The Bosin twins today
 
25 years ago co-joined twins were born to Magdalene, from a small island near Bougainville Papua New Guinea, which was, at that time, war-torn.    A difficult birth meant that halfway through the delivery, Magdalene, was transferred to a larger island over 400 meters by boat, and then a power failure during the caesarean operation forced the completion of the delivery under moonlight!  The twins were transported to Port Moresby the following day.
 
 
They became the patients who laid the foundation for what has become ROMAC - Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children.
 
Eaustina and Eusthocia were flown to Melbourne by ROMAC where they were successfully separated at the Melbourne Children's Hospital. 
Another ROMAC success story!
 
Eusthocia and Eaustina
 
 
  
 
The Rotary Club of Flemington played a significant role in this project.  Allan Bruno, who was involved in the club's participation,  along with Charter Member Dr Theong Low.
 
Fast-forward 20 years and Eusthocia has graduated with Diploma in Business in Madang and Eaustina will graduate later this year as a primary school teacher, also in Madang.
 
Eaustina and Eustocia Bosin, the 11-month-old twins from Papua New Guinea, stole the show with a surprise appearance at the 1997 Rotary conference at Mulwala – 18/20 April 1997.
 
The twins with their parents won many hearts when they travelled from Melbourne to the 1997 Rotary Conference in Mulwala.  They wanted to say thanks to Rotarians for the part they played in the life saving operation that separated the tiny girls.
They were oblivious to the excitement they had created as they giggled and grinned on stage before 800 Rotarians who were ecstatic to see the former Siamese twins happy and healthy.  The surprise visit marked the first day of the three-day conference.
The twins and their parents, Henry and Magdalene Bosin, visited to thank the Rotarians for their part in the life-saving operation that separated their daughters in 1996.
 
Rotary Overseas Medical Aid for Children was the program responsible for helping the Bosins to seek the urgent medical treatment needed when the twins were born in Port Moresby on May 15, 1996.
 
The chief executive of the children’s medical aid program, Mr Barrie Cooper, spoke of how the organisation had organised help for the Bosin family.
“The twins were joined from the top of their breastbone to the belly-button, and they shared a liver,” Mr Cooper said.
“We knew that if they weren’t separated one of them would die, but thanks to the amazing skills of the surgeons at the hospital we had a happy ending” Barrie Cooper said.
 
 
Rotary as a conduit – with connections and networks.
 
PDG Peter Rosbach, Rotary Hawthorn remembers that he was in Sir Peter Derham’s office discussing a development of Australians Against Child Abuse, when his phone rang. Peter asked what was that, I explained that ROMAC, PNG were flying the Bosin conjoined twins with mother to Townsville free of charge but to get them to Melbourne would cost $10,000. In typical style Peter said, “Get into your car and drive to Melbourne Airport, whilst I ring around for financial support”. 
 
Just as I arrived at Melbourne Airport, the phone rang, and it was Peter:
“Good news we have the $10,000, thanks to Rotarian David Jones of Tattersalls”.
One hour later the Lear Jet taxied up to the South-east corner with the Bosin twins aboard, and there was an ambulance ready to take them to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
 
After a few days examination the Surgeons successfully separated the girls. As an extra their mother was extremely ill, and was taken to the Royal  Women’s Hospital, who could be praised as having saved her life.
 
In 2011 the Bosin family visited the Rotary Club of Hawthorn to thank them for their ROMAC support.