WATCH: ThreeNews' Laura Tupou in Papua New Guinea with The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ

At the end of last year, ThreeNews Presenter Laura Tupou and camera operator Chino Barrett-Lovie travelled to Papua New Guinea with The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ team to document the difference Kiwi donations make on the ground to people who are needlessly blind.

Visiting our eye clinic at Madang Provincial Hospital, ThreeNews bore witness to the lines of patients who were queuing for eye tests and cataract surgery that week.

In the first of three stories aired on the 6pm news bulletin, Laura showcases the stories of three patients, Clare, Serena and Serah, as they underwent cataract surgery and had their sight restored - revealing just how life transforming this procedure can be.

Clare Woichom journeyed to Madang from an outer island, travelling by a dingy, bus and plane to receive treatment at the clinic for bi-lateral cataracts.

The former teacher explained her vision as ‘smoky’ and expressed her concern and frustration at how her vision loss had impacted her life. She explained how she couldn’t see the colour of people’s eyes or read things at a distance.

However, the next day after surgery Clare was blown away by the immediate improvement to her eyesight, stating: “I can see very clearly. I can see the world!” through laughter and smiles.

Check out Clare, Serena and Serah’s transformative stories below or read more here.

The second news report delves into the effects of climate change and how the healthcare sector can withstand this.

At The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ, we work to support the delivery of sustainable eye health services, including working with Pacific health authorities to prepare for and respond to climate change impacts.

The climate crisis can have a huge impact on the ability to carry out healthcare services in Pacific Island nations, like Papua New Guinea, so investing in and integrating initiatives such as renewable energy, water tanks, and low energy design features into our infrastructure is crucial to strengthen eye health services and enable enhanced resilience.

Find out more about the climate issues many Pacific Islands are grappling with below or read more here.