EDITOR’S WORDS
Welcome to the 24th issue of the AHHA newsletter: a non-profit charity newsletter brought to you by our volunteer contributors. This edition focuses on AHHA’s work across Cambodia and Vietnam as we resume full-scale charity projects post-COVID.
Since 2003, AHHA has provided critical ophthalmic, medical, dental, and humanitarian aid to underprivileged communities. Key achievements include over 10,000 cataract surgeries, 20,000 dental procedures, and the construction of two community centres in Vietnam and Cambodia. We have also raised millions of dollars for humanitarian aid, both locally and internationally. These achievements are only possible thanks to the tireless work of our volunteers, the generosity of donors, and the support of our partners.
In this edition, we cover AHHA’s most recent activities in 2024. You’ll read about:
• Field trips to Vietnam and Cambodia, which included over 3,000 health checks with medicine, food parcels, milk powder, and nappies provided to underprivileged communities. Additionally, more than 600 medical and eye checks were conducted, resulting in 442 cataract surgeries and over 500 dental procedures for the underprivileged in Cambodia.
• Volunteer experiences, including training provided to local doctors and dental students to enhance clinical skills.
• Fundraising highlights and photo galleries showcasing key events and achievements.
Special thanks to our newsletter contributors, especially Dr. William Trinh and Ted Mylnarz, for their hard work in making this publication possible. We are deeply grateful to all AHHA volunteers and supporters for their role in helping us continue this important work.
For more information on past and upcoming projects, visit our website or stay connected through our Facebook page.
Happy reading,
Will C.
Letter from the Chairman
Author Dr William Trinh OAM
Dear supporters,
I am very pleased to inform you that AHHA has successfully resumed all pre-COVID charity projects this year in Cambodia and Vietnam.
For projects in Vietnam, I would like to especially thank Dr Hien Tran AHHA vice chairman, Ms Tanya Anh-Tuan and Dr Cuong Nguyen who were the main coordinators with our Vietnam local partner Bac Si Tinh Nguyen BSTN based in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to provide more than 3000 health checks with medicine, food parcels, milk powder and nappies for babies in April, August and November respectively in Lam Dong , Binh Thuan and Quang Ngai areas. We also donated one ultrasound machine and one portal dental unit to BSTN for the missions. AHHA is pleased to continue financial support to the Tinh Thuong Community school in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to provide evening classes for hundreds of unprivileged children who are unable to afford to attend formal education during the day.
In August, we were fortunate to have 103 dedicated, compassionate volunteers working hard over ten days to provide over 600 medical, eye checks with 442 eye surgeries to restore sights and over 500 dental procedures for the underprivileged from Phnom Penh, Kampong Thom, Prasath Sambo and Kandal regions in Cambodia. AHHA also provided trainings to local doctors and dental students to enhance their clinical skills. In addition, AHHA provided food parcels to assist 1000 poor families in the outskirt of Phnom Penh and donated one Alco Phaco surgical machine and one Zeiss operating microscope to Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital.
Following the field trip in Phnom Penh, 12 AHHA volunteers headed to AHHA community centre in Thua Thien province, Huey, Vietnam to provide 200 eye checks and 300 food parcels to the poor. As a result of eye checks, 25 patients had their eyesight restored with cataract surgeries by our local eye surgeon Dr Uyen Phan at Hue Provincial hospital financially supported by AHHA.
I would like to thank our generous donors and our dedicated volunteers who have made AHHA’s life changing projects possible. I also would like to thank our local partners for their incredible support and assistance: HE Prince Tesso Sisowath, Prof Meng Ngy, Prof Do Seiha, Dr Long Chhour of Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital, Governor Dr Serey Chea, Mr Sideth Ly of National Bank of Cambodia, Dr Huot Cheng, Mr Sean Ngu of Khmer Sight Foundation, Prof Ian Findlay, Dr Seoun Sopharith, Dr Callum Durward, students and staff at Dental school, University of Puthisatra, Prof Sovanthida Suy of Department of Health, Ms Wai Ly and Sister Chon Hanh of Pho Nam temple, Mr Son Hong Nguyen and volunteers of Bac Si Tinh Nguyen group.
Finally, I would like to thank AHHA management members and team leaders for their support and hard work throughout the year to keep AHHA’s life changing work for the underprivileged to continue: Dr Hien Tran, Mr Ted Mlynarz, Dr John Nguyen, Ms Isabelle Nguyen, Mr Michael Tran, Ms Tanya Anh-Tuan, Ms Minh Ai Le, Dr Michele Tjeuw, Dr Hung Tran, Dr Chinh Nguyen, Dr Phuong Anh Lam, Dr Michael Stefanescu, Ms Tuyet Nguyen, Ms Christine Nguyen, Mr Scott Marshall, Mr Charles Hii, Mr William Cheng, Mr Michael Luong, Dr Troy Limjoon, Ms Emi Izawa, Dr Minh Duc Tran, Mr Peter Kandasamy, honourable Ms Dan Dang and honourable Ms Janice Le
With warm regards, Dr William Trinh OAM, OD
2024 August Field Trip
Author Ted Mylnarz
Following the success of the 2023 Field Trip, eager and enthusiastic AHHA volunteers began arriving) at Sydney Airport early in the morning (5:00 am) on 8th August 2024 to commence the annual mission to Cambodia and Vietnam. Volunteers from Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth also arrived at their respective airports for the flights to Phnom Penh.
