On Saturday, Dr John van Dalen, Dr Tom Sharp and anaesthetist Dr Geoff Spenser did a final ward round at Vaiola Hospital to check on everyone who had surgery during the week.
The joint replacement patients are progressing well. One had already been discharged, and the six still on the ward had minimal pain and were up and walking with a frame or crutches. Tom also checked on the trauma patients he had operated on, and they were doing well too. The ten-year-old boy who had a screw put across the growth plate in his hip on Thursday went home on Friday.
After the ward round, John saw the rest of the team off as they flew home to New Zealand. He then spent time with the local surgeons going over the trauma equipment, using sawbones (synthetic bone models) to practise with the large external fixator and the dynamic hip screw. John stayed on for the Sunday ward round to keep an eye on patients.
On Saturday evening John went out to dinner at the Waterfront Restaurant with Marina, one of the local doctors, and her husband.
"The hospitality here has been incredible," John said. "As a team, we've been welcomed in such an amazing way."
Help fund the next 25
Rotary Club of Whanganui North has set up a Givealittle page to fund 25 more joint replacements in 2027. Each replacement costs about NZ$8,000, around a quarter of the private price in New Zealand. The goal is NZ$200,000.
Donate on Givealittle (opens in a new tab)
Read the earlier updates: day one, day two, day three, day four and day five.