Bruce Staley

Fred Hollows in his updated biography with Peter Corris in response to a question from Caroline Jones, an ABC radio presenter, recalled a moment in his life when he’d been brought up short, to take stock and consider his priorities. He was in Chihuahua, Mexico, suffering from a torn muscle in his leg. He didn’t know what it was – the slightly comic gait he had to adopt, the wholly exotic location with all the remains of Mayan civilisation decaying around him, or the occasional stabs of pain, but he had a sudden insight into the nature of things as far as Fred Hollows was concerned. The enlightenment was two-pronged. Firstly, he realised that it didn’t matter if he didn’t publish anymore scientific papers as he had already made a respectable contribution to ophthalmology and he didn’t need to feel threatened from that direction. Secondly, he perceived with great clarity that it was against his nature, and ultimately negative, for him to participate closely in academic and administrative...

Fred Hollows in his updated biography with Peter Corris in response to a question from Caroline Jones, an ABC radio presenter, recalled a moment in his life when he’d been brought up short, to take stock and consider his priorities. He was in Chihuahua, Mexico, suffering from a torn muscle in his leg. He didn’t know what it was – the slightly comic gait he had to adopt, the wholly exotic location with all the remains of Mayan civilisation decaying around him, or the occasional stabs of pain, but he had a sudden insight into the nature of things as far as Fred Hollows was concerned. The enlightenment was two-pronged. Firstly, he realised that it didn’t matter if he didn’t publish anymore scientific papers as he had already made a respectable contribution to ophthalmology and he didn’t need to feel threatened from that direction. Secondly, he perceived with great clarity that it was against his nature, and ultimately negative, for him to participate closely in academic and admini...

When respect for the dignity of human beings is omitted from medical assessment, medicine ceases to become a science and is in danger of becoming a set of formulas, as arid and unhelpful as spells, curses and other hocus-pocus. Fred Hollows, Updated Autobiography with Peter Corris This statement struck a cord with me and I recalled another statement by Hans Eisen and Bernard Mulraney in their survey, Impediments to the Adoption of Modern Quality Management Practices (in Australian Manufacturing Industry) Monash University, 1992, “…an attitudinal change is required for success. This should begin with a reappraisal of the intrinsic worth of the individual at all levels.” Fred’s work while identifying the urgent need for appropriate Vitamin A capsules to address deficiencies also calls for a better understanding of how people in the affected societies live. He recalls getting into an argument with a researcher who gained a considerable reputation by showing the dramatic improvement in...

When respect for the dignity of human beings is omitted from medical assessment, medicine ceases to become a science and is in danger of becoming a set of formulas, as arid and unhelpful as spells, curses and other hocus-pocus. Fred Hollows, Updated Autobiography with Peter Corris This statement struck a cord with me and I recalled another statement by Hans Eisen and Bernard Mulraney in their survey, Impediments to the Adoption of Modern Quality Management Practices (in Australian Manufacturing Industry) Monash University, 1992, “…an attitudinal change is required for success. This should begin with a reappraisal of the intrinsic worth of the individual at all levels.” Fred’s work while identifying the urgent need for appropriate Vitamin A capsules to address deficiencies also calls for a better understanding of how people in the affected societies live. He recalls getting into an argument with a researcher who gained a considerable reputation by showing the dramatic improvement in...

The Apollo 13 space flight is renown for the words, “Houston we have a problem.” transmitted from the spacecraft to mission control. The routine of the space flight less than a year after John Glenn had set foot on the moon was shattered by these words. The stranded flight crew, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert fight a desperate battle to survive while the ground crew at mission control race against the time and the odds to bring them home Another quote attributed to Lovell arises during the film when an earlier interview is replayed as part of the extensive media coverage of the stricken space flight. In the film the role of Commander Jim Lovell is played by Tom Hanks. The interviewer probes and invites Lovell to recall any incidents in his notable career where he was ever scared. Lovell recalls instances of flame-outs wondering whether the engine would fire up again concluding that generally things worked out. The interviewer probes a little further asking whether there...

The Apollo 13 space flight is renown for the words, “Houston we have a problem.” transmitted from the spacecraft to mission control. The routine of the space flight less than a year after John Glenn had set foot on the moon was shattered by these words. The stranded flight crew, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert fight a desperate battle to survive while the ground crew at mission control race against the time and the odds to bring them home Another quote attributed to Lovell arises during the film when an earlier interview is replayed as part of the extensive media coverage of the stricken space flight. In the film the role of Commander Jim Lovell is played by Tom Hanks. The interviewer probes and invites Lovell to recall any incidents in his notable career where he was ever scared. Lovell recalls instances of flame-outs wondering whether the engine would fire up again concluding that generally things worked out. The interviewer probes a little further asking whether there...

The Dish , starring Sam Neill, featured the radio telescope at Parkes, NSW. The telescope played a major role in the Apollo 11 mission to place a man on the moon. Cliff (Sam Neill) and Glenn (Tom Long) were out on the dish after locking on to the signal once again after loosing all the data following a power supply failure. Cliff: Imagine stuffing it up. Glenn: How come you’ve changed? Cliff: My wife told me, “Failure is not quite so frightening as regret.” Glenn: That’s good advice. I wish someone had told me that.