2012 Feb - Lions Australia

Joycie’s $3 million gift for sight
Joyce Henderson spent a lifetime giving to
people less fortunate than herself – and even
in death her legacy continues.
Her latest gift will go a long way in helping to
prevent eye injury in children.
The Joyce Henderson Trust has gifted $3
million to the Lions Eye Institute (LEI) in Western
Australia to create a fellowship that will attract
some of the finest young trainee eye doctors from
around the country and the globe.
The trust has been chaired for the past 10
years by long-time Lion member and former
Speaker in the WA Legislative Assembly, the Hon.
James Clarko.
The bequest was made following a meeting
between Mr Clarko and the LEI’s inaugural chair,
PDG Brian King AM MBE. The pair has known
each other for more than 45 years.
After realising the Lions Eye Institute could
answer the needs of the Trust, Brian arranged for
the Managing Director of the Institute, Lion
Professor David Mackey, to develop a range of
options to fulfil the wishes of Joyce Henderson.
“She would be delighted, knowing that such
important work will be funded through one of the
world’s great eye research institutes,” said James
Clarko.
Mr Clarko and his wife Edith met Joyce
Henderson when they moved to the Perth
beachside suburb of Trigg in the 1950s.
Joyce was born Emily Joyce Henderson in
Fremantle in 1907. She was one of five children –
all of whom married although none had children.
She married twice, to Captain John Turner in
The $3 million cheque that will help to prevent eye
injury in children. It came about following a meeting
between long-time Lion and former Speaker in the
WA Legislative Assembly, the Hon. James Clarko
(left), and his friend PDG Brian King AM MBE, the
Lions Eye Institute’s inaugural chair.
February - March 2012
This philanthropist’s legacy lives on and on
1944, and Arthur Brushfield in 1979.
“Joycie”, as she was known, was at the heart
of community life, running a highly successful
general store, post office and a small telephone
exchange that was originally owned by her
mother Lavinia.
“Women with children who came to Joycie in
need were always looked after,” James Clarko
said. “She would always give them money and
never expected it to be repaid.
“If someone was struggling to sell a block of
land and they needed money quickly, she would
simply buy it off them. That was how she ended
up owning so much of North Beach!”
Joyce Henderson was a leading figure in the
local Anglican parish and among her many
contributions to the local community was the
construction of the Henderson Environment
Centre, housed within the beautiful Star Swamp
Reserve.
James Clarko said Joyce was a relative of
leading WA paediatric ophthalmologist Mary
Bremner, who had sparked her personal interest
to support research into all causes of injuries and
the ongoing health of children’s eyes. That
commitment has now been translated into the
creation of a prestigious new fellowship at the
Lions Eye Institute.
“The Trust made the decision to create a
fellowship for a final year ophthalmology trainee
or fellow who wishes to specialise in paediatric
ophthalmology.
“The $3 million will be invested to ensure the
Joyce Henderson Paediatric Ophthalmology
Fellow will continue in perpetuity.”
Professor David Mackey said the Fellowship
would attract top young trainee doctors and
generate exciting research.
“LEI is one of the leading medical research
institutes in WA and a key global player in the
prevention of blindness – and Princess Margaret
Hospital’s paediatric ophthalmology training
program is the most efficient in the country,” he
said.
“This remarkable bequest from the Joyce
Henderson Trust will allow a final year trainee to
conduct major research through LEI as well as
undertaking clinical work at the hospital, with a
focus on eye injuries.
“Western Australia has never had a paediatric
ophthalmology post with a major research
component so this bequest is breaking new
ground and provides a wonderful training ground
for some of the world’s top young eye doctors.
“Joyce Henderson’s legacy will be to send out
into the world of paediatric ophthalmology a raft
of highly trained and talented young doctors who
can make a real difference to the prevention of
injury in children’s eyes.”
Professor Mackey said the research program
would include:
● A trauma audit, making use of linked database
resources in Western Australia. An example of the
applications from this could be an analysis of eye
injuries caused by magpie attacks, leading to
improved education of children.
● Analysis of UV damage of the eye, particularly
among children who participate in high-risk sun
exposure sports such as surfing, life saving,
sailing and cricket. Once the level of damage
from these high-risk activities is established,
research could look at future public health
initiatives to reduce risk. Researchers at LEI are
leading the world in this area.
● Analysis of the relationship between increased
near work, decreased outdoor activity and rates
of myopia (short-sightedness) in children.
Research is needed to calculate optimal time
outdoors to prevent myopia without increasing
risk of sun damage.
● Creation of an ongoing prospective study into
the link between strabismus (turned eye) in
children and mothers smoking during pregnancy.
How does smoking injure the developing brain
and eyes?
Many of these studies require long-term
follow-up of participants. This has been a key
feature of the Western Australian Birth Cohort
(Raine Study) which has now been followed for
20 years.
James Clarko said Joycie would have been
delighted to know her bequest would do such
important work.“All throughout her life she was a
woman who gave an enormous amount to the
community and, even with her passing, that
giving continues.”
– Francesca Robb
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