Tami, yet she has a Masters degree and is a poster child for what children with FASD — a mostly misunderstood disorder blamed for secondary impacts such as learning disabilities, anxiety, depression and illegal behaviour — can do with the right support.

SJOG Hospital Donated to Cambodia Project

St John of God Hospital has very kindly donated $3,000 to pay for a container of used hospital equipment to be shipped to Cambodia as part of our Club's Cambodia Hospital Equipment Project. On Thursday 18th April, Prof. Shirley Bowen, the CEO of the Hospital, together with Jennifer Healey , the Director of Mission Integration, presented a cheque to Pip and I for $3,000. This hospital has been one of the major contributors of used equipment for this project, and their staff, in particular Vivian Daniels and David Nash, have been great supporters of it. We expressed our considerable appreciation for their support and also discussed our FASD project, which they were very interested in.

Pip Asphar, Jennifer Healey, David Motta and Vivian Daniels

FASD needs your help

We are raising the last 40 % of the funds ($175,000) required for this 2-year project in Leonora (Goldfields District) to reduce the number of children born with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) and to minimise the long-term effect of children who have this disorder.

Can you or your Rotary Club please help with a donation?

Nic Naitanui fundraiser

Nic Naitanui was our very special guest at a function that was held at Central Park on Friday 15^th February. Nic was interviewed by Peter Kennedy, who is well known for his many years with the ABC as their political reporter. The interview was informative and inspiring with the conversation and friendly bantering between them being revealing, amusing and entertaining.

Nic was practically mobbed when he entered the venue, posed for lots of selfies and signed lots of memorabilia. He made a point of going over and speaking to the two disabled supporters who came from the Ability Centre; they were truly chuffed.

Louise Hancock commented that “Nic is an extremely generous person who went out of his way to make the guests feel very welcome and at ease. HIs generosity sharing meaningful insights of his career and life and attending to the needs of the community in particular the aboriginal people was enriching. HIs support for the FASD program that we are doing was encouraging.”

No Dirty Laundry

Commercial Laundry Solutions has donated four reconditioned Electrolux commercial washing machines and a drier to Cambodia for use in their laundries. Electrolux are providing ~$6,000 of parts to update and refurbish the washing machines.

These units will augment the single washing machine currently at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital, the biggest and poorest public hospital in Cambodia, which has over 800 patients through its doors every day. With only one washing machine, the linen is not being properly cleaned, so the new machines will greatly assist in reducing disease transmission.

In addition, Michael Flowers and his wife Jodie, who own the business, have offered to travel to Cambodia at their own expense to install the machines and train the locals on their use. Michael has also managed to obtain a supply of chemicals for the machines that will be included in the shipment.

Thanks Michael and Jodie, what a great effort, your assistance is greatly appreciated by us at Rotary and the people in Cambodia.