Rotary in Nadi provide support for Vanuatu

The following is an article courtesy of the Fiji Sun followed by further actions by Nadi Rotary to aid for the Cyclone Pam disaster in Vanuatu:

The Rotary and Rotaract clubs of Nadi held an aid campaign for cyclone victims in Vanuatu yesterday.

The joint initiative was coined by the Nadi branches.

Present at the drive was Member of Parliament and Rotary International member Sanjit Patel.

“This is the first relief that we want to send quickly and there will be people joining hands in providing assistance to our friends in Vanuatu and obviously Government will help,” he said.

Both clubs will be working with sister associations in Australia and New Zealand who are stationed in Vanuatu today to aid the distribution.

He said the response from the public has been outstanding.

“So far we have had people from Sabeto and even Kerebula bringing in bags of clothes and some have volunteered to get food. I’m proud of the people in Nadi who have been genuinely giving whatever they can,” he said.

The Rotary International club in Nadi plans to discuss logistics with the Fijian Government and try to provide food rations as well.

“We can show our compassion for our neighbours when they need us the most and showing them that Fiji is with Vanuatu all the way,” Mr Patel said.

Meanwhile, Rotary Club of Nadi president Krupesh Patel said the public donated basic necessities.

“Since we cannot be there with them psychically as Rotarians we thought people would really need these basic things,” said Mr Patel.

The collection from the drive included house hold items like kitchen utensils, curtains, linen beddings, shoes and toys.

The team in Port Vila will be assessing areas which are accessible for distribution.

Source Fiji Sun – 22/03/2015

In addition, Nadi Rotary report:

1.       We have collected just over ½ a 20ft Container load of items.

2.       This project / appeal to the public was done for 1 week where we printed posters, flyers and advertisements on Radio and TV as well.

3.       We had 2 locations points where all collection was done and 1 area where Nadi Rotaractors were doing all the sorting of the items.

 

Currently we are talking to few freight companies who can quickly get this shipment across to Rotary Club of Port Vila.

Rotary’s support could see cancer cure in 10-15 years

Rotarians on both sides of the Tasman are being urged to support New Zealand reconstructive plastic surgeon and research scientist, Dr Swee Tan, whose ground-breaking research into cancer may produce a cure for the disease in 10-15 years.

Dr Tan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute (GMRI), based in Wellington, New Zealand.

He and colleagues are pioneering an innovative field of cellular and molecular research that international experts have labelled a ‘paradigm shift’.

Dr Tan believes the GMRI’s work could lead to a cure for cancer in under two decades.

 

“Based on our discoveries, and the work currently underway, I believe that timeframe is possible,” he says.

“I believe we are on the right path.  It’s a function of having the funding and the resourcing to continue – and accelerate – our work.”

Dr Tan and his team and collaborators at the GMRI are world famous for their work on strawberry birthmark.

Not only did they find that stem cells arising from the placenta are the origin of strawberry birthmark, a vascular tumour that affects newborns, but they also discovered that those stem cells are regulated by the body’s renin-angiotensin system.

They succeeded in transforming strawberry birthmark stem cells into harmless fat cells, bone cells and red blood cells. Their discoveries underpin new treatments of strawberry birthmark by manipulating the hormone system that triggers the tumour to ‘commit suicide’ and self-destruct. 

“The discoveries we have made in strawberry birthmarks have given us insights into cancer. If we can do that for strawberry birthmark tumours, the logical conclusion is that we can achieve it for other tumours as well,” Dr Tan says. 

“We just need to identify the relevant regulatory systems within the body that control cancer stem cells.”

In additional to his work with the GMRI, Dr Tan has provided surgical services for free to the Rotary Overseas Medical Aid Corps (ROMAC).  He was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 2008 and was the keynote speaker at the 2014 Rotary International Institute conference in Wellington.

The past Governor of District 9940 and conference organiser, Pat Waite, says Dr Tan’s keynote presentation was rated the best by conference delegates.

