Jun Jun has a much brighter outlook on life since his surgery.Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS
By MELISSA MEEHAN
AN ACT of kindness by a Dandenong eye clinic means a Filipino man will keep his sight so he can continue his charity work back home.
Last week Venanicio Betarmos, known as Jun Jun, had much-needed surgery on his left eye. The surgery prevented a birth defect from causing him pain and blindness.
His surgery was a resounding success, and Jun Jun is already back home looking after more than 120 children each week in the poorer and slum areas of Davao (in the southern Philippines) as part of his work as a church pastor.
Despite never having the finance available to see a doctor about his condition, he came to the attention of Marlee Foo, the director of nursing at the Dandenong Eye Clinic during her visit to the country with a team from South Eastern Christian Centre in May last year.
She met Jun Jun who explained that the growing birth defect was not only painful but affecting his vision.
Upon hearing news of Jun Jun’s plight, Dandenong Eye Clinic plastic surgeon Dr Roger Davies and anaesthetist Dr Darrel McNeil agreed to operate for free.
Marlee said the surgery went very well and was all healed up by the time Jun Jun left Melbourne on Tuesday.
“He’s a very happy chappy,” she said.
“The surgeon was very happy with how it went so we sent him back home with some eyedrops and antibiotics and away he went.”
During his time in Australia Jun Jun stayed with Marlee for a few weeks before spending his last weekend with South Eastern Christian Centre pastor Mike Cronin.
