TVNZ Program Follows Kiwi Eye Doctor in the Pacific

TVNZ Program Follows Kiwi Eye Doctor in the Pacific

For immediate release: 15 July 2013

A TVNZ 20/20 current affairs story set to air this Thursday follows Kiwi ophthalmologist Jesse Gale as he joins a team of Pacific eye surgeons from The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ. The program gives a first-hand glimpse into the challenges of sight restoring operations in Tonga and other Pacific countries with limited eye care facilities.

20/20 journalist Hannah Ockelford joined the outreach team in Nukualofa to film Gale in action.  

“Jesse’s story effectively profiled the work of The Fred Hollows Foundation,” she said. “It’s a story that never tires, because for these people, getting their sight back means getting their life back. To be able to witness that raw emotion, the moment the patch gets taken off, is always a privilege.”

The TVNZ crew spent a week in Tonga visiting patients and filming Gale as he worked long hours in the clinic performing cataract surgeries. The team of doctors performed over 120 sight restoring surgeries during the five day outreach at Vaiola Hospital in the Kingdom’s capital.

For Andrew Bell, Executive Director of The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ, the story is part of a wider effort to share the work of The Foundation with New Zealand audiences.

“For over 20 years, Kiwis have been actively supporting the work we do,” Bell said.  “But most of our donors never get a chance to travel to the Pacific and see the direct impact their funds have on people’s lives. This broadcast welcomes them into this process and invites them to share in the challenges and triumphs of what we do.”

The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ operates in 13 countries across the Pacific including Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. The Foundation-funded Pacific Eye Institute in Fiji is where local doctors and nurses receive high-quality training that equips them to return to their home countries to practise. Gale took part in a six month fellowship with The Fred Hollows Foundation where he joined the outreach team travelling around the Pacific.  

In addition to the focus on Gale’s journey, the story also follows Tongan patients as they undergo cataract surgery and have their sight restored. Ockelford was surprised by how open the patients and their families were.

“I’ve found Pacific people can be extremely shy on camera,” she said. “However, once on the ground in Tonga it was immediately apparent that the people we would be working with were confident in speaking to us. They were trusting and welcoming of us, which made for smooth shoots and an interesting story.”

TVNZ Producer Jane Skinner was responsible for overcoming the challenges of filming in multiple locations around the island of Tongatapu. According to Skinner, the local nurses were essential in helping arrange visits to patients’ homes in remote parts of the island.

“The people in Tonga were generous and helpful,” said Skinner. “They navigated the way so we could find houses in villages that weren’t to be found on any maps. Hospital nurses worked on their days off to accompany us with initial filming and translate for us.”

The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ will coordinate 15 major surgical outreaches across the Pacific in 2013. The Foundation will be offering a regular fellowship for trained eye doctors to join the team in Fiji on future outreaches.

The program will be screened on TV2 on THURSDAY 18 JULY at 9.30pm.

ENDS

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