“Over 80 percent of those surveyed noted Dr Tan’s presentation exceeded expectations, a remarkable result,” Pat says.

Now Pat’s urging Rotarians to support Dr Tan and his team to help progress their work on cancer stem cells, which are thought to be the driving force behind the development and progression of cancer.

The cancer stem cell concept proposes that all cancerous tumours comprise two types of cells:

·         Cancer cells that form the majority of cells within a cancerous tumour.  These cells possess little to no self-renewal capacity and spontaneously die out quickly.  They are traditionally treated by surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

·         A small number of highly malignant cancer stem cells that have unlimited self-renewal capacity as well as the ability to generate cancer cells.  These cancer stem cells resist radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which explains why cancers often relapse following conventional treatments.

Dr Tan explains this concept with the analogy of a beehive.

“The hive has lots of worker bees, which are the cancer cells.  These worker bee cancer cells are made quickly, but they have a limited life-span.

“But the cancer stem cells are the hive’s queen bee.  They direct the hive and produce the worker bees, but more importantly they have an unlimited capacity to replicate themselves, producing even more queen bees which, in turn, produce more worker bees. These queen bees can migrate to other sites and start new hives.

“And as yet, medical science does not know how to control or manage these queen bee cancer stem cells and that’s why the cure for cancer remains beyond our reach.

“But I believe we will find the control mechanisms because our work in strawberry birthmark tumours has provided a lot of insights into how this can be achieved in cancer.”

Included in May
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Habitat Youth BUILD

Habitat for Humanity Fiji joined the Habitat Youth BUILD campaign for the first time in December 2014.

The campaign is run across the Asia Pacific region to encourage the next generation to become involved in helping to alleviate poverty through adequate housing.

The Rotary Club of North Suva jumped on board adding their financial support to the events that Habitat for Humanity held over the 3 month campaign period.

The first event was a three-day build of two transitional houses in Suva’s Sukuna Park. This involved over 100 youth. One of these houses was rebuilt later outside of Nausori, north of Fiji’s capital, as a home for a family who were very much in need of shelter.

A group of Japanese volunteers arrived to build another two houses near Nadi on the west coast of Viti Levu. These houses were a continuation of work from the effects of tropical cyclone Evan in December of 2012.

The Habitat Youth BUILD campaign period ends mid March with Habitat Fiji announcing they now have an online donation tool available at Give2Habitat.org/Fiji.

 

 

Drury Rotary hits it off

The club has been organizing this special hospice tournament for quite a few years now and usually around $10.000.00 is being raised every year.

The last tournament was held in November and last Monday the money for our local Totara hospice was presented by club president Des Redgwell to CEO Tina Mc Cafferty who is very new to the job.

Tina thanked the club for the privilege of attending the meeting and acknowledged what community groups like Rotary do for the hospice. They receive 50% funding from Government but the other 50% is raised by hospice itself or groups such as Rotary.

It takes a bit of organizing the yearly tournament but the Drury club members do it with great dedication and it is a pleasure to give this money to such a worthwhile cause.

We couldn’t have done so well without the help of the local sponsors ,  we are very grateful for all the help received.

A runaway success

Farida Master was there to cheer and capture the five and10 km fun run/walk hosted by the Highbrook Rotary in words and pictures.

 

Living up to their reputation of being highly efficient, Highbrook Rotary business house fun run-walk challenge was a much organised affair.

There was an air of friendly, business rivalry as 460 fitness enthusiasts registered and turned up in their company colours to compete on Wednesday, Feb 25 at 5.30pm.   

Past district 9920 governor and commentator Rotarian Rob Crabtree kept the pace upbeat with lively commentary and state-of-the-art technology--recording every participant’s timing with registered name tags.

The proceeds of the fun run will go towards funding the Flat Bush School library and to Middlemore Health.

