Vale Harold Mitchell AC
The Indigenous Eye Health Unit (IEHU) notes with sadness the recent passing of Harold Mitchell AC.
Harold was critical to the foundation and early years of work of IEHU, as he provided funding to establish the Harold Mitchell Chair of Indigenous Eye Health from 2008 to 2013. Professor Hugh Taylor held this appointment to his retirement in 2022. Staff of the Harold Mitchell Foundation participated in the IEHU Advisory Board up to 2018 and Harold was instrumental in linking IEHU with other supporters and funders over the years. Harold was also generous with his personal time and regularly met with Professor Taylor to check, in particular, on the progress to eliminate trachoma. Harold’s support extended to resourcing community trips with supporters to learn about and witness the trachoma eliminations efforts within community.
IEHU supporters 2012, left to right: Milpa, Harold Mitchell, Hugh Taylor, Stephanie Copus Campbell, John Funder, Jane Halton, Maria Myers and Russell Skelton.
Professor Taylor shares some memories of Harold, ‘The support I received from Harold in 2008 came out of the blue. It was $1 million over 5 years to establish the Harold Mitchell Professorship in Indigenous Eye Health and with it the Indigenous Eye Health Unit at the University of Melbourne.
I was aware of Harold and his Foundation as they had supported some travelling fellowships for some time, but this very generous donation was a complete surprise. With that initial support we have accomplished a great deal, and seen Indigenous blindness rates halved, eye services increased three times, and trachoma almost eliminated. This was made possible by Harold’s support.
It was always a pleasure to meet with Harold and brief him on the progress we were making. He was known for making sure board meetings did not go longer than 15 minutes, but he was always happy to spend time hearing about the progress we were making.
Harold’s interest in our work was born out by him taking the time to fly up to Central Australia and visit communities with us and see for himself the work that was being done. On these trips he always invited a few important people to join us so that they too could learn of our work.
He was a lovely man to talk with, always cheerful, interested and engaged. The breadth of his interests have been covered by others and include medical research sport, music and the arts, but his generosity and interest were absolutely outstanding.’
IEHU offers condolences to the family and staff associated with Harold Mitchell, and our thanks in recognition of his contributions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health.