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Soroptimist International South West Pacific

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East Timor '24 project

The aim of this project is to bring two qualified professional young women, Pascoela Bareta and Maria Guterres, from Dili in East Timor to Perth for a educational skills transfer visit, where they will visit hospitals, cancer treatment clinics, libraries and educational facilities to observe modern practices, the learnings gained from the educational visit will empower them to increase their potential and to improve the lives of women and children in East Timor.  These young women are already leaders in their communities, one in the field of education and the diagnosis of cancer in women and the other in inclusive library management and the implementation of education scholarships,  by expanding their knowledge, and observing modern methods and ideas, they will take these learnings back to East Timor to improve their own practices and empower the knowledge to others. 

SI Joondalup the sponsoring club, has a long term relationship with both these women, who they met in 2010 as young village girls, who through poverty or lack of opportunity had no hope of tertiary education. With the assistance of SI Joondalup, both women graduated with honours in science.. Their visit to Perth was to allow them skills transfer and learning opportunities.  

Images below are from the Xanana Gusmao Reading Room where Maria is the Manager.

SI Joondalup project lead Jennie Van Driel arranged visits with the following facilities. 

  • Harry Perkins Research institute hosted by Dr Andrew Redfern, Medical Director
  • The Western Australian State Library, tour by head librarian
  • Kalamunda Hospice
  • St John of God Oncology  Department visit hosted by team manager
  • Aboriginal Language Corporation  meeting with chief linguist and tour of facilities
  • McGrath Foundation  for Breast Cancer Care

Highlights and takeouts on the visit by Pascoela Bareta :

On visiting the Harry Perkins Institute, I was overwhelmed with everything – the generosity of the Institute, and Prof Andy in particular for giving up so much time, the size of the facility, the speed with which they can process pathology. Oncology department, the literature available for patients, the availability of access to collaborative effort in education and medical knowledge was wonderful. 

What I gained from my visit:

1.      Possible colloboration with Professor Andrew Redfern possibility will collaborate with Medical Oncology department in the future Maybe he can share his specialist on researchers on Cancer or other diseases to our medical Oncology doctor in Dili National Hospital

2.      Also, will collaborate with Harry Perkis Institute may they provide training to our health worker in Timor Leste.

3.      Feeling blessed that I had this opportunity to visit Harry Perkins Institute. 

Thank you once again for a spectacular presentation and tour.  The generosity of all involved was amazing.

My visit to the Kalamunda Hospice

That was one of my favorite places to visit the staff were very kind and generous in giving of their time to explain all detail to us. Actually, it’s my first time visit to Hospice,  in Timor Leste we don’t have any.  Really appreciate that Judy spent her time explaining all the details of the set-up of the Hospice. Such valuable practical information to me to bring home when we establish a Centre this year.
What am gain here during my visit:

1.      Connection medical doctor and Nurse at Kalamunda Hospital ask their support to provide us with their knowledge.

2.      Dr. Yamin also sharing Connection on Mentorship, awareness and fostering link in the Asia Pacific region. Will write an email to the president to provide online class on Palliative Care for nurse students

3.      Also, received valuable information and ideas on how to set up HALIKU women’s cancer support Center

4.      Impressed with how patients use creative activities every day with nurses, this provides me with inspiration maybe in the future our center will use this knowledg. 

Highlights and takeout by Maria Guterres on her visit: 

1..       The management of the book collection at the City of Joondalup and Wanneroo Library and Cultural 2entre is very well organised and this could be one of the ideas for me to adapt the management of the book collection in the XGRR library to make it look attractive and easily accessible to visitors.

2.       Possibilitity that the Joondalup City library will make a book donation to the XGRR library in the future.

3.        Book donations from: Harry Parkinsh, Kalamunda Hospital, Breast Cancer Care, and ASeTTS.

4.       Kate Van Driel and Jennie Van Driel have agreed to support the scholarship programme at XGRR.  They are committed to transfer money annually to support one student until the student graduates.

5.       I also learnt about the importance of preserving local languages and one of the things I learnt from the visit to the Noongar Boodjar Language Centre was how they make dictionaries for local languages using objects in the environment. I received an aboriginal language dictionary donated by Mr Kate Van Driel and this dictionary will be very important as it will serve as an example for the local language preservation programme in XGRR.

Below: Pascoela Barreto and Maria Guterres with Professor Andrew redfern at The Harry Perkins medical research Institute.

Project Lead Jennie Van Driel, reports on outcomes achieved since the visit:

Professor Andrew Redfern from the Harry Perkins medical centre has since visited Dili, and has written on suggestions of how he could help with the cancer clinic in Dili. 
The things that come to mind are: 

  • working out some kind of data collection process so cases can be measured, at least to an extent.
  • suggestions on screening engagement and delivery
  • possibility of a pathology service, even if specimens are taken and prepared locally and then slides are assessed in WA
  • a simple compendium of the most essential anti-cancer treatments that are off-patent or not vastly expensive.
  • Some form of negotiation with various pharma companies might help.

Pascoela Barreto was also put in contact with the International Arm of St John of God Medical Services which had an agent in Timor Leste.  This was  arranged by staff at St John of God Hospital in Perth which they visited.

The Australia Hospice Association has provided a workshop on end of life care to Dili and medical services in the hinterland   This service was instigated by the Kalamunda Hospital and Hospice which they visited while in Perth

Back here in Perth we have had an enquiry from another Soroptimist club who would like to continue to work with us on the Timor Leste project.

Local member of Parliament Emily Hamilton with Pascoela Maria and Jennie Van Driel
West Australian breast Care office. Maria and Pascoela with Soroptimist Jennie Van Driel and McGrath Breast Cancer nurse and office manager
Maria and Pascoela with staff members at St John of God Hospital in Perth

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