LUNCHEON - 29TH APRIL 2015

Speaker: Gerry Phillips, Chairman of the District 9800 ROMAC Committee

Topic: Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children

ROMAC began in 1988 when Rotary clubs in Victoria began sponsoring children from the Pacific region to be brought to Australia for treatment by some of our most eminent surgeons who generously donated their services. 

ROMAC’s mission is to provide medical treatment for children from Pacific Rim developing countries in the form of life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery not accessible to them in their home country.

Notwithstanding there are tight parameters on the number of cases which can be treated, in 2014 ROMAC treated our 400th patient!

A key benefit is the experience surgeons and staff acquire from treating conditions not usually seen in Australia. 

Our big challenge is finding funds to continue the program with increased costs and a never ending demand for places for patients from our neighbours in the Pacific.

Gerry Phillips is Chairman of the District 9800 ROMAC Committee, and has been involved with ROMAC since 2009.

He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Albert Park for 17 years, has had numerous roles and was that Club’s president in 2001-02. That was the year that Albert Park’s Ann While was District Governor, and so Gerry played a leading role in the preparation and conduct of the District Conference on Mt Bulla.

A retired insurance broker, Gerry is married to Sharon. They have three adult children and one grandchild.

Gerry is speaking about ROMAC and the opportunities we have to support this fine program.

Synopsis Of The Lunch

At the luncheon on the 29^th April Gerry Phillips made a presentation on the activities of Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) of which he is Chairman.       

ROMAC began in 1988 and sponsors children from the Pacific Region to be brought to Australia for treatment for life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery. Many prominent surgeons offer their time to perform these procedures. Jerry cited many cases of procedures performed and mentioned that since inception 400 children had received operations. As demand remains high there is an ongoing need to raise further funding explaining that the costs of the organisation are currently running at around $1 million p.a. Melbourne Rotary Club has made contributions over many years as have a large number of Rotary Clubs. ROMAC is one of the many Rotary sponsored Group making a big difference to disadvantaged people.