A big contingent from Healthy Hearts was spotted doing the five km walk, accompanied by cardio-respiratory physiotherapist, Sarah Mooney.

Healthy Hearts is an initiative of Counties Manukau Health for people suffering from heart failure.

Another group of people with chronic lung condition who are a part of the Better Breathing programme also challenged themselves. They felt safe and supported by respiratory physiotherapist Sarah Candy and her team.  

 Acknowledgement:  Farida Master, Journalist, Times Newspapers Ltd

Included in May
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Performers showcase tai chi fan dance and the tribal dance at the Chinese New Year celebration

The sharp click of traditional Chinese fans, accompanied by energetic kung fu danceby like movements, had a mesmeric effect on the guests.

The enchanting tai chi kung fu fan dance along with the Chinese tribal dance was part of the entertainment at the Chinese New Year celebration hosted by the Rotary Club of Auckland South.

The celebratory evening at Te Tuhi Centre of Arts on Reeves Rd, Pakuranga was a feast for the senses. It started with tables laden with scrumptious Chinese fare, followed by an introduction from the well spoken past District Governor Ron Seeto and exchange of Rotary banners with other clubs in and out of the area.

Members and presidents of different Rotary Clubs that included the Rotary Clubs of Somerville, Pakuranga, Newmarket, Drury, Ellerslie Sunrise, Otahuhu, Papatoetoe West and St Johns were present in a strong show of support for the new Taiwanese club in New Zealand.

Assistant governor Avalua Tavui, district governor elected Jennie Herring, assistant district governor Sue Fairburn were also seen partaking in the celebration.

Adding a poignant touch to the evening was Phil Tchernegovski.

The Kiwi sculptor’s son Reuben had gone missing in the mountains of Alishan, Taiwan, in 1998.

Mr Tchernegovski spoke about how he travelled to Taiwan in search of his son.

“I lost my son but made 24 million friends,” he said. “I was so overwhelmed with all the love from strangers in Taipei, the local mountain people, the media and the police who came out of their way to help me in my search of my son.” The grateful father presented a copy of his book titled Mountain of the beautiful moon, based on the search for his son to Kitty Chung, president of the Rotary Club of Auckland South.

The evening ended with guests being presented traditional red packets that symbolise good fortune.

 

Acknowledgement:  Farida Master, Journalist, Times Newspapers Ltd

Feature (cover)
article in May
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Waiheke Rotary's busy start to the year



All are pulling above their weight to great effect

Waiheke Rotary have the usual busy start to the year with their four signature events all well supported and very successful.

The first, on the 17^th January with 770 entries, was the annual Wharf to Wharf race from Orapiu, up many very steep hills to arrive 25 kms later at Matiatia http://wharf2wharf.co.nz/. All of the local Rotarians are Marshalls each year and guide the runners through intersections and by passes to arrive safely – if not exhausted -at the other end. Each year Rotarians are taken through the updated ideas of first aid and resuscitation if we witness a collapse or injury and the local doctors ride the course continually on their motor bikes ensuring they are all OK. The weather was perfect and the runners had a fantastic day with many prizes allocated.

The second was the iconic Onetangi Beach Races on Sunday 22^nd February which has being going for over a hundred years and run very successfully by Rotary for the past 17 years http://www.onetangibeachraces.co.nz/.

It has evolved each year attracting more visitors as the word spreads and more exciting events happen. The first event was the world’s largest Sealegs race as Waiheke proudly boasts the most per head in the world with over 70 on the Island each costing at least $175,000. Then the usual tractor, kids in wheel barrows  and horse racing plus tug of war, silent auction, storytelling, fashion in the field etc providing a fun exciting free day for all.

The next event was Opera On The Gulf on Saturday 28^th February held at the spectacular cliff top home of Tony and Sandra Pope in Cory Road overlooking the Hauraki Gulf http://www.waihekeartgallery.org.nz/whats-on/events/opera-on-the-gulf/ . This was an outdoor concert attended by over 200 opera lovers where they listened to an inspiring mixture of favourites performed by Helen Medlin, Patricia wright, Rodney McCann and Richard Greagor and the Aotea Youth  Symphony Orchestra. In between the breaks the guests were served delicious canapés and award winning Waiheke wines.

