PNG Acknowledges Dr. Richard Hawker For 25 Years

This post is by Michael Were, Manager of OHI.

Dr. Richard Hawker is a cardiologist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Sydney, NSW), and has been traveling to PNG for over twenty years for the purpose of screening and diagnosing children with congenital (birth) defects of the heart.

In fact, his voluntary efforts in PNG pre-date Operation Open Heart in the country! Prior to OOH being invited to PNG in the early 1990’s, Dr. Hawker screening work identified patients who could travel to Australia for surgery.

This is his last planned visit to PNG with the Operation Open Heart team. We, along with the local PNG cardiologists, greatly appreciate his long term commitment and expertise that he has shared, and wish him the very best with his planned retirement shortly.

At the welcome function, Dr. Hawker was officially recognised and presented with a token of appreciation by Kathy Johnson (fundraising coordinator of the local OOH committee).