Please donate today so we can reach more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who are waiting for their life-changing surgery.
Cataract was clouding Caroline’s vision, making her eyes water easily and blurring her vision. That was until someone like you stepped in and made it possible for Caroline to have her sight restored.
This seemingly endless pandemic is affecting every Australian, and we’re all in this together. But the most vulnerable in our community are the hardest hit. First Nations Peoples living in remote communities can’t easily access eye care at the best of times, but now, they are facing even longer delays and are at high risk of losing their sight. They need your support.
The Foundation continues to strengthen eye health care in Aboriginal organisations to provide culturally-appropriate eye care. We are also training more doctors and eye health workers to address the shortage in remote Australia.
The Foundation is committed to providing high quality and easy-to-access eye health services in regional and remote areas by improving regional eye health infrastructure.
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Clementine was just one of those people facing this scenario: she was desperate to help her son, but the village where they live is hours from the nearest hospital. Travelling is really not an option for people in her situation.
Without outreach programs like the ones run by The Fred Hollows Foundation, finding help would have been very difficult. But a community health worker visited the area where Eric lives, and contacted Dr Ciku Mathenge, a leading eye surgeon who has restored sight to thousands of people
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The Foundation is tackling the cataract backlog by tripling the number of cataract surgeries each year.
If it wasn’t for someone like you, Caroline could have become permanently blind. She wouldn’t have been able to sit outside and admire nature, pointing out birds that she can now easily spot. Someone caring like you helped give Caroline her precious sight back with their generous donation. “I danced out of the theatre,” Caroline says. “To be able to see properly is wonderful,” she adds. Caroline is now doing the things she loves and enjoying her retirement. “My grandkids think I can see too well now! But it’s easier to spend time with them now I can see.”
Supporters like you were Fred’s secret weapon all those years ago when he was fighting for social justice for Australia’s First Nations Peoples so they could exercise their right to good sight.
Even today, it’s compassionate Australians like you who make it possible for The Foundation to continue our Indigenous Australia Program and restore sight in some of the most remote parts of Australia.
If Fred was still with us today, he would not be happy knowing that an eye health gap still exists. Fred dedicated a big part of his life to achieving eye health equity for Australia’s First Nations Peoples.
He was quoted in 1981 as saying: “Aboriginal health is known to be worse than that of any other cultural group in Australia. That this is so reflects the alienation of (Aboriginal people) from effective Australian health systems.”
Fred said this because in 1980, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples were 10 times more likely to be blind than other Australians. While we’ve made great progress since then, there is still a shocking gap that Fred wouldn’t accept. And neither should we.
With Fred’s spirit guiding us, together we can close the gap.
“I hope all Aboriginal children will grow up in an equal world.”
- Fred Hollows
Donate today to restore sight in remote parts of Australia