Home > News > December 2006 > Mercy dash to save a Solomon Island infant
Elma Katekura, a 12 month old girl from Honiara in the Solomon Islands, was rushed to Mater Children's Private Hospital recently for emergency medical treatment to remove a foreign body from her right lung.
The infant had accidentally inhaled the plastic tip off a coat hanger causing respiratory distress and pneumonia.
The high risk procedure to remove the foreign body was performed at Mater Children's Hospital on Sunday, 23 July by ENT surgeon, Dr Anthony Parker and anaesthetist Dr Phil Stephens.
Failure to remove the foreign body would have caused massive infection of the right lung resulting in the loss of the lung or even death.
Elma made a full recovery after the surgery and after a few days was able fly home with her very thankful mother.
The emergency procedure was made possible thanks to Charity group Aspen who coordinated the mercy dash, the Solomon Island Government who funded the child's transfer from Honiara, the Australian Embassy who facilitated visas, the Southern District Lion's Clubs who covered all the medical costs and the doctors who donated their time.
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