Fundraising team dishes out 400 portions of lasagne to help Doctors Without Borders

Two Dunsborough businesses have teamed up to host a community dinner to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. Merchant & Maker and Danish ice-creamery Elski hosted the fundraiser to support the medical group’s humanitarian aid work in Gaza. They dished out more than 400 plates of lasagne and dessert cups, raising $11,500. More than 80 litres of bolognaise sauce was used to create the meals, which also included a vegetarian option. The fundraising effort included a raffle with prizes donated by more than 25 local businesses. More than 500 raffle tickets were sold and many of the customers also donated to the fundraising page. One of the guests invited for the evening was Dr Steve De Luca, who is a trained specialist in emergencies and anaesthetics. He has first-hand experience of the type of conditions Doctors Without Borders would be facing in Gaza. Dr De Luca moved with his family to Dunsborough in 2018 and he currently works out of Busselton and Bunbury hospitals. In 2022, he joined Doctors Without Borders on a mission in the southern part of Sudan, where he worked as part of an international team establishing emergency medical services in the conflict area. He has also recently been invited on a mission to Egypt to provide medical support within Gaza. Dr De Luca said the Doctors Without Borders worked to remain impartial and was able to work in conflict zones where there was limited access.