The mherv History

History

In 2007/8

mherv History Photo Rotarians Past Assistant Governor Peter English and District Governor Tony Mackenzie began discussions with Joy Adams, the General Manager of Western District Hospital in Mudgee, about the incidence of late presenting, serious health events among rural men.

It was decided to try to screen middle-aged and older men in NSW rural communities to see if simple tests could identify men’s health issues earlier, thereby sending them to a doctor before otherwise treatable conditions became too serious or worse, fatal.

With Joy’s help and that of Registered Nurse Andrew Whale, Rotary began by borrowing an old caravan, which they took to towns in the western districts of NSW.

In these early years there were several other short forays into the western districts of NSW. Later, using a rented caravan, which was a little more ‘up-market looking’ than the previous one which had almost fallen to bits being on country roads roads so regularly. At every stop there were more lessons learned about how to run the project: to have more men volunteer to get tested.

Apparently there were several times in different towns when the nurse one way or another contrived to get a fellow straight to hospital. Usually because their blood pressure was ‘through the roof’! On one occasion the RN declared that the ‘cuff’ (part of her blood pressure machine) had failed and that she would take him to hospital to get it checked … knowing that his BP was so seriously elevated that with any exertion even by walking to the hospital, he may have had a heart attack and died… Just one of the stories that convinced those involved that there was a real need here.

October 2010

Past District Governer’s wife Lorraine Bevan and Greg continued to support merv. Lorraine had raised over $13,000 for MERV as her DG Partner’s project. A concerted effort was put into an 8 town, 2 week tour. Peter English had organised 13 nurses to volunteer throughout the district and Tony Mackenzie husstled the media and towed the van with his own car during the whole 2 weeks. A huge 18% of the 300 people tested were sent for urgent medical attention. Lorraine’s enthusiastic fundraising had seeded an important community service for the state of New South Wales

“We don’t know how many rural men have already died suddenly for want of a basic health check or how many we will save on future trips” said Tony Mackenzie. “But people who have not seen their doctor for several years are in high numbers in rural areas. Many men just drop dead in the paddock, and nobody saw it coming!”… A point recently highlighted five years later, by Men’s health special government envoy and member for The Hunter, Dan Repacholi.

In past years there were several other forays into the western districts of NSW. Later, using a rented caravan, which was a little more ‘up-market looking’ than the previous one which had almost fallen to bits being on country roads roads so regularly. At every stop there were more lessons learned about how to run the project to get best results.

In 2013

mherv History Photo …it was decided to commission a strong, purpose-built caravan to continue the work. Singleton Rotarian Warren Deaves* designed and built a van for the job… he only charged Rotary for the cost of materials. It had two consulting rooms. It was possible for the unit to have two nurses conducting tests simultaneously. The caravan also had a refrigerator and air conditioning. This new caravan went out a few times, mostly to events like agricultural shows and to one or two rural towns when people had time. Doing the tests were volunteer community nurses from Western Districts Health. They were not always available on weekends and holidays and because a single person was not dedicated to the role, there was little or no flexibility. It was difficult to plan anything more than short sorties into towns or venues not too far away.

*Sadly Warren Deaves passed away a few years ago, but his generosity is remembered on a plaque in the latest mherv van.

Understandably, some of the volunteers working the project at the time became busy with other priorities in their own lives, and the new van was stored on a property out west, awaiting its next assignment, or occasionally going out for an event.

By 2016

…It was clear that a new approach was needed. The late Peter Raynor, then District Governor of Rotary District 9670 (2016/17), was keen to see that the project didn’t quietly fade away. The new van was there to be used, and there was still some expertise and experience available from Tony Mackenzie. But there had to be another way, … to set the project up sustainably. Peter recruited Rotarian Adrian Payne from The Rotary Club of Warners Bay to come up with a plan.

A full-time registered nurse will be travelling with the project.
A planned route will be mapped out for a tour scheduled within a 12-month period.
It would be set up to tour for around 8 months per calendar year, as an annual, ongoing project.
It would serve communities within NSW state borders rather than those of just District 9670
The name would be be revised to include the word ’health’, hence mherv, rather than MERV.

The Rotary clubs resident in towns along the tour route would support the project locally. They’d set up local hotel accommodation and meals for the RN, and provide support services. They’d liaise with the local council, police and others for the van’s main-street or alternative parking, in places where rural men gather. Rotarians would staff the registration desk outside the caravan and work with the local media to gain publicity prior to mherv’s arrival.

Because this work is now shared among Rotary clubs along the route, it isn’t an onerous task. Rotary clubs are always keen to have an opportunity to make a contribution in their own community. The mherv team encourages local clubs to treat mherv’s visit as their own Rotary project while it’s in town.

On the 24th August 2017

…mherv headed out into the western districts of NSW. And after a Christmas/New Year break, visited closer coastal regions of the state, concluding the first tour in May 2018 in Wellington.

The Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution provided funds to engage the services of an RN for the next 5 years, withdrawing their sponsorship in 2023 for other priorities.

Apart from missing one 6 months tour during COVID, the project has been out on two tours every year since. February to June mherv travels throughout the southern and western part of the state. Between August and December, the project tours the north and west going as far as the Queensland border.

In 2024

$97,000 was raised by Rotary and other service clubs and community volunteers conducting Bunnings BBQs at stores throughout the state. It is hoped that clubs will get behind the ‘Biggest Bunnings BBQ’ every year. Bunnings has been a good friend to the project not only by supporting the Big BBQ but often allowing the van to be sited in the carpark of many of their 80 NSW stores.

August 2025

The project has benefited from the process of evolution. Now, a core-team of seven Rotarians, each with appropriate expertise is managing the project. One is a retired Registered Nurse. She oversees the testing procedures, purchases the medical supplies and collects statistical data. Two team members are devoted to tour planning and club liaison. Others supervise the production of marketing resources like posters to be displayed in pubs and other public places. Stories and associated pictures have been written for use by local newspapers. Press releases, videos and a short documentary are being produced that can be used by local tv stations and be seen on YouTube. An IT team member supervises the constant updating of the website which is sponsored by Electrodry.

Health ministers have been generous (if not yet sufficiently!) and in 2023 Ryan Park’s office donated the cash to buy a second hand mobile home to replace the very tired but much loved 2 room van designed by Warren Deaves.

mherv is funded with many small donations, but the search is still on for a few generous sponsors who would pledge up to $20,000 per year over 5 years. The project now costs $150,000 per year to maintain, with only the professional services of the Registered Nurse on the road being paid a fee.

Ideally, either the state or the federal government will one day see the importance of the mherv project and implement some long-term funding arrangement in partnership with Rotary. In the meantime the mherv team continues to seek sponsorship and donations and to gather statistical information to demonstrate the arguably equal need for a focus on mobile screening for men’s health, as there is for breast cancer.

The Rotary Club of Warners Bay manages the mherv project and funds can be donated under Rotary’s RAWCS programme which offers tax deductibility.

While Australian men don’t find time for check-ups, this history is likely to become a never-ending story. Rotary across the world has almost eradicated polio from the face of the earth. mherv’s tyre-tracks may yet be seen in other states of Australia, and perhaps beyond.