Latest News

Foundation calls for reinstatement Racial Discrimination Act
The Fred Hollows Foundation supports calls for the Federal Government to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act immediately, as recommended by a report released today by the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association on the Northern Territory Emergency Response. Find out more

The Black Arm Band group receives top award
The Black Arm Band has been recognised for their outstanding achievement in performing arts, receiving one of Australia’s most prestigious awards – The Sidney Myer Performing Arts, Group Award. Find out more

Foundation-trained surgeons restore sight to thousands in China
Surgeons trained by The Foundation have taken part in a campaign to provide free surgery to 100,000 cataract patients, with one surgeon restoring sight to 7,900 people. Find out more

Gabi honours The Foundation's inspirational women
Gabi Hollows has used International Women’s Day to honour three women who are continuing Fred’s dream of bringing sight to the blind and improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. Find out more

380 people treated in Afghanistan
The Foundation is continuing to provide eye care services to people in war-torn Afghanistan with 380 people recently treated for various eye conditions, including cataract blindness. Find out more

A long walk to save sight
Teams of trekkers led by the adventure fitness group, Wild Women On Top, are hoping to complete a 100km walk of Sydney’s coastline to raise money for The Fred Hollows Foundation. Find out more

"I felt so happy that I could see everything"
Kaniz Fatema from Bangladesh tells us in her own words what it was like being blind as a child and how her life has changed since her sight was restored. Find out more

Ruby Hunter: an inspiration to all
The Fred Hollows Foundation is saddened by the sudden passing of Indigenous singer/songwriter, Ruby Hunter. Ms Hunter was a great friend of The Foundation through her work promoting health and literacy and her ability to inspire the many people she met on her visits to community. Find out more

'In Fred's Footsteps' exhibition opens in QLD
Touring regional and metropolitan libraries in QLD over the next two years, the exhibition celebrates the life and achievements of the late Fred Hollows, and features The Foundation's continuing work to eliminate avoidable blindness. Find out more

Closing the gap: Shadow Report released
The Foundation welcomes the Prime Minister's renewed commitment to improving Indigenous health, outlined in Parliament on Thursday, 11 February. As a member of the Close the Gap campaign, The Foundation has helped put together a shadow report which outlines success stories and sets out some of the major challenges still to be addressed. Read the report

A video tribute to Fred
It is now 17 years since the passing of Professor Fred Hollows. This is a small video tribute to the man who inspires The Foundation’s work. Find out more

Australian actress Jessica McNamee joins Fred's Foundation
Jessica McNamee has officially joined The Fred Hollows Foundation as an Ambassador following a visit to Vietnam where she witnessed sight being restored to the blind. Find out more

Mega eye camp restores sight to over 1000 people
The Fred Hollows Foundation has restored sight to a near record number of patients during a mega eye camp in remote Nepal. Working with its partner in Nepal, Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, over 1000 patients had their sight restored in just five days. Find out more

Eye camp restores sight to 521 in Bangladesh
The Foundation has restored sight to 521 people during a recent outreach microsurgical eye camp held in Satkhira district, Bangladesh. Find out more

Worthy recognition for two great Australians
The Foundation congratulates Ray Martin and Nigel Milan for receiving a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in this year's Australia Day Honours. Find out more

When Fred was our Australian of the Year
Fred Hollows was named Australian of the Year for 1990. Two decades on, we thought we'd look back at what some people wrote about him at the time of receiving this great honour. Find out more

Inspiring results in China
The Fred Hollows Foundation is playing its role in a ground breaking cataract elimination program in China, which has already restored sight to thousands. Find out more

New frontiers: Burundi, Africa
The Fred Hollows Foundation has conducted a successful surgical campaign in Burundi, Africa, with sight being restored to 183 cataract patients. Find out more

Sight restored in Rwanda
The Fred Hollows Foundation recently screened 2726 patients for cataract blindness in Rwanda and restored sight to 73. Find out more