Excitement ensued and soon the volunteers were meeting, reacquainting and greeting first time mission travellers. It was not long before the hard work began. The truck delivering around 1,000kg of medication and equipment soon arrived and it was “all hands on deck” to unload the cargo and move it to the check-in counter. All was efficiently completed and the volunteers were ready to go and the journey to Cambodia and Vietnam was on its way. Similar events took place in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Around 80 volunteers from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth were ready to continue the humanitarian and charitable work for the poor, disadvantaged and needy for which AHHA is renowned. Cataract Operations, Eye Examinations, Medical Examinations, Dental Procedures, Medication Dispensing and distribution of Humanitarian Food Parcels. These services are provided free-of-charge to the patients who are disadvantaged and some disabled who otherwise would not be able to afford these services or receive medical attention due to their isolation in rural areas.
Cambodia
The day after arriving in Phnom Penh the hard work began. The teams began setting up at the relevant locations in preparation for the days ahead.
In Cambodia during the five days, the Eye, Pharmaceutical and Medical teams operated from the
Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh. The first day was devoted to setting up the operating theatres and examination rooms while some volunteers took the opportunity to visit a village where humanitarian food parcels were distributed. The next three days were devoted to processing the patients while providing medical and optometry examinations as well as performing cataract operations.
The Dental team was situated at the University of Puthisastra Dental School where procedures were carried out mostly on children with special needs, disabilities and being disadvantaged. This situation provided an opportunity for the dental students to work closely with AHHA dental staff and learn invaluable procedures which provided a learning experience for their studies.
Overall, during the next few days the following results were achieved:
810 medical and eye health examinations with medication prescribed and provided.
437 eye/cataract surgeries.
510 dental patients examined and treated. (See dental article for details).
900 humanitarian food parcels distributed.
AHHA is grateful for the assistance and contribution of the following organisations in Cambodia, without their support and partnership many of the activities would not be possible:
- National Bank of Cambodia
- Khmer Sight Foundation
- Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital
- University of Puthisastra
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Health
Vietnam
Following the completion of operations in Cambodia some volunteers returned home while a smaller group proceeded to Hue in Vietnam to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. Another team travelled to Tanh Linh and Binh Thuan.
HUE
AHHA with the support of its sponsors and generous donors undertook to construct an emergency/ evacuation centre on the grounds of the Pho Nam Temple, a short distance from the city of Hue. Due to regular and constant flooding caused by severe monsoonal downpours, villages are severely inundated by floodwater and some lives had been lost. With the construction of the centre, villagers are able to find relief and shelter from the floods until they are able to return to their homes.
While at the centre in the temple grounds, the following results were achieved during one day of activity.
300 eye examinations with 30 considered for cataract operation.
TANH LINH and BINH THUAN
Working with the Saigon Volunteer Doctors group (BSTN) AHHA donated medication and distributed 700 humanitarian food parcels and provided medical and dental examinations to the disadvantaged communities. Milk and nappies were also donated to a local orphanage.
It is amazing what AHHA achieved over ten days to make a difference and improve the lives of so many. Thank you for the dedicated and compassionate volunteers and the wonderful and generous support from our donors and sponsors.
2024 February Field Trip
Writers: Dr Hien Tran, Tanya Anhtuan & William Cheng
Rice Donation for Phat Buu Temple (Chùa Phật Bửu):
With the help of local friends and supporters, AHHA purchased rice directly from Tiền Giang (76km) outside of Saigon to donate 3,600kg rice for Phat Buu Temple charity kitchen. We are pleased to share that the volume of rice donated will enable the kitchen to feed the local community for half a year.
Donation of cooking ingredients and condiments:
Since last year the nunship had been constructing an extra building next door to expand the size of the orphanage. However as completion was late, there was insufficient time for to increase the number of allowed kids. Therefore part of the money that was initially allocated to milk powder and nappies, was use to buy cooking ingredients and condiments to donate to the charity kitchen.
Ingredients and condiments donated:
� 30 kg sugar
� 30 kg dried mushroom
� 30 kg vegetarian “spareribs” (direct translation here)
� 40 kg msg
� 14 kg vegetarian spice
� 100 L cooking oil
The nun said that these donated ingredients and condiments will last the charity kitchen 3 months.
Monday 17th February 2025
On Monday we visited the charity kitchen in Gò Vấp (half
an hour drive from Saigon CBD). Preparation commences around 10 am and cooking commences 11:30 am.
Food is freshly prepared and served warm when distributed to the recipients around 2:45pm
The kitchen prepares 300 meals every day (used to be 500 but donations are getting harder to come by). The meals are distributed to the poor patients and their families at the Children Hospital 1 (Bệnh Viện Nhi Ðồng 1).
With each meal prepared, a sample is given to the microbiology department of the Hospital, and a sample is kept by the kitchen. This is to ensure the Hospital that the food is well prepared, safe and also acts as a safeguard for the charity kitchen. This has been the practice since the commencement 4 years ago of the charity kitchen of the Phat Buu temple (Chùa Phật Bửu).
Friday 21st February
On behalf of AHHA we visited a temple in Cu Chi (27km, 2 hours drive from Saigon CBD) to distribute monetary gifts to 100 blind individuals. Some of these people have congenital blindness, some due to accident or illnesses resulting in permanent blindness. A number of them are homebound and some earn a living by selling lottery tickets or trinkets on the streets.
