By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
HEALESVILLE Sanctuary hosts many international visitors each year, but tourism wasn’t Celastina Diaz’s first reason for her visit to Australia.
The 11-year old came from Timor Leste to Melbourne to undergo major surgery last week.
Repairing a hole in her heart and a faulty mitral valve, the surgery was performed at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
The trip was sponsored and organised by the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children, or ROMAC, who brought 45 children to Australia for surgery during 2013-’14.
On her discharge from hospital, Celastina and her mother Natalia have been housed by Liz Olie, a member of the Rotary Club of Doncaster.
Celastina’s time in Australia was made especially memorable by her visit to the sanctuary, where she got to see many animals including kangaroos.
Her ‘magic moment’, an opportunity to get up close with the kangaroos and meet their keepers, was donated by Healesville Sanctuary along with free admission to the sanctuary.
The Rotary Club of Healesville’s Graeme Chester said the club felt it was extremely important to support the ROMAC program.
“The aim of ROMAC is to provide medical treatment for children from developing countries in the form of life-saving or dignity restoring surgery, not accessible to them in their home country,” he said.
“We try to give everyone we bring to Australia the chance to experience something more than just the hospital, and the kids get really excited about seeing our native animals.”
Celastina will return to Timor Leste when doctors believe she is healthy enough.
