John Grant (neurosurgeon)
John MacDonald Falconar Grant,
Personal
Grant was born on 14 August 1922 in Sydney.[2] His parents were Chesborough Grant Falconar Grant and Henrietaa Thelma Leary.[3] In 1945, he married Enid Llewlyn at St John's, Ashfield.[3] They had three children: Stuart, Mandy, and Catherine.[3]
Grant was put on the
His autobiography Different Theatres : From Neurosurgery to Sport for People with disabilities, published in 2005, provides insight into his work on medical and disability sport.[3]
Education
Grant attended
Medical career
Grant was a resident medical officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney where he undertook specialist training in general surgery and orthopaedic surgery followed by intensive training in neurosurgery.[4] In 1952, he was appointed to Royal North Shore Hospital where he helped to establish its Department of Neurosurgery and Spinal Injuries Unit. He provided neurosurgical consultations to several acute hospitals in New South Wales, as well as the rehabilitation programs at Mt Wilga Rehabilitation Centre and the Spastic Centre of New South Wales.[5] He retired from operative surgery in 2002.[3]
Disability sport career
Grant's interest in the role of sport in the rehabilitation for people with spinal injuries can be linked to the work of
In 1961, he co-founded with Jack Ferguson the Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of New South Wales. He was president from 1968 to 2000.[3][5] While President of this Association, he was instrumental in establishing the Junior National Wheelchair Games.[5] He was the Medical Officer and Team Manager of the Australian teams that competed at the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.[3] Grant and compatriate Graham Pryke were founding members of the FESPIC Games. In 1977, he was Chairman of the Organising Committee for the 2nd FESPIC Games held in Sydney.[3]
In 1980, he wrote to the Minister for Sport, Bob Ellicott, stating the case for a national policy on sport for people with disabilities.[3] Subsequently, the Australian Government established a national advisory committee on sports for disabled persons he was a member of. In 1993, he was the Chairman of the Sydney Bid Committee for the 2000 Paralympic Games.[2] The successful bid led to Grant becoming President of the Sydney Paralympic Games Organising Committee 1994–2000.[3]
Grant held leadership positions with several international disability sports organisations: President of International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation, Chairman of the International Co-ordinating Committee of World Sports for the Disabled, and Member of the International Paralympic Committee.
Recognition
General
- 1973 – Order of the British Empire – Officer (Civil) (OBE) for service to the community[7]
- 1992 – Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to sport for disabled people[8]
- 2002 – Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to sport, particularly through the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee, and to people with disabilities as a contributor to improving the range and quality of medical, social and sporting rehabilitation services[9]
Medicine
- 2001 – Best Individual Contribution to Healthcare Award 2001 by the Australian Medical Association[4]
- 2001 – ESR Hughes Medal by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons[4]
- 2007 – Doctor of Medicine (honoris causa), University of Sydney[4]
Disability sport
- 1988 – Maengho Medal presented by the President of South Korea[4]
- 1992 – Sir Ludwig Guttman Award for significant contribution to Wheelchair Sport in Australia[10]
- 2002 – FESPIC Order[11]
- 2002 – Gold Paralympic Order by the International Paralympic Committee[3]
- 2009 – Wheelchair Sports New South Wales Champion Award[5]
References
- Australian Paralympic Committee. 11 November 2013. Archived from the originalon 11 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ a b Who's who in Australia. Melbourne: Crown Content. 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0646448803.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Honorary Awards – Dr John MacDonald Grant AO OBE". University of Sydney Senate. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ ISBN 9780980666694.
- ^ a b "History of Mt Wilga Private Hospital". Mt Wilga Private Hospital Website. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ "GRANT, John MacDonald Falconar, OBE". It's An Honour Website. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "GRANT, John MacDonald Falconar, AM". It's An Honour Website. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "GRANT, John MacDonald, AO". It's An Honour Website. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Awards". Australian Athletes with a Disability News. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ISBN 978-962-07-6449-3. Archived from the original(PDF) on 22 May 2011.