In our March issue we featured a story on Lyn Thorpe as our Inspirational Grandma. Lyn gives up so much of her time helping others and has acted in her nursing role on many overseas aide programs to help those in need of medical assistance. But one of Lyn’s greatest gifts of love has been to a young woman called Hadassah Aikari in Papua New Guinea.

Lyn and her husband, David, found Hadassah at The Kapuna Christian Mission Hospital in a remote village in PNG while they were on an Aus Aid Project April 2006. Hadassah was 21 at the time and had been virtually given up for dead after she had received burns to 40% of her body. The kerosene incident had occurred 18 month previously and, because of the lack of proper treatment, contractures of her skin caused by the burns scarring, meant that she was stuck in the sitting position.

Hadassah had many things against her recovery, one being the remoteness of her village. It was also too expensive to fly her to Port Moresby and besides that, it was said that anyone who went to the National hospital died (know as the hospital of Death).

But Hadassah also had stronger forces on her side. She is highly intelligent, head strong, determined and a devout Christian; qualities that helped her survive the long months and years of operations and rehabilitation.

And she also had Lyn and David and Rotary on her side. They arranged for the Rotary club in Port Moresby to supply Hadassah with Sustagen as she weighed less than 30 kilos and she needed to gain weight before surgical intervention in Australia. Also with the help of Rotary and Novacastrians they managed to raise an astounding $50,000 for Hadassah’s operations in Sydney. She underwent many skin grafts and the contractures that had formed in her groins and left elbow had to be released.

Whilst undergoing her 5 months of treatment and rehabilitation, Hadassah stayed in Lyn and David’s home where they took her in as part of their family. She returned to PNG in April 2007 and now lives an independent life after graduating last month with a diploma in Accountancy and Administration. Of course, Rotary is still a part of her life. She is now working in HR at Remington and will obtain a position in Management at the end of this year.

Lyn speaks lovingly and proudly about Hadassah and her achievements – “Hadassah is super bright, speaks perfect English and was due to start University the year of her accident. She plays piano, flute, guitar, paints and composes religious songs. She believes in positive thinking and that anything is possible. She also believes that God has given her a second chance”.

Since returning to PNG, Hadassah has become the advocate of the oppressed and sexually abused woman in Papuan New Guinea reflecting her self-determination to achieve and make a difference. She also told Joe Hockey in an interview that she, like him, will be Prime Minister but she will be the first female in PNG!

She is coming to Brisbane from the12th to the14th of June to attend a Burns Retreat for burn survivors sponsored by the Burn Foundation Australia and her air fares are sponsored by Goodman Fielder.

One of her dreams is to walk the Sydney Harbour Bridge as she used to watch the walkers on the bridge from her hospital bed.

Hadassah is due in Newcastle 14th June for 2 weeks and would like to thank ALL the people who made her Rehabilitation possible.

By Virginia Scott