The nun organised a morning prayer session for these people, followed by a vegetarian lunch. From various donations the temple received, she organised for each person a 10 kg bag of rice and a box of noodle.
AHHA donated for each person in an envelope, 100,000 VND.
2024 April Field Trip
Dr Hien Tran, Tanya Anhtuan & William Cheng
In April 2024, a small number of volunteers carried out charity work in Vietnam on behalf of AHHA.
Monday 15th April – Tuesday 16th April
The start of this trip commenced with medical examinations for the Mai Am Chuc Tu orphanage in Binh Thanh, Saigon. Our team saw a total of 91 orphan patients from newborns to children of up to five years old. In addition to the medical checks, AHHA donated 100 cans of milk powder and 50 large bags of nappies in various sizes
Thursday 18th April
AHHA volunteers visited the Hòa Hảo school in Saigon where AHHA has been donating the monthly rent for its continued servicing for the local community. The school provides its students with both education and life skills. Without Hòa Hảo school, children would not have access to basic education due to their impoverished family circumstances.
In addition to its educational curriculum, Hòa Hảo school provides daily afternoon meals for these disadvantaged children.
On this trip, AHHA donated 100 parcels for the children with each parcel consisting of :
� 10 kg of rice,
� 1L soya sauce
� 1L of cooking oil and
� Fresh eggs (packet of 10)
Saturday 20th April
The final leg of our April trip was to further support
Bac Si Tinh Thuong, a volunteer group of Saigon health professionals which has carried out monthly humanitarian missions for the past seventeen years.
AHHA was proudly the major sponsor for the group’s April medical in Lâm Đồng, situated outside of Da Lat city.
The Saigon team (150 volunteers) travelled by bus overnight to Lâm Ðồng and then carried out the work the Saturday. The collective team performed the following procedures:
� Eye team: eye examinations and dispensing of glasses for 216 patients
� Gynaecology team: 63 pap smears
� Dental team: 58 patients
� ENT team: 38 endoscopies
� ECG team: 89 patients
� Ultrasound team: 134 patients
� Pathology team: Blood sugar testing for over 170 patients
� Physio team: 34 patients
� X-ray team: 205 patients
� GP team: general health examinations for 610 patients
� Hairdresser 81 haircuts
� Pharmacy team: dispensed 435 prescriptions
In total, 1,069 patient examinations were performed and 779 scripts dispensed. AHHA was proudly the sponsor for 700 food parcels and medications for over 600 patients.
Writers:
2024 Dental Report
By Dr Michele Tjeuw
The AHHA Dental Team has been working closely with the Professor Callum Durwood and A/Professor Souen Sopharith from the University of Puthisastra (UP), to support the national goal of Universal Health Care. By working with Dr Tiida Sieng from the Collaborating Centre for Innovation in Population Oral Health (CIPO), we have been following the Healthy Kids Cambodia Protocol to provide consistent preventive and restorative care. This year, we met with Dr Magnus Wilson, who is establishing a Special needs dental unit, aiming to provide treatment with intra-venous sedation and under general anaesthesia.
Many thanks to A/Professor Souen Sopharith, who as the Assistant Dean of the University of Puthisastra, is leading the Dental School towards quality care for all Cambodians. We are grateful for the partnership with the University of Puthisastra and the opportunity to teach and work alongside the dental students and Faculty staff.
Dr James Ngo led our well received Educational program with a lecture series where Dr An Tran spoke on her experiences with Community Dental Projects, Dr Niv Kamalendran shared his specialist expertise on Restorative Care for Children, and Dr James Ngo gave an insightful lecture on the Application of Application of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry.
Our team were particularly inspired by the humanitarian trip to the villages, where we saw firsthand how the flooding has impacted the communities. These communities are mainly comprised of displaced Vietnamese who, without Cambodian citizenship lack access to many educational and health services. AHHA were able to supply food parcels provided to these communities and hear from the locals, inspiring our volunteers for the future.
Clinical sessions were hectic as we wanted to provide comprehensive care to our patients. Drs Quang Dao and Connie Tao provided their medical expertise to ensure our patients with special needs had their pre-operative health screens.
Preventive oral care is instrumental to the success of caries management and I am pleased that we were able to provide oral hygiene instructions and home care packs to all the patients. Dehydrated milk powder was given to some of the undernourished children who exhibit signs of failure to thrive. Sustagen nutritional supplements were provided to the resident doctor of our special needs community, to be distributed to the severely disabled as required.
SDI, an Australian dental company, and leader in preventive restorable materials, generously donated Riva Star (SDF), which has been instrumental in arresting caries in the primary dentition. We were able to use their range of SDI materials to arrest early childhood carious lesions, provide GIC fissure sealants and restore teeth their range of GIC and composite resin materials.
We would not be able to provide our restorative care with the sponsorship from SDI who have graciously provided the materials for our project. Thank you for your generous support of our work and interest in our project.
Together with the UP Dental students, AHHA Team Dental are able to provide an extraordinary quantity of high quality treatment to the communities who would otherwise miss out on care. Not only do our dentists provide excellent treatment, but our administrative team provides care for the children through toys and entertainment, making their dental day out enjoyable.
