Another wonderful evening was enjoyed by all who attended last week's club meeting at Gilberts in Bentleigh. Jo Impey chaired the meeting and welcomed club members and guests Jo Kirk, Dee Mason, Raymond Pepito, Sarah Bennett, Angela Lynch, Tim Kidman, Gary Ramage, and our guest speaker, Misha Colman - CEO Interplast Australia. CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Neville reminded club members of "The things we say and do in Rotary, and the Four Way Test",
Birthday Wishes to Vishal Mahajan
District 9815 Rotaract Representative - Lily Setnik, will visit and address our club on Wednesday 9 December 2026.
An album of pics is HERE
RYDA Recipients - Two students and a teacher from Cheltenham SC will attend the club meeting on Wednesday 7 October and provide a report of their recent RYDA experience that was funded by our club.
A Parks Victoria Ranger from Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary will attend a club meeting in either December or January and talk about management and conservation activities at Ricketts Point.
RDA Visit - Jo reminded everyone of the visit to Riding for the Disabled on Saturday 24th October and to register on the club website if wishing to attend.
Upcoming rosters were announced.
A Parks Victoria Ranger from Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary will attend a club meeting in either December or January and talk about management and conservation activities at Ricketts Point.
RDA Visit - Jo reminded everyone of the visit to Riding for the Disabled on Saturday 24th October and to register on the club website if wishing to attend.
Upcoming rosters were announced.
GUEST SPEAKER - Misha Coleman, CEO Interplast Australia, and Rotarian.
We received a wonderful presentation from Misha Coleman who opened her address by thanking our club for supporting Interplast Australia. Since 2005, BMC has raised $85,000 for Interplast that has provided life changing surgery for adults and children within the Pacific region. Misha described some of the most common medical conditions and treatments performed, and the impact that surgery provides. In addition to improved medical outcomes, there is the importance of the social impact experienced by the individuals and their families who are often stigmatised and suffering discrimination on account of deformities since birth or disfiguring injuries sustained and left untreated.
Interplast commenced in 1983 by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in collaboration with Rotary. It is now an independent Not For Profit organisation that is supported by the Australian Government and Rotary through club and individual donations. Whilst sending medical teams to the Pacific region and conducting surgery remains a cornerstone of Interplast, the reach of Interplast is being broadened to provide much needed medical training in the Pacific regions where the necessary skills and expertise for treating and managing the associated medical conditions are lacking. BMC provided funding in March 2025 that was used for creating online specialist medical training at a university in Fiji, and which is now available to all within the Asia Pacific region. Statistics show that Interplast has provided medical reconstructive surgery to 27,000 patients, and medical training to 8,500 clinicians and 8,000 nurses in the Asia Pacific region.
Medical teams consist of two plastic surgeons, two anaesthetists, and a nurse who travel and donate their time on a voluntary basis, together with local medical personnel. Missions now cost approximately $80,000 for medical supplies, equipment and related expenses for missions of up to two weeks. Club member, Dr Helen Parker, will join a team to Samoa in November this year as an observer, and also impart her medical skills and knowledge working in an Emergency Department.
Misha spoke of the major and increasing prevalence of diabetes within the Asia Pacific region and its associated ongoing medical conditions as a consequence. Interplast Australia is providing programs for treating diabetic foot complications to reduce preventable amputations, and help save lives.
Misha ended her presentation answering questions from the floor. She thanked our club for its ongoing support, and presented Helen Parker with a certificate in recognition of funds donated to Interplast that Helen raised in the recent fundraising Melbourne Half Marathon.
Interplast Australia will be promoted and have stands at the District Conference in the Hunter Valley in March 2027, and the Zone 8 Conference in Melbourne at the end of October/early November this year. On a side note - Misha displayed a small hand knitted 'teddy' that are displayed at the stands - these are knitted and made up by volunteers and presented to all the patients who have been treated by the Interplast team, adding these are very well received.
President Neville thanked Misha for her wonderful presentation and presented her with 'a cheque' for $10,000 for Interplast Australia from our club.
Thank you Misha for a fantastic presentation - enjoyed by all.
We received a wonderful presentation from Misha Coleman who opened her address by thanking our club for supporting Interplast Australia. Since 2005, BMC has raised $85,000 for Interplast that has provided life changing surgery for adults and children within the Pacific region. Misha described some of the most common medical conditions and treatments performed, and the impact that surgery provides. In addition to improved medical outcomes, there is the importance of the social impact experienced by the individuals and their families who are often stigmatised and suffering discrimination on account of deformities since birth or disfiguring injuries sustained and left untreated.
Interplast commenced in 1983 by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in collaboration with Rotary. It is now an independent Not For Profit organisation that is supported by the Australian Government and Rotary through club and individual donations. Whilst sending medical teams to the Pacific region and conducting surgery remains a cornerstone of Interplast, the reach of Interplast is being broadened to provide much needed medical training in the Pacific regions where the necessary skills and expertise for treating and managing the associated medical conditions are lacking. BMC provided funding in March 2025 that was used for creating online specialist medical training at a university in Fiji, and which is now available to all within the Asia Pacific region. Statistics show that Interplast has provided medical reconstructive surgery to 27,000 patients, and medical training to 8,500 clinicians and 8,000 nurses in the Asia Pacific region.
Medical teams consist of two plastic surgeons, two anaesthetists, and a nurse who travel and donate their time on a voluntary basis, together with local medical personnel. Missions now cost approximately $80,000 for medical supplies, equipment and related expenses for missions of up to two weeks. Club member, Dr Helen Parker, will join a team to Samoa in November this year as an observer, and also impart her medical skills and knowledge working in an Emergency Department.
Misha spoke of the major and increasing prevalence of diabetes within the Asia Pacific region and its associated ongoing medical conditions as a consequence. Interplast Australia is providing programs for treating diabetic foot complications to reduce preventable amputations, and help save lives.
Misha ended her presentation answering questions from the floor. She thanked our club for its ongoing support, and presented Helen Parker with a certificate in recognition of funds donated to Interplast that Helen raised in the recent fundraising Melbourne Half Marathon.
Interplast Australia will be promoted and have stands at the District Conference in the Hunter Valley in March 2027, and the Zone 8 Conference in Melbourne at the end of October/early November this year. On a side note - Misha displayed a small hand knitted 'teddy' that are displayed at the stands - these are knitted and made up by volunteers and presented to all the patients who have been treated by the Interplast team, adding these are very well received.
President Neville thanked Misha for her wonderful presentation and presented her with 'a cheque' for $10,000 for Interplast Australia from our club.
Thank you Misha for a fantastic presentation - enjoyed by all.
An album of pics is HERE
