We have a wide range of activities in Vanuatu
Feasibility studies:
We are also currently involved in assessing the feasibility of introduction of breast cancer diagnostic
services to Vanuatu
Most of the steps towards this have been ascertained.
This is not a simple task. It needs multiple participants involved and coordinated.
It needs not only a mammography machine, but training to do mammography, someone to read the mammograms, someone to do the breast biopsies, someone to read biopsies (histopathology services), ultrasonographer trained in lump localisation and biopsy guidance, Doctors need to be trained in surgical techniques and treatment protocols, drugs need to be available to treat, nurses need to be trained to do post op care, nursing school has to train nurses in breast self examination, women need awareness campaigns to examine their breasts for lumps and report them, statistics data needs to be recorded. There is no chemo or radiotherapy in Vanuatu so only basic treatments will be available.
We are taking donations for this as there will be ongoing costs to be supported
We are also selling personal breast self examination training models to train women how to examine their breast at home and detect lumps early. Email us if interested ($150)
Introduction of new services:
Currently assisting MOH to assess the possibility of a sustainable histopathology service for Vanuatu
Fundraising:
Duck Races:
In 2009 and 2011 we ran the duck races to raise funds for cervical cancer prevention.
This was sponsored by ANZ bank Port Vila.
The funds raised purchased the colposcopy and Lettz machines for Santo and Vila hospitals. These machines detect and treat precancerous changes in the cervix and are currently in use.
Save a life Vouchers: We continue to fundraise via the “Save a life in Vanuatu” vouchers. $10 for one ($100 for book of 10) Please contact us if you would like to purchase or donate or sell on our behalf though your workplace, school or charity. (email mmcadam64@gmail.com)
Online Auction:
In next 12 months we will be having an online auction to raise funds. Please advise if you have anything to donate eg holiday place(anywhere worldwide), restaurant meals (Oz or Vanuatu), tourist activity, an experience, a lovely item, jewellery, etc ( email: mmcadam64@gmail.com)
Major Donor White Knight Program:
In order to fund all women health needs long term, we are also starting the WHITE KNIGHT program.
We are looking for major benefactors that will assist us to fund in perpetuity the womens health
programs in Vanuatu. A million dollars, will ensure the women will have screening and
vaccination services for all future generations and funds are protected by trust to ensure they
always remain available to them, specifically for cervical cancer reduction.
Another similar fund will be needed if breast cancer screening services go ahead
Purple Knights- donate $1000 annually
Blue Knight- $500 donation annually
Pink knights- donate $100 annually to support these women in their health needs.
The White Knight Program will keep participants closely informed of all progress, include invites to fundraisers, personal dinners with Prof Ian Frazer, escorted visits in Vanuatu to see the good their donations do.
Bequest Program : Make your life count. Saving a whole nation of women from cervical and or breast cancer is a magnificent achievement and wonderful legacy for any life well spent. A major donation would have a trust named after the major donor and be professionally administered and audited. Your contribution would be remembered with a plaque in your honour and an annual remembrance advert to remind Vanuatu of your life saving contribution to Ni Vanuatu health.
Please contact us if you would like to be part of this White Knight or Bequest Program for Vanuatu women.(emailmmcadam64@gmail.com)
Training
Looking at securing training for local nivan ultrasonographer to learn breast screening and localisation for breast lump biopsy
Introduction of New Technology
We are also trialling a mobile colposcope based on mobile technology in Port Vila Hospital. This allows doctors greater access to use this in their consultation rooms to view and diagnose and biopsy abnormal cervixes. This will enable detection of early pre cancer changes and prompt treatment to prevent cancer developing in the years to come.
Telemedicine
We are setting up access to a Telemedicine service for NiVanuatu doctors. This has now started. This will enable a second opinion and specialist access currently not available. The service will be available for expats as well at reasonable cost. See www.docto.com.au
Rheumatic Heart Disease reduction
We are in preliminary stages of planning a schools based Rheumatic heart disease. This is achievable and sustainable with Vanuatus current resources and will prevent many fatal cases of heart disease in children.
Practical Solutions
Investigation of afterhours womens transport to safely transport women home at night
Are there volunteers in the community that would agree to fill this role a night a week? Please contact us.
Linking with other Charities:
We also assist our sister charity , the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation in its work in Vanuatu in cervical cancer prevention, working alongside Ministry of Health. This new technology for cervical screening is “Care HPV” , a test developed specifically for low resource countries that identifies those women carrying the cancer causing HPV virus and offering them treatment to prevent cervical cancer long term. It is a simple test that is easy to perform and the machine needs no running water or electricity as it can run on batteries. Also we are assisting Ministry of Health with the implementation of the schools based HPV vaccination program to help protect the next generations of young women from cervical cancer.
Voluntouring
We are assisting ACCF to set up the Voluntouring Program. This program seeks to link Australian and Nz schools, families, workplaces and individuals with specific projects that give back to the Nivan community while at the same time allow time to enjoy the exciting adventure of a Vanuatu holiday. We have linked with Red Earth , a travel company that already does this for indigenous communities in Australia.
Contact us if you are interested in this for your school , family or workplace. (email mmcadam64@gmail.com)
Adopt a Village or School Program
This seeks to link the wider Tourist/expat community to specific needs within the Nivan community and create links of long term support for them. Do you know a school or community in Vanuatu that has some specific needs? Let us know. (email mmcadam64@gmail.com
Linking In
If you have a health project and want to link with us, or obtain assistance to link into ministry of health or another local NGO, please make contact. (email mmcadam64@gmail.com)
Yacht Based Health Program Linking
We are keen to link all the sea based medical programs with Ministry of Health to provide a coordinated annual visit plan. If we do this, we will achieve better health outcomes for Vanuatu as continuity of care is important in improved medical outcomes and an ad hoc approach does not achieve this as well. If you do a sea based medical program please let us know so we can all link in together to a coordinated plan with Ministry of Health.
IT Integration
Developing a software program to link hospital and health centres for cervical screening results