James Muecke declares was on sugar - - "Taxing would hopefully encourage people to seek lower-sugar alternatives, particularly taxing sugar-sweetened beverages which are a huge culprit in type two diabetes"
Nota Bene: Muecke origin from Czechoslovakia The patron saint of Bohemia was St. John of Nepomuk (or Johann von Nepomuk)
Receiving the award, he made a joke that got a chuckle from the audience: "What a tremendous honour to be named Australian of the Year for 2020, such an auspicious year for eyesight."
The 56-year-old says with 80 per cent of blindness cases avoidable in the world, he sees the issue as one about human rights. Dr Muecke founded Sight For All, an organisation dedicated to fighting all causes of blindness with projects in Aboriginal and mainstream Australian communities, Asia and Africa.
2020 Australian of the Year Dr John Muecke.
Dr James Mueke is named Australian of the Year for his work raising awareness of type 2 diabetes and its links to blindness. Pro tennis player Ash Barty is named Young Australian of the Year for inspiring young people to follow their dreams
The Muecke family
Pioneering South Australian eye surgeon Dr James Muecke and former refugee, human
Congratulations to our dear, hard working and very deserving friend, Dr James Muecke @jsmuecke for winning Australian of the Year!! We are so excited for you, James!! Last weekend over lunch at James & Mena’s lovely Victor Harbor beach house, we discussed the possibility of his being awarded this honour and today it is reality. Phil and I are so proud of you, James! ❤️ This is so wonderful for James, Sight For All and South Australia. 🎉 #australianoftheyear#australianoftheyearjsmuecke#sightforall #sightforallfoundation@jsmuecke
Through the provision of collaborative research, sustainable education, infrastructure support, and health promotion, Sight For All has made significant steps towards eliminating blindness in Asia.
“We were able to bring over a young eye surgeon from Myanmar and train him for a year at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide,” said James.
According to James, this is a perfect example of Sight For All’s sustainable ‘teach a man to fish’ strategy.
“He went home as the first paediatric eye surgeon for his country of nearly 60 million people. We then set him up in the first paediatric eye unit with all the appropriate diagnostic equipment and surgical instruments. He now sees approximately 20,000 children each year and, in 2015, started training his own colleagues as paediatric eye surgeons.”
How Sight For All chairman James Muecke stays on top of the world
Why climbing and trekking?
James Muecke and his wife Mena while trekking through the Himalayas in eastern Bhutan this year. Supplied
How did you get into it and how old were you?
My first experience was climbing Mount Kenya when I was 23. I was undertaking my medical elective at a nearby hospital called Tumutumu. The climb was a rite of passage for all medical students visiting the hospital.
How many mountains have you climbed?
Mount Kenya, twice, Mount Mulanje in Malawi, the Rwenzori Mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mount Kinabalu in Borneo and the Himalayas in Bhutan this April – the highest point was the Bonte La Pass at 4890 metres.
How often do you get to do it?
I rarely go climbing now as I have a degenerative hip condition. I never imagined I would have a chance to join the Sight For All fundraising trek in Bhutan, let alone complete it. Walking poles, anti-inflammatory tablets, glucosamine and plenty of training made all the difference. Oh, and I had a porter carry my day pack!
What is the highest mountain you've climbed / longest trek you've undertaken?
The highest mountain I've climbed is Mount Kenya, the second highest in Africa. I made it to the third-highest peak, Point Lenana at 4985 metres, the only one accessible without technical gear. My longest trek was the six-day Chomolhari-Bonte La-Drukgyel Circuit through the Himalayas of eastern Bhutan. I highly recommend both. The latter trek was one of the hardest things I've done, but definitely one of the best – a brilliant confluence of experiences.
What are your future ambitions?
I haven't climbed Everest; however, halfway through my recent Himalaya trek I was feeling inspired to give it a go one day soon. Although this might have been the endorphins speaking! I would like to explore Patagonia in Argentina and conquer the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Describe your most memorable moment on a mountain.
Arriving at the peak of Mount Kenya for the first time, after an early start for sunrise. I'd never done anything like that before and was totally mesmerised by the view of the surrounding peaks and glacial valleys. On the way up, we watched a herd of elephants crash through the forest and cross the path just ahead of us – breathtaking.
What do you think about when you're up a mountain?
Everything – my thoughts are like a pinball bouncing around from subject to subject inside my skull.
How do you train?
I trained for the Bhutan trek for one year by undertaking regular hikes in the Adelaide Hills – one or two one-hour hikes per week before work in the morning and one longer three-hour hike on the weekends leading up to the trek. I also have a personal trainer I visit twice a week.
Any other tips?
Train hard, prepare your equipment well, and stop regularly to enjoy the spectacle.
Favourite gear?
Macpac clothing, Sea to Summit sleeping equipment and my Black Diamond walking poles.
Favourite destination?
The Himalaya trek with the legendary [Australian mountaineer] Katie Sarah was unbeatable. Katie was the first woman in the world to complete the gruelling Seven-Seven, climbing the highest mountains and the highest volcanic peaks on all seven continents. There were eight of us on the trek and we raised an incredible $60,000 to help Sight For All fight blindness in Bhutan. The single mountain climb up Mount Kenya was equally awe-inspiring – more challenging, more spectacular and only a little shorter than Kilimanjaro.
Ever been injured or in danger?
Our team was charged by a wild buffalo while climbing Mount Kenya. It literally exploded out of the undergrowth beside the track. We just ran in all directions, scattering like skittles, and one of the team broke their arm in the escape.
What do you dislike about trekking?
The ever-present insomnia (I'm a bad sleeper at the best of times) and the dull headaches – symptoms of being at altitude, a small price to pay for the experience of a lifetime. Via AFR ...
