The Beginnings of the Clifford Craig Foundation

In 1863, the first patients of the Launceston General Hospital, then located on Mulgrave Square, were admitted. More than a century later in 1975, building commenced on the first stage of a new LGH site, located on Charles Street.

It was around this time that discussions of additional fundraising commenced and by the late 1980s the Northern Regional Hospital Board recognised the need to establish a fundraising organisation to support activities at LGH that sat outside the scope of the Department of Health.

In early 1990 a proposal was prepared for the establishment of a Foundation that would be completely independent of any government controls, but would be empowered to seek community and corporate donations in support of the hospital.

By July that year then Chairman of the Launceston Public Hospital Board, Mr Laurie Wing, invited a group of respected Launceston citizens to a luncheon to seek their feelings about the possibility of establishing a community supported research foundation.

At this meeting attendees overwhelmingly recognised the advantages for the region and a working party was formed.

In February 1991 the newly completed Launceston General Hospital was officially opened by then Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

In 1992, the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust was established.

Led by the late Toni Maloney and based on the hospital’s fifth floor the trust started with virtually nothing. This included using donated office equipment to get by.

Miraculously, within the first six months of forming, the Trust was able to secure $1 million in funding to secure its future.

This was thanks largely to the likes of Toni and other founding supporters including Dr John Morris, Roelf Vos, Ros O’Connor and Anne O’Byrne who encouraged businesses and community group to commit to a financial pledge over the next five years.

By October that year the Trust had awarded its first medical research grant to a leading international epidemiologist Dr Zahid Ansari, who was brought to Tasmania from the US.

According to a progress report on the Trust, by October 1992 the Clifford Craig Medical Research Foundation membership stood at: 2 Governors, 17 Trustees, 11 Fellows, 69 Members and 84 Donors.

A transcript of the minutes from a meeting held on October 28, 1992, shows newly inducted board member Rosalind O’Connor congratulating Dr Morris, Mr Vos, Mrs O’Byrne and Mrs Maloney for the “tremendous amount of work” they had done in establishing the Foundation.