543 Patients Seen
414 Sealants
868 Restorations
29 Root Canal Therapies
418 Extractions
65 patients need Follow up Care @ UP
20 patients need Follow up GA
Community Groups Served
Chompa Village
Domnork Therk Organisation for the Disabled Pioneer Partner Cambodia
Kampong Chhang Village:
� Huyen Talach
� Kampong Pa Sat
� Pomreas
Cau Saigon
Thmey District: Khan Sen sok, Phnom Penh
Refugee for the Poor
Somrong Thom Village
New Family School for the Blind & Deaf
Floating Village
Dr Magnus Wilson is keen to expand access to the large special needs dental patients who often require sedation or anaesthesia to receive dental care. Drs Chinh
Nguyen and Connie Tao were able to see provide their insight as they saw the sedation set up of the new special needs clinic at UP and meet Dr Yos Chantos, a private paediatric dentist and Dr Theera, their anaesthetist, at local day surgery (Chenda Poly Clinic).
Much gratitude goes to our volunteers who selflessly offered their time & expertise to be part of a productive team. By self funding the cost of travel, we were able to maximise our contribution to the Cambodian community. Each of our volunteers brought a unique set of skills to make our team thrive.
To the joy of turning colleagues to friends- Thank you to:
The 2024 AHHA Dental team
Dentists:
Dr Chinh Nguyen
Dr Nivethanan Kamalendran
Admin/ Logistics:
Christine Nguyen
Ron Thyen
Comprehensive restorative treatment was provided by UP dental students under the supervision of AHHA dentists. More complex treatment was completed by AHHA dentists and our pharmacist was able to prescribe appropriate medication to manage infection and pain.
Specialist Paediatric dental care has been funded by AHHA and arranged at a private Day Surgery to ensure those with the most needs can access good care.
Meals and transport were provided for children receiving dental treatment, who were entertained with songs and games as they waited for treatment.
Meals and transport were provided for children receiving dental treatment, who were entertained with songs and games as they waited for treatment.
Educational Program:
An Tran: Community Dental Caries: decay, prevention and Oral hygiene instructions
Niv Kamalendran: Restorative Care for Children.
James Ngo: Application of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry
Testimonials
Volunteering Experience: Dr An Tran
Growing up in Australia, I was always incredibly lucky to have a safe and secure upbringing. My parents were doting and always made sure my siblings and I were raised with an education, food and a comfortable roof over our heads. We all grew up with a great emphasis on obtaining a university education so that, should the situation ever arise where we had to escape the same nature of political conflict as our parents, we could build ourselves out of poverty.
This trip with AHHA was certainly not my first experience volunteering for people with unfortunate circumstances. The first few years of my career were spent volunteering at a health clinic for impoverished, at-risk or refugee patients in Brisbane. I had also devoted Easter to joining this same group to venture out to Tara (four hours west of Brisbane) to treat the patients there, most of whom had very very little access to a local dentist for their needs.
This trip with AHHA was certainly my first experience realising that I had taken many things for granted as an Australian citizen. The water supply was not well-regulated or safe to drink even for locals, the food - however delicious - was not always safe to eat, and largely due to the water supply: most children in Cambodia had extremely high rates of decayed, missing or filled teeth. In the three-and-a-half days spent volunteering in the university clinic, there was an impossibly high amount of mouths with rampant decay in children under the age of ten. Even just one
of these cases would be a rarity at home in Australia!
The most touching part of the trip, aside from interacting with very friendly students and forming bonds with the AHHA team, was visiting people in the Floating Villages and learning about their lives. Delivering food parcels and seeing their smiles on receiving help was incredibly touching. Many of them had also managed to be transported to the university for dental treatment and told me (via my broken Vietnamese that I now need to brush up on) that they were in their teens and still had not gotten past primary school year five.
I later learned that there was no school facility available to them beyond primary school, on account of the lack of government support for displaced people. Yet again I was struck by how much I had taken for granted the ability to go to school. I was also flooded with gratitude for my parents for raising us well and for the Australian government for allowing them to become citizens and grant us the ability to grow up a normal life, without the experience of true conflict or war.
In many ways, this trip has taught me to appreciate what I have and therefore use my resources to help and aid those less fortunate. It has placed me outside of my comfort zone and taught me to become flexible in the face of difficult clinical circumstances and gifted me with compassion beyond what I also possessed. I’ll see you next year AHHA!
Dr Connie Tao (Anaesthetist)
This is my first trip with AHHA to Cambodia as a medical volunteer.
I have had the privilege to spend time with the dental and eye teams and was very impressed by the amazing work they performed, helping the underprivileged, those with disabilities and also the ones who live in poverty.
I could see an incredible amount of work has been put in to prepare for the 2024 Phnom Penh mission. It was wonderful to witness every member of the team working together to make this trip a great success. Looking forward to doing this again in the future.
Dr Tim Huynh (Dentist)
This was my second year on the AHHA trip as a volunteer dentist. I had the opportunity to provide dental treatment for underprivileged adults and children, and it was a very rewarding experience.
I also had the opportunity to visit a couple of the rural villages and I must say when I got there it was quite sad seeing the conditions that these people are living in on a day to day basis.It was nice to see how excited the village people were to see the AHHA volunteers and how happy and content they were with us handing out the minimal everyday essentials.
Feedback:
The trip was well organised by AHHA committees and volunteers, especially Michael and Christine.
The hotel and breakfast were much better than the previous year, as we all needed it after a hard day of work, because we needed to be able to sleep in a proper clean bed and environment to recharge for the next day.
