Reaching out to the Pacific
While Sue Hadfield of Mt Maunganui decided to join Marine Reach for a two and a half week mission around Fiji, she knew she couldn't go empty handed.
Marine Reach is the ship ministry of Youth With A Mission. Their vessel, the M/V Pacific Link, travels around the islands providing medical, dental and ophthalmic care, along with their interdenominational ministry.
Sue was keen to provide assistance in diabetes care and she got in touch with Julia Wharton of Roche Diagnostics. It didn't take long before Julia had arranged a parcel of Accu-Chek Advantage blood glucose meters, and boxes of testing strips, along with finger prickers and lancets.
Sue says diabetes is a major risk for people of the Pacific Islands, so the Accu-Chek equipment was a big help.
"It was great to have the right equipment to be able to test people," she says.
Visiting Lakeba and Cicia in the Lau Islands of Fiji, Sue says they visited dozens of villages, providing blood glucose tests on the spot. Other people were able to be treated for dental and cataract problems on the vessel which is equipped with a dental and ophthalmic clinic.
"Everyone on board is a volunteer, and we all pay our own way to be there, so it's a real help when companies like Roche support us as well," says Sue.
If you would like to know more about the work done my Marine Reach, visit www.marinereach.com