Rights-based approach getting results
A booklet explaining how human rights-based approaches to delivering aid and development are achieving the Millennium Development Goals has been launched by The Australian Council for International Development. Find out more

A letter from Gabi Hollows
The Board of The Fred Hollows Foundation rejects assertions that it has "lost sight of its true purpose" (SMH 21 December 2009). The reality is we have never been more united, focused and successful in restoring sight to those blinded by poverty alone. Find out more

Financial claims wrong
Reports attacking The Fred Hollows Foundation's financial position are inaccurate, says The Foundation's CEO Brian Doolan. Find out more

Ophthalmologists gather in Laos to help boost eye care services
Ophthalmologists and eye care professionals from 14 provinces in Laos have gathered for the first time to help improve the quality of eye care services, and boost capacity to reach more people in remote areas. Find out more

Our first eye unit opens in Laos
The Foundation has opened its first eye unit in Laos, bringing quality eye care to one of the country's most impoverished regions. Find out more

Cambodian TV spreads eye health message
Eye health is featuring on Cambodian television thanks to the work of The Fred Hollows Foundation. Find out more

Eliminating blindness in Asia Pacific within 10 years
The Foundation has united with the Australian Government and other vision care organisations to eliminate avoidable blindness and reduce the impact of vision loss throughout South East Asia and the Pacific over the next 10 years. Find out more

Fred tops list of great Australian ‘doers'
Professor Fred Hollows is still admired as an inspirational ‘doer', 17 years after his death. Find out more

More to be done to improve Indigenous health
The results of a recent Australian Medical Association (AMA) study show that much more needs to be done to improve the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.Find out more

School raffle to help restore sight in Vietnam
In support of The Foundation's sight-restoring work in Vietnam, Melbourne Grammar School students are raffling a Honda Jazz GLi automatic car. Find out more

Australia tackling blindness in Asia
The Australian Government is delivering on its promise to end avoidable blindness in the region, helping to build a new Eye Unit in Cambodia. Find out more

The Foundation receives Gold Star Award
The Foundation has received the Gold Star Award for non-profit video advertising at the International Fundraising Congress in The Netherlands. Find out more

Vietnam: Thousands more can see thanks to Fred Hollows
Vietnam is taking big steps to eliminate avoidable blindness according to former students of Professor Fred Hollows who are now two of the country’s leading ophthalmologists. Find out more

WSD 2009 events raise awareness
World Sight Day events held in countries where we work are an opportunity for The Foundation to encourage governments, corporations, institutions and individuals to support efforts to eliminate avoidable blindness. Find out more

Gladstone community creates fundraising history
The city of Gladstone, led by Pella Maltabes and an enthusiastic group of inspirational women, have completed one of Australia's largest community fundraising campaigns, with a total of $168,000 raised for The Foundation. Find out more

Fred's girls show how his work lives on
The daughters of the late Professor Fred Hollows will host an exhibition of photography to coincide with World Sight Day on 8th October 2009. Find out more

Central Australia Eye Week results
A week of intensive eye surgery, coordinated by The Foundation, resulted in 52 operations being performed, bringing the total number of eye procedures undertaken to 416 since the program commenced in 2007. Find out more

Research and education key to ending avoidable blindness
Research is an integral part of the development work of The Foundation. Through research, we can collect evidence that helps us decide where we should work and what we should do. Find out more

Gabi Hollows: Cruiser is a sight for sore eyes
Fairfax 'Drive' supplement feature: Gabi Hollows talks about the important role 4WDs have played in carrying out Fred's work. "I have always had a 4WD, just because I've always been in the bush. Those vehicles have enabled us to get out there and do our work in some of the most extremely difficult country you've ever seen." Find out more

Indigenous Literacy Day 2009
On Wednesday 2 September, events were held in schools, bookshops and libraries around Australia, featuring David Malouf, Tara June Winch, Kaz Cooke, Sally Morgan, May O'Brien, Dr Anita Heiss, Andy Griffiths, Sam Wagan Watson, Josh Pyke and many others.