My only suggestion to AHHA is to let the public know that the volunteers paid for their own flights and accommodations so they don’t have the wrong impression that we used their donated money to stay and eat in a nice hotel and restaurants.
More Testimonials
Dr James Ngo
My reflection of the many trips with AHHA
*Making a Difference in Cambodia: A Heartfelt Journey of Dental Care and Compassion*
In the heart of Southeast Asia, Cambodia is a country rich in culture and history but also marked by deep poverty, particularly in its rural areas. Many of the most vulnerable—orphans, young children, and impoverished villagers—Nestled within are thousands of poor Vietnamese communities whom also have limited access to essential healthcare, including dental treatment.
Recognizing this critical need, AHHA ( Australian Health Humanitarian Aid ), a dedicated team of dental professionals joining the Eye team from Australia embarked on an annual charity trip to Cambodia, driven by a shared mission: to provide much-needed dental and eye care to those who need it most.
Reaching the Unreached
The trip focused on delivering dental treatment to orphans and children, for some who have never seen a dentist, as well as villagers living in remote areas where healthcare services are scarce. For many, this was their first experience receiving professional dental care, making it a life-changing opportunity to alleviate pain, treat infections, and prevent future dental problems. The smiles on the faces of the children and the gratitude of the villagers were powerful reminders of the importance of such missions.
Mentoring Future Dental Professionals
In addition to providing direct care, the team took the opportunity to mentor dental students at a local university of Puthisastra in Cambodia. This aspect of the trip was particularly fulfilling, as it allowed experienced dentists to share their knowledge and skills with the
next generation of dental professionals. The students eagerly absorbed the lessons, benefiting not only from technical training but also from the emphasis on the ethical responsibility of giving back to the community.
The Power of Community Support
Such an endeavour would not have been possible without the generous support from the community in Australia. Donations poured in from individuals, businesses, and organizations, all united by the common goal of improving lives in Cambodia. The team was also deeply grateful for the local volunteers in Cambodia, whose assistance was invaluable in coordinating logistics, translating, and ensuring that the trip ran smoothly.
Celebrating Teamwork
The success of this mission was a testament to the power of teamwork. Dentists, dental students, volunteers, and donors all played crucial roles in making the trip a success. Working together in often challenging conditions, the team demonstrated remarkable resilience, dedication, and compassion. Each member contributed their unique strengths, and together they achieved something truly special.
A Blessing and an Honour
Reflecting on the journey, the team members expressed a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to give back. In a world where so many are in need, being able to make a tangible difference in the lives of others is a blessing. The experience not only touched the lives of those in Cambodia but also left a lasting impact on the hearts of everyone involved. The trip was a powerful reminder that when people come together with a shared purpose, they can create meaningful change and bring hope to those who need it most.
As the team returned to Australia, they carried with them not just memories, but a renewed commitment to continue their work in underserved communities, knowing that the ripple effects of their efforts will be felt for years to come.
Case Reports
1 2
A 4 yo boy, born with a developmental delay and poptosis eye, came from a Cambodian NGO home that specializes in providing child protection services to vulnerable children and those with disabilities.
He presents with extensive early childhood caries
Medical check: healthy, ASA 1
EO: cooperative for dental check but unlikely to cope with extensive restorative care in dental chair
Level 1 & 2 treatment provided at UP: SDF, GIC sealants (materials sponsored by SDI)
Referred GA follow up care at Chenda Poly Clinic Day Surgery for restorative care (sponsored by AHHA)
15yo boy, healthy villager, working as a farm labourer, 1st dental visit, travelled >3 hrs to attend dental check, no access to care
MH: healthy, well, cooperative no pathology, fair Oral hygiene
Numerous carious lesions in permanent dentition, including upper incisors
preparing for marriage- appearance of teeth as issue for marriage
Treatment: xrays, clean, fluoride, GIC Fissure sealants, composite restorations of upper incisors, GIC/ CR sandwich technique, extraction of 4 grossly carious 1st permanent molars.
Freedom Plaza Cabramatta Fundraiser April & October
Writer Dr William Trinh, Will Cheng
In July and October, AHHA, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Liverpool West, held its BBQ fundraising events at the iconic Freedom Plaza in Cabramatta. It was great to see the local community to enjoy the sunshine and support AHHA fundraising efforts for our missions in Cambodia and Vietnam.
AHHA volunteers wearing our iconic yellow shirts are to be commended for rising early on the Sunday mornings to assist with the sausage sizzle, entertainment and fundraising. Thank you everyone for your assistance for ensuring our fundraisers are a great success.
Freedom Plaza Dinner
25th May 2024
Writer Ted Mlynarz, Dr Hien Tran and Ms Tanya Tran
Turning Twenty-One is an exciting time for everyone. This year AHHA celebrates its 21st Birthday with a return to the Crystal Palace Function Centre at Canley Heights, NSW, for its Annual Fundraising Dinner.
Around 500 guests attended, along with the guest of honour, HE Prince Tesso Sisowath of Cambodia (attending for the third time), Ms Dai Le MP, Federal member for Fowler, Mr Tri Vo MP, State member for Cabramatta. The evening was filled with an entertainment extravaganza of dancing performances by Wendy Brown Productions, singing and camaraderie where old friends and volunteers were able to reconnect and renew friendships following a few years of interruption and little or no overseas activity due to Covid-19. AHHA volunteers, sponsors, donors and supporters were able to enjoy an evening of friendship, entertainment and great food, most importantly, to share the experiences and achievements of Australian Health Humanitarian Aid.
