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Midwife Meaghan Acreman is normally found in the pristine wards of The Bays Hospital on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
But a dream of practising nursing in developing countries had always been in the back of her mind.
"Before I even started studying, I knew I wanted to do third-world nursing," she said.
"However, life and family unfolded, and my own children became the priority for my next chapter. So, I love the way life has evolved – that I intended to start my career with third-world nursing, but it's now rounding out my career in nursing and midwifery."
Meaghan Acreman with the No Roads volunteer team
This year, Meaghan joined a team of 11 volunteers on a 10-day expedition to Papua New Guinea's Tufi Health District, providing nursing and midwifery care to remote villages through the No Roads Expeditions Foundation.
"It all just fell into place so quickly – a 25-year dream that came together seamlessly," she said.
"Nursing was always a given for me, but third-world nursing and being able to help those most in need was what spoke to my heart most of all."
Travelling alongside a midwife friend from Frankston, Meaghan was greeted by unforgettable scenes.
"The kids came running along the sand to meet us as we arrived on the boat," she said.
"Hundreds of locals gathered at our clinic sites, bringing their children and elders to receive care.
"Over 10 days, our team treated 1,076 patients across seven clinics, visited 10 remote villages, travelled on 17 boat rides and six flights, delivered two babies, and made friends with one lucky village pet pig named '13'!"
The team treated a range of cases - everything from broken arms, gout and abscesses, to malaria and mastitis.
"Never in my lifetime have I encountered the sights we came across," Meaghan said.
Meaghan Acreman with young children on a beach in PNG
"In each village, we also educated local healthcare workers and volunteers so they could provide sustainable health services long after we'd left.
"The level of collaboration and creativity among our team was incredible to be a part of, especially among some particularly confronting cases."
Meaghan said the team came across many situations requiring inventive solutions, including a young boy whose eyes were misaligned. They managed to fashion a pair of glasses using a head-torch strap and some tape.
"At one point, a boy fell out of a coconut tree and broke his arm just as we were leaving – we set up a makeshift clinic and were able to treat him moments before departure," Meaghan said.
"The villagers were so grateful for our care. They treated us with such kindness – carrying our bags, feeding us, showing their thanks in every way they could."
The conditions were challenging but the work was deeply rewarding.
"We slept in bamboo huts on mats, washed with buckets of water and ate what they grew for us – taro, rice, plantain, banana and sweet potato," Meaghan said.
Meaghan Acreman with a young boy who needed a makeshift glasses repair
"But every little bit was so worth it. Recently, Cecelia, who is the Head of Volunteer Programs in PNG, helped deliver a healthy baby after watching our training video.
"Those are the moments I feel in my heart – where I know we are making an impact."
Many of the babies born during No Roads Expeditions have been named after the volunteers who helped deliver them – on this trip one was called Hannah Kate after the two midwives who assisted in her birth.
"One of my favourite clinics was when Kate and I transformed a small school storage cupboard into an antenatal clinic," Meaghan said.
"We got creative where we needed to, but above all, made sure the mums felt seen, heard and held."
Meaghan said she returned home inspired by the strength and joy of the women and children she met.
"There was pure joy as the children played – no hint of anxiety or depression, just gratitude for the smallest things," she said.
"It has my heart. I'll absolutely be back in PNG."
Read more: Narelle Crosling - The Bays Hospital
Read more: Celebrating 35 years of inspiring service
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