The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a partnership between the Australian Book Industry and The Fred Hollows Foundation that raises funds to purchase and supply books and other culturally appropriate material to remote communities where The Foundation works. Go here to find out more or make a donation.

Children's sight restored in Vietnam
Approximately 23,000 children in Vietnam are bilaterally blind. To address this problem, The Fred Hollows Foundation has set up a unique childhood blindness program in Phu Yen province. Find out more

 Aboriginal cookbook promotes better nutrition
A cookbook put together by Aboriginal women living in remote communities will be launched south of Katherine tomorrow, aiming to help improve the health of local people. Find out more

ALP Policy amendment puts focus on avoidable blindness
The Australian Labor Party National Conference recently made an important addition to its National Platform on international aid to include a clause focusing on disability and avoidable blindness. Find out more

People the key to good results
CEO Brian Doolan was recently interviewed by The Australian newspaper on his thoughts about the roles that individuals and bureaucracies play in achieving results in areas such as remote Indigenous communities and in the developing world. Read the article: Individuals, not laws, the key: Hollows man

6,000 patients screened in China
The Fred Hollows Foundation, in partnership with Standard Chartered Bank and AIER Ophthalmology Hospital Group, has screened over 6,000 patients for diabetic retinopathy in China during the first half of 2009. Find out more

Scholarships will help improve eye care in Nepal
The Foundation congratulates the two staff members from Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology who have secured Sarina Russo Group Scholarships through the Clinton Global Initiative. Find out more

Jess McNamee dancing for sight
One of Australia's brightest young stars, Jess McNamee, is supporting The Foundation through her role as a contestant on Channel 7's hit television show 'Dancing with the Stars'. Find out more

The Life You Can Save
Peter Singer, internationally renowned Professor of Ethics and bestselling author, is currently in Australia to promote his latest book 'The Life You Can Save'. In his book Singer cites The Fred Hollows Foundation as an example of an organisation administering 'cost effective aid'. Find out more

Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2009
The Foundation believes initiatives such as NAIDOC Week are important opportunities in raising awareness and educating all Australians about Indigenous rights and health issues. Find out more

Foundation launches TV ad to raise awareness
Featuring the sound track ‘Shine On' by Australian band Jet, the TV ad shows archival footage of Fred Hollows, and how The Foundation is carrying on his legacy. Find out more

New eye clinic opens in Nepal
A new eye clinic, where a plaque has been placed in memory of Foundation Ambassador Sue Fear, will bring eye care and treatment to remote communities in Dhading province, Nepal. Find out more

Foundation Ambassador named as Queensland Icon
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Foundation ambassador, Susie O’Neill, has been honoured with her inclusion in a list naming 150 iconic Queenslanders. Find out more

First patients treated in Loas
The Foundation has screened and treated patients in Lao People's Democratic Republic for the first time since receiving permission to work in the country in late 2008. Find out more

Indigenous eye health update
By providing access to eye care services and reading glasses, The Foundation is improving the eye health and wellbeing of Indigenous people in some of the most remote communities in Australia. Find out more

Record results for 2008
The Fred Hollows Foundation has released its results for 2008, with a record 176,472 people receiving sight-saving eye operations and treatments and over 1.3 million patients being screened in 18 countries worldwide. Find out more

Major milestone in blindness prevention
The World Health Organization has formally endorsed the WHO Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment. This endorsement is a major step on the path to achieving The Foundation's aims of ending avoidable blindness by 2020. Find out more

Delivering better patient care in Vietnam
Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, The Hon. Bob McMullan, has opened The Fred Hollows Foundation’s new Network Operation Centre in Hanoi. Find out more

Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology opens in Nepal
Gabi Hollows has helped open the new wing of Tilganga Eye Centre in Kathmandu, which completes its transition from an outpatient eye care centre - to an international standard eye care facility. A special report by Gabi Hollows. Find out more

