The Fred Hollows Foundation is named after professor, ophthalmologist Fred Hollows - Gabrielle Hollows's husband. During his trip to Vietnam in 1992, Fred Hollows saw that Vietnamese cataract surgeons lacked equipment and did not have access to modern surgical techniques. Several months later, he returned to Vietnam with a group of ophthalmologists and trained more than 300 Vietnamese surgeons in modern cataract surgery techniques. FHF was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Hollows shortly before his death to continue to fulfill his wishes to prevent blindness, train doctors, and support Vietnamese people.
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| The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) awarded the Medal "For peace and friendship among nations" to Gabrielle Hollows. |
Since FHF's foundation, Gabrielle Hollows has accompanied and participated in fundraising activities to sponsor blindness prevention projects and improve eye care services in many African and Asian countries.
In Vietnam, FHF sets four goals: giving the opportunity to access cataract treatment programs for everyone, preventing and treating refractive errors, early detection and prevention of diabetic retinopathy, and eliminating trachoma. FHF has implemented many cooperation projects with ministries, departments, branches, universities, and medical facilities such as training doctors and technicians, financial sponsorship, sponsoring equipment for eye examination and treatment facilities in disadvantaged localities, raising people's awareness about eye care, screening, detection and treatment, free surgery for many patients with eye diseases.
Recognizing the contributions of FHF and Gabrielle Hollows, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) awarded the Medal "For peace and friendship among nations" - VUFO's highest award for Gabrielle Hollows.
In his remark at the Medal conferring ceremony, VUFO Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Hung said that through fundraising activities, advocacy, and projects, Gabrielle Hollows has directed The Fred Hollows Foundation to bring practical and significant changes to the Vietnamese eye care industry.
"FHF wishes to continue to cooperate with Vietnamese partners to develop the eye care industry, improve the quality of cataract and refractive prevention and treatment services, and eliminate trachoma. We will continue to realize Fred's yearning for equitable access to eye health care services for vulnerable groups", said Gabrielle Hollows in her acceptance speech.
Since 1992, FHF has received active coordination and support from Vietnamese agencies and partners. The Foundation has trained more than 1,000 ophthalmologists, provided medical equipment, and assisted in performing more than 100,000 cataract surgeries for Vietnamese patients.
Long Pham / Source: Vietnamtimes
