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Birth
Fredrick Cossom Hollows was born on the 9th of April 1929. He was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. His parents were Joseph and Clarice Hollows. He was the eldest, his brothers being Maurice, Colin and John. Fred grew up in a close working class family, that instilled a sense of justice in Fred from an early age. -
Started school at the age of 7
Fred attended North East Valley Primary School and recieved one year of primary schooling. -
Family moved to Palmerston North
At the age of 7 his family moved to the suburb of Palmerston North. He then started attending Palmerston North Centeral School. -
Started High School at the age of 13
In 1942 he started at Palmerston North Boys High School -
Received BA degree
In 1949 he received his BA degree from the Victoria University in Wellington -
Started Bible College
Fred started Glenleith Bible College after finishing University but decided to pursue another career. -
Attended Medical School
Fred attended Medical School at the Otago University from 1951 to 1955, after deciding to become an eye doctor. -
Marriage
In 1958 Fred married Mary Skiller. -
Moves to the UK
In 1961 Fred moved to the United Kingdom to study Ophthalmology. -
Moves to Australia
n 1965 Fred moved to Australia and took up the position of Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of New South Wales. -
Visited Bourke
In 1970 Fred visited Bourke and other Aboriginal communities. Fred was shocked at the high number of Aboriginals who had eye diseases such as trachoma which causes blindness. -
Wife dies
In 1975 Fred's wife, Mary Skiller dies. -
Set up the first Aboriginal Medical Service
In 1971 Fred set up the first Aboriginal Medical Service in Sydney. Now there are 60 Aboriginal Medical Services around Australia. -
Sets up NTHEP
In 1975 Fred set up the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program (NTHEP). This program visited over 465 Aboriginal settlements 62,000 Aboriginals were checked and 27,000 Aboriginals were treated for trachoma. -
2nd Marriage
In 1980 Fred married a second time, this time to Gabi O'Sullivan. -
Advance Australia Award
In 1981 Fred was awarded the Advance Australia Award for his work in Aboriginal eye care. -
Visit to Nepal
In 1985 Fred visited Nepal as part of Fred's pledge to help third world citizens with eye diseases. This visit helped almost 25,000 people with curable blindness. -
Declined Order of Australia
In 1985 Fred declined the Order of Australia Award because of the Government's ignorance of aboriginal health. -
Visit to Eritrea
In 1987 Fred visited Eritrea as a follow up of the Nepal visit. This visit also helped almost 10,000 people with curable blindness. It was here that Fred's dream was born, to set up eye health clinics in some of the world's poorest countries. -
Citizenship
In 1989, 4 years before his death, Fred received his Australian citizenship. -
Human Rights Medal
Fred received a Human Rights Medal in 1990 for his work in third world countries. -
Australian of the Year
In 1990 Fred was awarded the Australian of the Year Award for treating curable blindness in many third world countries. -
Visit to Vietnam
As Fred's visits to Nepal and Eritrea were very successful, in 1991 Fred visited Vietnam. -
Set up Fred Hollows Foundation
Just 5 months before his death, Fred set up the Fred Hollows Foundation which continues the work that Fred started. Since 1992 the Foundation has been setting up eye health clinics in some of the world's poorest countries fulfilling Fred's dream. -
Death
On the 10th of February Fred died in his Sydney home. The cause of his death was mentastic cancer which affected his lungs and brain. His body is buried in the Northern New South Wales town of Bourke where his work helping aboriginals started. -
Entered Aboriginal Health Care Hall of Fame
In 2004 Fred entered the Aboriginal Health Care Hall of Fame for his work with trachoma stricken Aboriginals during the 1980's. Fred's wife Gabi accepted the award.