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Supporting Indigenous Eye Health through Design
[supplied by Emma Lomas]
Corban Clause Williams. Image: supplied
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Indigenous lawyer and human rights activist Paul Coe farewelled in Cowra [Toby Hemmings and Lani Oataway, ABC] A leader of the Aboriginal civil rights movement has been remembered for his pioneering work and his quest for justice. Wiradjuri Elder, lawyer and activist Paul Coe died last month aged 76. He played a key role in setting up both the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.
North Queensland community pays tribute to Indigenous elder with legacy of 'healing' [Jessica Naunton, ABC] A north Queensland elder instrumental in helping men and youths turn their lives around and reconnect with culture has been remembered as a gentle leader and tireless community worker. Bindal elder Uncle Alfred Smallwood Senior died from cancer with his family by his side.
Now in its 16 th year of partnership, Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation are working towards the mutual goal of closing the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s eye health.
In 2024 alone, the funds from this partnership helped The Fred Hollows Foundation and its Indigenous Australia Program to screen 15,981 people, conduct 187 cataract surgeries and provide 3,288 treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy*, together with its partners.
This year’s limited-edition range sees Martu man Corban Clause Williams, from Parnngurr community in the Karlamilyi National Park, Western Australia, design a collection of four frames featuring colourful artwork inspired by his life and culture. In his artwork ‘Kaalpa’, Corban presents a striking aerial interpretation of his grandfather’s Country. Through a modern lens, he maps the land with symbolic shapes that represent key features such as yapu (rock), warla (lake), claypans, karru (creek), and tuwa (sandhills). While his work is deeply influenced by stories passed down from his grandfathers about the Pujiman (traditional desert-dwelling) days, as a young artist Corban brings his own artistic voice to the canvas. ‘Kaalpa’ is both a tribute to ancestral knowledge and a contemporary reimagining of Country, reflecting the living, dynamic nature of culture through the eyes of a new generation.
“I like to travel, but I worry about home,” Corban explains.
“My favourite memories with my family are the times we spent together out in the swamp area between Newman and Kumarina. Nan, Pop, Mum and Dad would tell funny stories about our family and make me laugh, I’d help them make a fire and tea, and we would hunt for bush tucker.”
Alongside his community work, Corban uses his artwork to express his love for home and preserve its tradition and culture.
“I come to Martumili to paint about my Country, where my grandfather walked around and collected food, and visited the same rock holes I do. I paint to keep my culture and stories and share with others.”
Corban’s love for his home Country has inspired him to work to preserve tradition and culture in the region, through his involvement in community programs.
“I work teaching cultural awareness with Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa and help the YMCA with youth programs”, Corban continues.
“Being able to share my art, and through that, my story, means so much to me, and having the opportunity to give back to my community through the work of The Fred Hollows Foundation is a special thing.”
Corban Clause WIlliams has given permission for his artwork ‘Kaalpa’ to be transferred to the frames, with $25 from each pair sold donated to The Fred Hollows Foundation.
The limited-edition frames are available in store and online at Specsavers.com.au.
Closing the Eye Health Gap: Currently, 90% of vision loss experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is treatable or preventable, and Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation are aiming to change this.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults are three times more likely to have vision impairment or go blind than non-Indigenous Australians, and cataract is 12 times more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians than other Australians. Yet over one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults have never had an eye exam.
Over the past 16 years, our donations have helped The Foundation and its Program Partners to: Screen 143,463 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Conduct 4,845 cataract surgeries Provide 15,059 treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy Provide 1,180 other sight saving operations Train 1,193 health care workers to deliver culturally responsive care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Specsavers is aiming to raise $500,000 for The Foundation through the sale of these limited edition glasses.