The theme for the evening was “Join Hands To Make a Difference”, and the opening song “We Are The World” was sung by volunteer singers and the dance performed by the students of the Australia Dance & Drama Co. The guests were reminded of the plight of the poor, needy and destitute around the world and that any assistance for those suffering DOES make a difference to their lives, livelihood, families and wellbeing.
The fundraising for the evening was extremely successful with a substantial amount being raised to enable AHHA to continue its work in Vietnam and Cambodia as well as Australia where support is provided to assist those affected by natural disasters such as drought, flood or other types of catastrophic events. A highlight of the
evening were the two auctions of a Penfold Grange and in particular, the traditional Cambodian dance costume, presented by Prince Tesso, drew plenty of interest and some exciting bidding ensued. Thanks to Dr Hung Nguyen and his wife, and Ms Amanda Le for their tremendous support of the auctions.
All in all, a very successful evening which will enable AHHA to continue its programs and projects which include sight restoration for the blind, who would not be in a position to have the operations, dental programs for disabled and underprivileged children, education and scholarship programs, as well training programs for local dental and medical students.
The event was made possible by the hard work of the organising committee and the volunteers who participated on the night. A special mention to Dr Hien Tran, Dr Joseph Do and Linda Do who were instrumental in organising the event and entertainment.
A big THANK YOU to the entertainment groups of singers and dancers who provided a night of skilful performances greatly appreciated by the audience.
Without the AHHA sponsors, donors, volunteers and contributors of equipment and medication the missions to Vietnam and Cambodia would not experience the success which has been achieved over the past twentyone years.
Thank You to everybody involved.
University of Puthisastra Voice - GA at Chenda Polyclinic
Writer Ted Mlynarz, Dr Hien Tran and Ms Tanya Tran
Every Friday morning dentists from UP are providing dental treatment under general anesthesia for special needs patients from the National Borey for Infants and Children at the Chenda Polyclinic. These patients have extensive dental problems, and could not be treated in the normal way.
The treatment is being provided by special needs dentist, Dr Magnus Wilson, and Dr Callum Durward and Dr Yos Chantho (pediatric dentists). Mr Puthisa (dental student) and Mr Kimhab (dental nurse from CIPO) assist.
The Chenda Polyclinic is generously providing general anesthesia and hospital stay at a heavily discounted price, and we have financial support from Dr Michele Tjeuw and the AHHA NGO in Australia. The UP CIPO team provides administrative support so that the whole project runs smoothly.
Thanks to everyone for making this important service possible.
October Kampong Chhang Parcel Donation
In October 2024, with your help, we distributed 100 parcels to families in Kampong Chhang who were severely impacted by the recent floods. These natural disasters devastated their homes and livelihoods, leaving them facing immense hardship every day.
Your contributions and partnership with AHHA made it possible for us to provide essential aid and let these families know they are not alone. By working together, we’re able to extend compassion and tangible assistance to those who need it most, and that’s something we should all be very proud of.
Thank You 2024 Field Trip Volunteers
Writer William Cheng
AHHA wishes to thank each and everyone of our 2024 field trip volunteers. Thank-you for your commitment, compassion and generosity which contributed to another successful mission.
Ruba Abdul Razaq
Diego Acosta Izquierdo
Tanya Anhtuan-Nguyen
Steven Anhtu-Nguyen
Deborah Bowers
Tung Bui
Charlene Chiu
Li Ping Chow
Thanh Dang
Quang Dao
Keiralyn Dao
Caitlyn Diep
Chi Kim Dinh
Abel Do
Steven Doan
Vicki Dodd
Angela Driscoll-Smith
Alan Fitzpatrick
Kevin Foo
Katherine Foster
Trevor Gin
Malvika Gupta
Charles Hili
Thao Hoang
Monet Hooper
Thien Huynh
Tess Huynh
Son Huynh
Thanh Huynh
Zachary Huynh
Emi Izawa
Nivthanan Kamalendran
Peter Kandasamy
Anh Kieu
Julie Kieu
Cindy Kim
Sie Liu Koo
Anthony Quang Lam
Anthony Hoang Lam
Anh Phuong Lam
Clarissa Lapuz
Minh Ai Le
Kim Cuc Le
Anna Le
Bianca Le
Jessica Le
Rebecca Le
Nicola Lim Joon
Troy Lim Joon
Lance Liu
John Males
Scott Marshall
Karen Mill
Ted Mlynarz
Suk Ting Ng
James Ngo
Quang Ngo
Angela Nguyen
Anika Nguyen
Austin Nguyen
Chinh Nguyen
Christina Nguyen
John Nguyen
Minh Nguyen
Christine Nguyen
Tuyet Nguyen
Van Tay Nguyen
Vu Nguyen
Mika Odani
Sarah Palmer
Loi Phan
Chantelle Phan
Jordan Phan
Anthony Poon
Michelle Read
Marie Rivadillo
Michael Shui
Michael Stefanescu
Jessica Tang
Connie Tao
Ron Thyen
Michele Tjeuw
Andrew Traill
Allison Tran
An Tran
Caroline Tran
Helen Tran
Hien Tran
Michael Tran
Minh Duc Tran
My Linh Tran
My Phung Tran
The Minh Tran
Thien Tran
Tobias Tran
Tommy Tran
William Trinh
Ryan Tsang
Danielle Tsang
Yoshua Tsang
Evangeline Tsang
Lo An Vu
Stephanie Wong
All volunteers pay for their own expenses including airfares, accommodation, transportation and meals.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Marie Rivadillo
Sterilising Manager
Writer Marie Rivadillo
Aptly named AHHA, our medical mission to Cambodia was a “eureka” moment for me. Our contingent flew out of Melbourne, Australia on August 8, 2024, with a short stopover in Singapore, before we landed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We were then shuttled to a community called Khmer, where we set up our make-shift ORs. It was my first time to join a medical mission and what followed was a memorable journey, something I have never experienced before.