Part of the funds collected went to The Waiheke art gallery.

The last summer event was the King Of The Bay on Sunday 15^th March http://www.rotarywaiheke.co.nz/photo-gallery/king-of-the-bay-2012. This was the day that Cyclone Pam decided to wreak havoc around the island with high winds starting around lunch time. However, with 60 entries there was still had a lot of fish to weigh and auction. This year, instead of the largest fish, to preserve the breeding stock it was decided to have a mystery weight which was 1.2kgs. Over 200 locals were in attendance and the proceeds of the event will be going to Living Without Violence.

The proceeds from the first three events came to around $40,000 which has been distributed already to:

Waiheke High School (Goal Post Pads) $1,440.00

Takapuna North Rotary (Challenge Camp) $330.

Dictionary Project (School Dictionaries) $1,080.00

Science and Technology Summer Science School [2 x Students] $3,200

Youth Rypen [ 6 students]$1,500.00

Hip Hop Foundation $500.00

RNZWCS for Vanuatu $500

Waiheke Youth Trust [Friends Of The Street vehicle] $6,000.00

 Waiheke Health Trust (Wheelchairs) $3,000.00

 Waiheke Dirt Tract (fireworks donation) $500.00

Waiheke United Football Club $1,200.00

Rotary membership is great for your brain and memory health, but can you do more?

Memory Matters!

Rotary membership is great for your brain and memory health, but can you do more?

"I have a terrible memory."  How often have you heard that? When I meet new people and tell them I research and treat age-related memory loss, the most common response is "You should research me - my memory is so dreadful!"  Is it really?

Do you...

·         Lose your glasses?

·         Forget names?

·         Have trouble remembering appointments?

·         Forget why you went into another room?

What's happening?  Are you losing your edge?

Many people are worried about memory and become concerned these occasional lapses may be the beginning of losing memory altogether. Perhaps you have been told that from the age of 50 you lose brain cells at a prodigious rate.

The good news is that neuroscience, with the aid of sophisticated imaging techniques, has blown away the old gloomy myths around ageing and memory.  It is likely that your memory has dulled simply because your brain (and maybe your body, too!) is no longer in tip-top shape.  You don't have to accept memory lapses as inevitable - you can take steps to improve your brain fitness.

PDG (9970) Don Eadie enjoying  our

memory games on a

The University of Auckland

health robot.

After several years of researching memory, it became apparent that too many people accept memory loss as inevitable. With my sister Gillian Eadie, a noted educator, we combined our skills to create practical solutions to  help people remember confidently and well at any age.  Then our own mother, Jeanie, in her 90s, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As we cared for her we became 'sisters on a mission' to make sure everyone knows we can grow new brain connections every day and harness the power of these neurons. And so the Memory Foundation was born, established to provide all the information you need to make sure memory serves you well.

We've had fun along the way. A partnership with The University of Auckland led to our very own memory games being enjoyed by older people on the University's delightful health robots. You can play our memory games yourself on the Memory Foundation website. We greatly enjoy the new confidence shown by people  who take our Brain Fit for Life^™ workshops.

Staying mentally active, engaging in physical exercise, staying socially engaged

and other important lifestyle factors all contribute to a sharp memory. That’s well known. But so many people asked us, “How do we go about setting up the best memory habits?’ that we devised a plan to get brain and memory health on track.

The result is the book 7-Day Brain Boost Plan. Our own backgrounds of memory expertise and education combine with contributions from a nutritionist and exercise specialist to give a day-by-day, step-by-step plan.

The response from readers has been extraordinary. After we made a television appearance last week, an 87 year-old viewer rang to say he felt mentally 20 years younger!

