Meet your Duty Officer: Michaela Walters

Michaela has been a member of the club since 2018 when she and her partner Michael purchased their beloved yacht, Freja. Driven by her passion for sailing, Michaela and Michael made the move to Beaconsfield to be closer to both their boat and the vibrant club community.

An enthusiastic member of the cruising section, Michaela served on their committee until earlier this year, when she transitioned to the role of duty officer.

This week, we’re delighted to highlight the incredible work of Micheala during a recent volunteer trip to Cambodia.

Cambodia Vision is a volunteer organisation based in Australia, dedicated since 2007 to providing free cataract surgeries, blindness-prevention programs, hearing tests, and basic medical care to disadvantaged communities in Cambodia. Each year, a team of around 150 volunteers—including surgeons, nurses, general practitioners, pharmacists, optometrists, and support staff—travels to a remote region to deliver these essential services.

In October 2025, I joined the Cambodia Vision team in Kampong Cham, a small town along the Mekong River, about three hours from Phnom Penh. This was my first overseas volunteer experience and my first time in rural Cambodia. The town was more modern than I expected, and the local community was welcoming.

Most Australian volunteers met in Singapore before flying to Cambodia. Many were returning volunteers, some with up to 18 years of service. After arriving in Phnom Penh and spending the night, we travelled to Kampong Cham and began work at the local school, which served as the clinic.
 

Clinic Operations

Patients arrived for initial assessment at the school. Those needing surgery were transferred to the local hospital and returned to the school to recover overnight. All patients received food, water, and a small stipend to help them get home. After surgery, each patient was given a goody bag containing eye medication, Panadol, sunglasses, and tissues.

My role was to perform eye tests on people of all ages, from children to the elderly. Many did not know their exact age. Our team, including nurses from Fremantle Hospital and local staff, worked in tents from 8.00am to 6.00pm, fuelled by local food and coconuts. Over six days, we performed more than 4,000 eye tests.

Patients moved through several stations: eye testing, intraocular pressure assessment, auto-refraction, and administration of dilating drops. They then saw an eye specialist to determine if they needed glasses or surgery. In total, we distributed 670 prescription glasses and 2,500 reading glasses.
The surgical team performed about 100 cataract operations each day, using a purpose-built theatre set up at the local hospital. Over five and a half days, they completed more than 600 cataract surgeries and removed 120 pterygium.  

Post-Surgery Care

One of the most rewarding moments was assisting with eye pad removal the morning after surgery. Seeing patients’ joy at regaining their sight was deeply moving. Patients received education on eye care and how to use their drops before heading home.
 

Reflections

Volunteering with Cambodia Vision was one of the best experiences I have had. The Australian volunteers were passionate and skilled, and the local team was incredibly kind and helpful. Many local teachers volunteered during their semester break to help with translation and clinic operations.

The local people were friendly and appreciative, often expressing gratitude for even a simple eye test. A highlight was discovering that many major sponsors were Cambodian Australians, whose dedication and generosity made a lasting impact.

The team’s achievements included:

• 4,389 registrations
• 600 surgeries
• 670 prescription glasses
• 2,500 reading glasses
• 4,495 sunglasses
• 663 hearing assessments and hearing aids

On the final night, a local sponsor hosted a dinner for the team, where we received Cambodian scarves and certificates of thanks. I even had the chance to meet the Australian Ambassador. I have already signed up to join next year’s mission.