I was born and reared in the Philippines, an impoverished country in Southeast Asia. Indeed, I grew up in poverty. However, fate smiled at me and my fortune changed when I and my family reached Australia. For the first time, I felt secure in many ways. I am so thankful for my blessing that when I heard of volunteering for a medical mission in Cambodia, I did not give it a second thought. As a Central Sterilising and Supply Manager, I was allowed to share my expertise in sterilisation, ensuring that the medical procedures carried out were done safely and effectively despite the limited resources available
The mission was fulfilling and gratifying on many levels as I shared my skills and knowledge in sterilisation to people who are less fortunate than I am. It warms the heart to see patients who saw the light of day again after a long imprisonment in darkness. My most cherished moment was when poor children queued for toys and candies which I distributed to them with gusto. I bought these gifts out of my own pocket and my only regret was that I should have brought some more. Somehow, I can see among the crowd of recipients an image of myself when I was a child. I noted that in next year’s medical mission, I will bring along flip-flops since most of the children have no footwear. Those who do have often mismatched pairs. Perhaps I will contact a local to do the marketing so as not to burden myself with the cost of bringing the goods to Cambodia.
Cambodia has a very rich culture, history, and tradition, even richer than my native Philippines. They have magnificent structures to be envied like Angkor Wat (which regrettably, we failed to visit) or the magnificent palaces and temples of Phnom Penh, the capital city. The people are very hospitable and pleasing and will go to great lengths to make our stay in their country comfortable and pleasant. Even his excellency, Prince Tesso of the Khmer people, joined the fun and gave us a hearty and warm reception.
Sadly, amidst this richness in historical background,
the country was devastated in a civil war, the effects of which still haunts the people. Millions of landmines and unexploded ordinances are still embedded in the land causing unwarranted casualties among the people. It is not uncommon to see limbless farmers and children who had the misfortune of stepping on those relics of war. Indeed, this paradigm left me scratching my head as I wonder how good will the flip-flops be if the recipient has only one leg.
Setting up the operating rooms was a huge challenge given the lack of clean water and equipment. Yet, we were able to overcome by improvising onsite without sacrificing the minimum medical standard in sterilisation. Fortunately, the power supply is quite stable. The Eye surgeons with us worked feverishly as we treat about 85 patients daily. Overall, we distributed about 900 food parcels to the communities, as well as personal donations of toys and candies to the children. About 810 health and eye check ups and about 437 eye surgeries (cataract removal) were performed, in addition to about 510 dental treatment of children. Tooth care materials were also distributed to the children. At this point, it is also worth mentioning the superb assistance of the corps of volunteer interpreters who made communication with the locals a possibility; otherwise, we would have been reduced to hand gestures, signs, grunts and what not.
The mission successfully closed down after 5 ½ days of operation. At the close of business, all the equipment and machines were disassembled, packed up and stored in a warehouse we rented. They will be used again in next year’s medical mission. Some consumables were donated to the local hospital.
We had a break from work when we visited the community. We visited stilt houses and boat houses. It is said that the Mekong River causes death and destruction in its annual flooding. Yet, it is also the habitat of thousands of boat people who make the river their source of food, sanitation (or the lack of it), and mode of transportation.
To say that the AHHA medical mission to Cambodia is fulfilling and rewarding is an understatement. For me, it is a testament to the enduring spirit of humanity in people extending a helping hand to their less fortunate neighbours. After all, blessings are not exclusive and thus must be shared, to be divided not hoarded, and doing good is patently favoured rather than frowned upon. I came, I served, and I am still hungry for more. I look forward to next year’s AHHA medical mission.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Dr Vu Nguyen
Optometrist - BAppSc(Optom)(Hons), MD, MMed (OphthSc)
VUUU, AHHA MISSION 2024!
Writer Vu Nguyen
Describe your feeling in ONE word” came the ambush from the Media Team at our stopover in Singapore airport.
Camera, lights, action! It was wonderful seeing the friendly faces of our media team! New and old volunteers mingling in their bright yellow shirts at Changi, ready to embark on our 2024 Mission to Phnom Penh.
Without hesitation I replied – nostalgic. This made me reflect on my experiences with AHHA.
My first trip was in 2013, when AHHA was known as Vietnam Vision Projects - Australia (VVP-A). My sister Chan went on the 2010 and 2011 missions with VVP-A as an optometrist. I vaguely remembered hearing her stories, which piqued my interest. After graduating optometry from Queensland University of Technology in 2011, I moved to Adelaide. And so, my globe-trotting adventures began.
