Speakers
Moira Kelly
AO
nspired by a video of Mother Theresa, at the age of 7, Moira Kelly bounded in from school and announced to her stunned mother, that one day, she would work with the renowned Nun from Calcutta. And so began, the inspirational vocation and life of an 'ordinary girl from Melbourne', who became an extraordinary humanitarian, Australian and citizen of the world. At only 18, Moira did indeed work with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and this was the start of an exciting 14-year humanitarian venture abroad. It was in response to meeting a horrifically injured boy and his desperate mother in Bosnia during the war, that Moira began her self-funded medical evacuation of children for life saving and life altering operations. By 2001, Moira had already helped 120 children, from her laptop and her amazing tenacity and ability to solicit the support and resources of friends, family, surgeons, hospitals and volunteers. Moira then returned home to establish the Children’s First Foundation at Killmore on land she had been given to help children. Inspired by Moira’s selfless contribution the Rotary Club, friends and family joined forces to build the house, where to date more than 350 Children have been treated for a variety of critical conditions including open heart surgery, bowel reconstruction, plastic surgery, amputations and new prosthetic limbs. In all cases the lives of these children and their families has been transformed. Becoming a Mother herself has been one of the most surprising and rewarding aspects for Moira on her journey. During her travels to Iraq in 1998, she came across two young children in an orphanage with major limb deficiencies and both needing major life changing surgeries.
Under Moira’s loving care and encouragement, both children have overcome incredible disability and multiple surgeries to become accomplished young men. Ahmed is a world record holder and Paralympian swimmer and Emmanuel, who wowed the world with his unforgettable rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” on X-Factor 2011, is establishing a successful international singing/songwriting career. Moira is also the legal guardian of twins Trishna and Krishna, born con-joined at the head in Bangladesh, now famous the world over for not only surviving but thriving after the groundbreaking 38-hour surgery that saved their lives. Following the twins’ surgery, Moira stepped back from many of her previous engagements for two years to provide the twins with intensive care. It was a deeply transformative time that redefined for her what hope really means and as a result, she created the Moira Kelly Creating Hope Foundation in 2016. The Foundation brings to Australia children from overseas with medical conditions that local doctors are unable to treat. It also works with Australian children and displaced women in need who are referred to Moira for care. Moira is also currently involved in the creation of The Global Gardens of Peace, which her and her band of volunteers are working hard to create as a gift to the people of Gaza to spread the message of peace.
