Remembering Fred Hollows

By Jemma Mrdak.

Imagine living in darkness. A world without sight is hard to imagine. It’s a scary thought. Fred Hollows, the absolute legend, knew this and dedicated his life to helping people see the world clearly.

The National Museum of Australia is marking the 40^th Anniversary of the commencement of the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program with a panel of special guests including Gabi Hollows AO, who will talk about their involvement with the Program, the Fred Hollows’ legacy and The Fred Hollows Foundation’s ongoing work. And that is a very good thing!

Professor Fred Hollows (1929 – 1993) was an Australian surgeon and humanitarian who worked to improve the eye health of people living in under-privileged circumstances in Australia and overseas. He was the director of the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program the Fred Hollows Foundation continues to campaign for blindness prevention and improved health for Indigenous Australians.

Hollow’s wife, Gabi, and the Fred Hollows Foundation donated objects from the trachoma program and Fred’s personal collection to the National Museum of Australia in 2012.

On May 20, the museum will hold the first public screening of footage from the documentary They Used to Call It Sandy Blight, since it controversially aired in 1978 on the ABC. This event, which will also hold talks with special guest speakers, is presented in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundations and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA).

Join as we remember the surgeon and humanitarian, and his work to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Entry to the event is free; however bookings are essential online through the Eventbrite website.

Remembering Fred Hollows is on May 20, 2016 at National Museum of Australia, Visions Theatre.