Faces of the Foundation - 'Honouring our legacy, looking to the future'

Anne O’Byrne AM can still remember the phone call that led to the establishment of the Clifford Craig Foundation.

The year was 1991, and Anne was Chairwoman of the Northern Regional Health Board. A proposal had been put forward to establish a Medical Research Trust for the LGH.

With the backing of a passionate working party, it was then up to Anne on behalf of the hospital Board to find a suitable person to lead the Foundation. That person was Dr John Morris AO MBE.

Anne O’Byrne is a founding member of the Clifford Craig Foundation.

“We had the proposal – a recommendation to start a research Trust. The Board and I had to make the decision of whether we would follow it up or not,” Anne recalled.

“I remember the day I picked up the phone and rang Dr John Morris to ask him if he would become the Chairman.

“He had been at that first meeting when the idea of a Medical Research Trust was put forward and was a very respected physician.

“I often think what would have happened if I hadn’t made that phone call. Fortunately, he accepted the Board’s offer.”

Dr Morris was appointed as the Clifford Craig Foundation’s inaugural Chairman in 1992 – a position he held for 15 years.

He was joined by the likes of Toni Maloney – the Foundation’s first Chief Executive Officer – and a dedicated working committee including Roelf Voss, Ros O’Connor, Margaret Moore and Laurie Wing.

Remarkably within the first three months of forming the Trust had secured more than $1 million. By October 1992 it had also awarded its first medical research grant to leading international epidemiologist Dr Zahid Ansari.

In the three decades since, the Clifford Craig Foundation has awarded more than 200 medical research grants totalling over $7 million.

Reflecting on the Foundation’s achievements, Anne said she was always hopeful the community would recognise the importance of medical research.

“We knew it was possible and we were so happy when we were able to make it happen,” she said.

“I would always say – if you give us $100 now, we can turn it into a million. And we did.”