Thanks for surgeons- Andrew Chisholm, from CityLife Church, Amphil Badra, Dandenong Hospital north ward nurse unit manager, Sani Haekase and Colin Madeley, from CityLife Church, at the presentation of

By Bridget Cook
DANDENONG Hospital was recognised for its efforts in performing life-enhancing surgery on overseas patients this week.
CityLife Church donated $30,000 to Dandenong Hospital on Monday in appreciation of Southern Health donating its services and surgeons donating their time to perform the surgeries.
In October, Dandenong surgeons removed a huge tumour from the right side of the jaw of 16-year-old Sani Haekase from West Timor, free of charge.
In November last year, surgeons also removed a life-threatening facial tumour from Yuliana Nahak, 23, from Indonesia.
Both of the girls’ trips were sponsored by the CityLife Church in Melbourne and organised by missionary nurse Rayma Tracy.
Doctor Colin Madeley, from CityLife Church, said the church wanted to give something back to the hospital for what it had done.
“They were generous enough last year to do a surgery free of charge, and again this year,” he said.
“We felt it was appropriate that we donated something back to contribute to the fairly significant expenses associated with the surgeries.
Mr Madeley said the money was raised through a stall that members of the church had run, fundraisers and donations from groups, business and individuals.
“It’s been great to be able to make a difference to someone’s life,” he said.
The Star reported on Sani’s story this year.
Surgeons removed a tumour about 26 centimetres long by 16 centimetres wide, weighing two kilograms, from the right side of her jaw, in an extensive 15-hour operation. The surgery involved cutting out a bone from Sani’s leg to put in her jaw.
One month on from the operation, Sani’s recovery was going well and she was expected to return home to her family and friends in West Timor just in time for Christmas.
Sani was brought over to Australia for the surgery by Ms Tracy.
Ms Tracy works in Timor and met Sani four years ago when the tumour was “tiny”.
“I visited Sani again in January this year and the tumour had grown excessively,” she said. “I then asked her family if they would be interested in me taking Sani to Australia to have the tumour removed, and they said yes.”
Without a public health system in West Timor, Sani’s family was unable to afford an operation of its type.
Dandenong Hospital surgeon James Leong said he was proud to be involved in the surgery.
“It was a privilege for both me and my colleagues to be involved,” he said. “We were all up to the challenge.”