JourneyOnline
SOVANNA KAK, a 15-year-old Cambodian girl, faced a life of pain caused by a large tumour on the right side of her jaw until the Rotary Oceanic Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) asked The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane for assistance.
In March the hospital’s Maxiofacial Surgeon, Dr John Arvier, removed a large benign tumour from Ms Kak’s jaw which was not only causing her severe pain, but also eating away her jaw bone.
The three hour surgery to remove the tumour and insert a titanium plate went smoothly and Ms Kak is recovering well.
Accompanying her to Australia were her mother, Kieng, and Cambodian doctors, Dr Someth Hong and Dr Sandeth Phan, who came to Australia to observe this procedure so they could help others in Cambodia.
The two Cambodian doctors also visited other hospitals to observe procedures and attended scientific sessions and social functions at the National Dental Conference during their week in Brisbane.
The Wesley Hospital and its partners have been involved with several ROMAC cases.
ROMAC performs a vital role in assisting children from countries across the Pacific and Asia where the facilities and skills are not available for such operations.
Photo : Belinda Condon, Sovanna Kak, Dr John Arvier, Saija Festa, Dianne Jesser, and Kieng Kak. Photo courtesy of Emily Bonney, The Wesley Hospital Communications Officer
