Signature stories

As a result of cataracts, Aunty Kathleen was unable to see clearly. With her impaired vision, she could not easily show people what she is passionate about – bush medicine.

In November 2022, she and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients from communities in the Cape travelled to Cairns for cataract surgery.

Now, Aunty Kathleen is excited to go back and teach Bama (Aboriginal) and Waybla (white people) as part of her family tourism business.

“I am very pleased that it is going to work because I want to do my night walk, taking the tourists.”

Watch the below YouTube video to learn more about the surgery and hear from Aunty Kathleen.

In September 2016, Karlin and 15 other children from Cape York communities travelled to Cairns for ear surgery.

24 patients from the Lower Gulf headed to Mount Isa for sight saving eye surgery. This is Henry’s story.

In collaboration with Torres and Cape HHS and Apunipima Cape York Health Council, the CheckUP Outreach team worked on delivering ear, nose and throat surgery for 16 kids from Cape York.  It was a real pleasure to be able to deliver the surgery over the four days.

Cataract eye surgery is a simple procedure yet many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients have ended up blind because they haven’t had access to the surgery. CheckUP’s Outreach Programs deliver healthcare to those who need it most and this film shows the difference our Roma cataract surgery initiative made to the lives of 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients who had surgery in March 2016, including Harold.

In March 2016, 15 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids hand ENT surgery at the Noosa Hospital.