Turning points:
1-Fred thought he'd like to be a missionary, but he changed his mind after doing some work at a mental hospital. Fred decided to become a doctor and eventually specialise in eye surgery.
2-He was told about the need for Aboriginal health services in Sydney. He took up the cause, and helped set up the first Aboriginal Medical Service. There are now more than 60 across Australia.
3-He discovered that almost all Aboriginal people in outback communities had eye diseases. Diseases caused by dirty conditions and poor health. These were problems that could be easily avoided.
3-Fred didn't think enough was being done for Aboriginal health. He was very outspoken on this issue.
4-Fred could be very gruff when things weren't going as he thought they should and this made him some enemies. But his family and friends loved Fred deeply.
5-By 1980, Fred was travelling all over the world to help set up eye health programs in developing countries. He heard about a war in Eritrea in Africa and how doctors there were trying to get training in eye surgery.
Achievements:
1-Fred got a job in Australia. Five years later he was head of the Eye Department at a Sydney hospital.
2-He helped launch a national program to attack eye disease in Aboriginal Australians. Fred was great at inspiring people. He got doctors to give their time to the program. Many other people volunteered. In three years the team travelled all over outback Australia. It treated 30,000 people, performed a thousand operations and prescribed more than 10,000 pairs of glasses.
3-Fred believed in helping people to help themselves. He had no time for anyone who stood between him and his goals.
4-This became Fred's passion. He wanted to help the Eritreans build their own eye lens factory. He asked Australians to support his dream. They donated more than 6 million dollars.
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