I applied online to VVP-A and was contacted by Dr William Trinh. William had never met me but was welcoming over the phone. In his reassuring voice, he invited me to join the 2013 mission. Leading up, we communicated via group emails. WhatsApp and Messenger were in their infancy back then.
I flew solo to Saigon in my laid back “everything always works out” mentality and made my own way to the hotel. I was nervous and excited. I did not know who or where any of the other volunteers were. Fortuitously, Helen, Minh and Vi were at the hotel reception. I struck up a conversation asking if they were also volunteers. My fears were allayed as they took me under their wings and introduced me to the
group. The next day we caught an 8-hour bus ride from Saigon to Da Lat.
I remembered this mission vividly. We worked at Bảo Lộc, a 2.5-hour bus ride from our accommodation in Da Lat. This meant a 5am departure (not wakeup call)! Breakfast was xôi (sticky rice) and a boiled egg, wrapped in plastic bags and distributed upon entering the bus. The days were long. We screened the less privileged and distributed food packages to local orphanages. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! The passion and enthusiasm of my fellow volunteers were contagious. Their relentless work ethic was inspiring.
THE EYE TEAM, 2013
My first volunteer experience with AHHA was humbling. I witnessed the impact of restoring sight firsthand. This re-ignited my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Previously, I was accepted into medical school after finishing optometry. I declined the offer as I wanted to work, travel and had minimal interest in pursuing further studies. After this trip, I returned to Australia and sat the medical school entrance exam the following year. I was offered a place at the University of Queensland Medical School commencing 2015. This time around, I accepted!
Fast forward four years, in 2018, I was a final year medical student and reunited with my AHHA family – this time in Phnom Penh. Although there were many unfamiliar faces, the feeling was the same. I was instantly welcomed back. I subsequently did my third trip in 2019, as a newly graduated doctor.
THE EYE TEAM, 2018
Post COVID-19, I embarked on my fourth trip in 2023 and convinced my sister Chan, to return after a 12year hiatus! Without hearing about her volunteer experiences, I would not have volunteered so early on in my career. One of the remarkable strengths about AHHA is that new and old volunteers continually mingle during different trips, allowing AHHA to grow and foster as a group.
I stuck with the optometry team, (informally known as the party group), but also aided the GP team briefly. Back then I was semi-proficient with a stethoscope and could auscultate for heart murmurs and lung sounds. But what I did not expect was having to decipher those sounds in a mosh pit environment.
THAT ROOM with optometrists, orthoptists, patients,
translators, GPs, pharmacists as well as volunteer students WAS ORGANISED CHAOS! I have the utmost admiration for our GP colleagues who continually examined patients, addressed their concerns, advocated, and reassured them the risk of surgery whilst keeping a calm and welcoming demeanour in such humid and challenging conditions.
Reflecting on my experiences over the last decade with AHHA has made me realise how lucky I am to embark on this journey. I would like to thank AHHA for the friendships made, the wonderful experiences shared and for being the catalyst for my adventure into medicine and surgery. Two weeks before the 2024 mission, I was accepted into the Ophthalmology Training Program in Queensland, commencing in 2025. Euphoria!...
A special shout out goes to the tireless work behind the scenes of our Management Committee both past and present, and to my optometry team leaders – Dr William Trinh, Khanh-Tien, Michael Stefanescu and the countless more volunteers for putting up with me through the years.
I hope the next generation of students turn AHHA volunteers will remain enthusiastic and feel empowered to initiate change through their humanitarian work. I am continually grateful to our patients for entrusting us with their health. I am nostalgic about the 2024 mission as I feel I have returned to this ever-growing family and am ecstatic to see what AHHA does in the next decade and beyond.
Until next time!
THE EYE TEAM, 2023
Ted Mlyanrz and Christine Nguyen
We are delighted to congratulate Ted Mlynarz for receiving the Rotary Paul Harris Sapphire award and Christine Nguyen for Rotary Paul Harris award last Saturday.
The awards are to recognise Ted and Christine for their dedication to humanitarian works in the community especially with their continued contribution to AHHA’s success.
Thank you, Ted and Christine for being wonderful volunteers over many years!
Thank You to
Angela Driscoll-Smith
Congratulations to Angela on the arrival of her new baby! The entire AHHA family extends our warmest wishes to Angela and her family during this exciting time. Congratulations once again on your wonderful new addition!
Peter & Matt
From ALCON
Who collected and reconditioned two Alcon Infinity phaco machines and one stand operating microscope. We also picked up one Zeiss stand operating microscope and my slit lamp.
Thanks also to Charlie and Ted, who rented the van and picked up the equipment despite the rain. We did not realise that each operating microscope weighed more than 120 kg and needed to be lifted into the van.
Your help was greatly appreciated!
Multigate Medical Products
We would like to acknowledge Multigate’s generous donation of theatre supplies. Multigate’s theatre supplies are essential for our doctors and nurses to perform cataract surgeries. Multigate’s continued support has greatly assisted AHHA’s mission in Cambodia.
2024 & Cambodia
Field Trip team)
Field Trip
We need your help!
Our mission would not be possible without the generous donations from our valued donors.
Your donations will help us to provide life changing cataract surgeries, vital dental treatments, medical & dental supplies, education sponsorships, school supplies, food packages and more to those in need.
Donate today to help us give sight to change lives!
Donation forms are available online at www.ahha.org.au/forms/ or see page 36 - 39 of this newsletter.
We thank you for your support.