Malo: Six months on
Last year we told you about a boy called Malo from Vietnam. Born with congenital cataracts, it seemed unbelievable the nine-year-old's sight could be restored by surgery. We are now thrilled to update you further on his progress. Find out more 

New eye centre opens in South Africa
The new Sabona Eye Centre in Queenstown will give eye health professionals the facilities, equipment and training they need to tackle the huge backlog of cataract surgery in the Eastern Cape.  Find out more

South Africa: Special report by Gabi Hollows
Gabi Hollows witnesses first hand the challenges facing eye health professionals in the Eastern Cape province, and meets Julius who is blind from cataract. Find out more

More patients treated in NT
Another 49 eye operations have been carried out as part of the Central Australian Integrated Eye Health Program, bringing the total number of procedures completed to 364. Find out more

Government endorses UN declaration on Indigenous rights
The Fred Hollows Foundation has welcomed the Australian government’s support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Find out more

Closing the Gap: a personal reflection
April 2nd is National Close The Gap Day, aimed at raising awareness of the 17 year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Joe Boughton-Dent from The Foundation reflects on what it means to him. Find out more

Close the Gap
Show your support on National Close the Gap Day on Thursday - 2 April 2009 by organising or participating in an event to raise awareness about Indigenous Health inequalities. Find out more

2009 Indigenous Literacy Project launch
The 2009 Indigenous Literacy Project was launched on Friday - 26th March at the Brisbane Ideas Festival. Find out more

Harmony Day
Saturday 21 March is Harmony Day – and the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Find out more

National Indigenous representative body
Reconciliation Australia has recently published a Q & A factsheet about the formation of a new national Indigenous representative body. It outlines the link between establishing a strong and effective voice to represent Indigenous Australians and work being done to close the gap in Indigenous life expectancy. Download the PDF

Tiwi Bombers DVD to promote health messages to Indigenous children
A DVD promoting good nutrition, fitness and strategies for avoiding alcohol and drug abuse has been launched in Darwin.  Find out more

See the World Challenge
Experience the adventure trip of a lifetime to Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia or outback Australia, and see first hand the life-changing work of The Foundation. Find out more

Eyesight restored in Bangladesh
Over 550 patients have had their sight restored as a result of two outreach eye clinics in Bangladesh. Find out more

Government tackling Trachoma
The Fred Hollows Foundation hailed the announcement by The Prime Minister as an historic commitment towards eliminating avoidable blindness amongst Indigenous Australians. Find out more

Farewell to Tony Fitzgerald, a great campaigner for social justice
The Fred Hollows Foundation is saddened by the passing of Northern Territory Anti Discrimination Commissioner, Tony Fitzgerald. Find out more

Australian Government helps eye care in Pakistan
The Fred Hollows Foundation today welcomed the announcement by the Australian Foreign Minister, The Honourable Stephen Smith, of an additional $5.2 million in assistance from the Australian Government towards The Foundation’s work in Pakistan. Find out more

ABC TV's Australian Story features sight saving work
A ground breaking initiative restoring sight to people from remote Indigenous communities in Central Australia was featured on ABC TV's Australian Story on Monday, 16 February.  Find out more

Anniversary tribute for Professor Fred Hollows
The Foundation has put together a special video tribute to mark the anniversary of the passing of Professor Fred Hollows, on February 10th, 1993. Find out more

Sydney Grammar raises $18,500 to help Fred’s work live on
Throughout 2008, Sydney Grammar Prefects spearheaded a major fundraising campaign within their school community to raise both money and awareness for The Foundation. Find out more

School and community activities planned
In 2009, The Foundation’s community education team will be organising lots of fantastic school and community activities to help highlight the link between blindness and poverty. Find out more

Reconciliation Action Plan now available
The Reconcilation Action Plan represents The Foundation’s ongoing commitment to embrace, respect and promote Australian Indigenous culture, rights and perspectives. Find out more

Foundation congratulates Australian of the Year
Congratulations to Foundation friend, Professor Mick Dodson, who has been named Australian of the Year 2009. Find our more