Check out the Memory Foundation website for yourself on http://memory.foundation

to enjoy our memory games, read about your memory, or try the 7-Day Brain Boost Plan.

Dr. Allison Lamont (Rotary Club of Auckland East) is founder and clinician at the Auckland Memory Clinic, http://memoryclinic.co.nz, or email dr.lamont@memory.foundation

Included in May
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A perspective on Diversity

- By Simon Manning, District Governor Elect in District 9940, NZ

We have been told to ensure that our clubs are diverse in their makeup; sometimes this is easier said than done. This is but one of the challenges for all of us to continually do, for our clubs and for Rotary International to achieve on a daily basis.

 

I was asked to write this article as being an incoming District Governor for the 2015-2016 Rotary year who is openly gay. I was a bit surprised because yes, I am openly gay, but rarely think of my sexuality as a big thing. It always surprises me when people are brave enough to refer to my sexuality as I really don’t give it much thought. Yes it is a part of who I am, but it is only one part, and probably not most important part either.

 

I operate under simple principles and values which as a child were taught to me by my parents; those were to always tell the truth, and to consider the feelings of others before I open my mouth. Mum and Dad didn’t know about the Four Way Test, but they did a pretty good job in summing up the values of Rotary. They were the first leaders I encountered in my life.

 

Like most Rotarians, I joined Rotary to be part of an organisation that makes a difference in the lives of those in my community, and indeed in communities all around the world. Maybe I do bring an aspect which is different, but then we all have different gifts to share.

 

I live in a community where our Rotary club doesn’t completely reflect the community we are serving, so our challenge is to see how we can encourage those of different race, sex and culture to join us as we try to make a difference in the world. Our club like many will understand better the needs of the community we serve if we embrace other cultures, sexes and races. In fact our ability to make a difference will be vastly improved if we can achieve this in all of our clubs worldwide.
 

It is my belief that the biggest barrier is our traditions. They are so old fashioned that those who enter through the doors of our clubs cannot relate to how we run our meetings. Our meetings look very odd to non-Rotarians. Clubs in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific have to change now or they will continue to decline.

 

I have no doubt that we as Rotarians have the best intentions and we do good in our community, but we fail to connect to the people we are trying to attract, and many clubs in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands have failed to change in a way that is attractive to new members.

 

On first glance the Rotary International Board is diverse, but our organisation needs to have a women president and this needs to happen as Dame Edna would say “quick sticks”.

 

While Rotary International has most certainly embraced the race and culture aspect of diversity, it needs to sort the gender balance out. My message is to the Board of Rotary International – Get a woman president and do it now because until this happens, Rotary will always be seen as a male organisation with some women members, which is what our image says to non-Rotarians.

 

There are many districts in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific that are making the changes required, but my fear is that the change is far too slow.

 

Diversity is not something to avoid, it is something to seek out. Change isn’t something to fear, it is something to embrace. If we get diversity and change in harmony, just watch the growth of a Rotary, a better Rotary, a more relevant Rotary and “What a Gift to the World” that will be.
 

I am proud to be a part of Rotary, but I want a new vibrant Rotary. Do you?

DGsE Simon Manning (9940) and Jennie Herring (9920) prior to the New Zealander’s stage performance at International Assembly in San Diego, USA

Included in May
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Rotary's initial response to Cyclone Pam

The picture shows the power of the cyclone and damage to structure and trees
that was to become widespread

Rotary has responded very quickly along with many other NGO's to the devastation of Cyclone Pam on Vanuatu.

600 prepositioned Emergency Response Kits have been sent by RNZWCS - www.rnzwcs.org.nz 

1000 shelterbox kits have been sent by ShelterBox - www.shelterbox.org.nz 

Both RNZWCS and ShelterBox have also launched cash appeals via Give-a-Little to make available further aid.

Details of these two appeals are on their websites and at www.cyclonepam.rotarysouthpacific.org

Included in April
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