Thousands of people living on remote Pacific islands will have their lives turned around thanks to an international fundraising campaign led by the Tauranga Rotary Club.
Marine Reach's Tauranga-based medical relief ship Pacific Hope now has all the equipment it needed to carry out eye surgery to remove cataracts.
"It is a huge deal for us," Marine Reach founder and chief executive David Cowie said after yesterday's ceremony on board Pacific Hope.
Rotarians from Tauranga Rotary's sister clubs in Broadbeach, Queensland and Kasaoka, Japan, gathered to mark the occasion in which the clubs collaborated to secure a substantial Rotary International Foundation global grant.
The generosity of the sister clubs and their global organisation meant that villagers living in far-flung Pacific islands no longer needed to go blind for the want of a simple operation.
Yesterday's ceremony ended with the surprise announcement that Mr Cowie had received the highest honour that can be bestowed by Rotary International, a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Rotary's past district governor Russell Turner said the award was for the vision and determination shown by Mr Cowie to found and lead the great organisation called Marine Reach.
"He is an outstanding New Zealander and a person who exemplified Rotary's maxim of putting service above self and doing good in the world. He is the newest Paul Harris Fellow in the world."
Mr Cowie responded that he was totally surprised and honoured to receive the recognition that really goes to the hundreds of young men and women who volunteered to serve on the ships.
"They are the true heroes and I accept this on their behalf."
Pacific Hope was the fourth ship to be operated by Marine Reach in its 25 year history, with two other ships currently operating around Papua New Guinea and the Mediterranean. During this time half a million people had received medical treatment and another half a million had gone through its school-based community health programmes.
The $103,000 raised by Rotary meant that Pacific Hope's third voyage since the former Japanese industry training ship was refitted in 2015 would include having American eye surgeon Jeff Rudgart on board.
He would carry out an estimated 275 procedures during a full-on fortnight of operations in Vanuatu, after which the ship's only surgery would revert to being a dental and doctor's surgery for the rest of the year.
"It's hard to get qualified ophthalmologists who are available in our time frame," he said. A lot more cataract procedures would be carried out next year.
Mr Rudgart would be assisted by Tauranga eye nurse Ineke van Laar as part of Marine Reach's back-up nursing team of five people. Mr Cowie said dentistry was a major focus for Pacific Hope, with only one dentist for every 35,000 people in Vanuatu.
"We target the poor, isolated communities. No nation can be productive if its people are constantly unhealthy or ill," he said.
The man who drove the project, Tauranga Rotary Club past president David Garland, acknowledged the significant contributions made by the three Rotary clubs and individual members.
Rotary District Governor Keith Owens said it was a sterling effort by Mr Garland.
"He negotiated road blocks, and there were a few."
Christian Rotarian Ann Owen of Tauranga Rotary recalled the day that she felt an overwhelming determination to priortise her financial resources towards a humanitarian project. She said it was the same day that the crew of Pacific Hope were praying for an ophthalmology unit.
The Japanese guests, Kasaoka Rotary Club president Kiyoaki Nagashiki and past District Governor Yoshio Sato, talked about the success of the sister club links since 1985 and their determination to continue to help humankind through Rotary projects. Broadbeach Rotary Club was represented by past president Bill Rex.
A total of $60,000 came from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and the balance from Rotary clubs and many individual contributors.
What the $103,000 bought:
Four operation instrument sets: $29,800
Eye scanner with ultra sonic probe: $24,600
Ophthalmic operating microscope: $12,600
Eye operation chair/bed: $13,300
Cornea keratometer: $12,900
Eye examination slit lamp: $8000
Eye pressure tonometer: $1300
Ophthalmoscope: $600