When Jo and I put this expedition together with the No Roads Expeditions team, we knew that it was going to be special however it ended up exceeding our expectations.  We have come to accept the highs and lows of No Roads to Health expeditions and when we lost Bern due to illness in Brisbane, the team was devastated. But how ecstatic were we when she waved from the plane on Day 3 at Popondetta!!

Rodney’s welcome speech will stay with me forever – he said you call yourselves “No Roads to Health” but in fact you are showing us “the road to health”.

Buna was once again very busy and CHW Rodney and the local health committee had in excess of 100 patients waiting to be seen by us.  Soddy and Diane (Guest House owners) looked after us very well and it was great to be able to have a swim in the sea in the morning and evening.  Rodney’s welcome speech will stay with me forever – he said you call yourselves “No Roads to Health” but in fact you are showing us “the road to health”.

​A highlight of Buna was the amazing service that Kate organised to pay tribute to a friend of her’s father and mate;  two soldiers who fell there in 1942 – a very special moment for all of us.

We landed in Tufi and were transferred to the first of 4 amazing guest houses with magnificent ocean views.  This is a very different expedition as we did not have No Roads Expeditions porters to look after us, however the guest house owners could not have done more for us and the food they provided was tasty and well supplemented with a range of sauces that Jo brought along.  As always coffee bags and a range of teas were well received by the team.

All of our clinics were busy and during the week these were the results:

• treated in excess of 260 patients at 7 clinics
  
• eye tested 100 adults
  
• eye tested 120 students at Tainabuna School
  
• delivered school based education on sexual and reproductive health to year 8 & 9 students and oral health and hygiene educational programs to year 4,5,6 & 7 students.
  

We were very lucky to have Eddie Jim from the Melbourne Age with us and I have attached a range of pictures that Eddie has generously supplied us.  Eddie is preparing a number of photo journals and we hope that one of them will enable him to win back to back “Feature/Photographic Essay Photo Of The Year” - Nikon-Walkley Awards for Excellence in Photojournalism.

To the amazing clinical team of Yen, Bern, Coral, Kate, Sue,  Alois (PNG Eye Care) and the super professional and efficient Clinical Team Leader Jo – you are all amazing.  You worked tirelessly with the local health care workers (Bevan, James and Nixon) and Bevan said it all – “this is only the beginning”.  To Pete who was happy to lend a hand to do anything and do much of the heavy lifting – thanks heaps.

Lastly, the team had the privilege to escort home Koko – an 8 year old boy with a severe orthopaedic injury who will have his life changed through the amazing work of the Children’s First Foundation and Dr Leo Doonan - Paediatric and Adult Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Enjoy the photos.

Stewart (Sooty)
Expedition Guide
No Roads Expeditions
[email protected]