14th June 2023
John and Vicki Williams donate $2m to help local patients
Prominent North Queensland philanthropists John Williams and the late Vicki Williams have gifted a two-million-dollar ($2,000,000) donation to fund medical equipment at local public hospitals and health facilities.
Gifted to Brighter Lives, the donation will fund the John and Vicki Williams special equipment funding round.
John Williams said, “Vicki and I wanted to make a donation that would help our community directly. By funding medical equipment we know that this gift will help people when they need it the most.”
“This is a cause that is very important to Vicki and me. We have spent time at Townsville University Hospital and enjoyed living and working in North Queensland.
“Vicki wished to make a significant contribution to our local health service, and while this is something we decided together it is also very much in her honour.”
John and Vicki Williams have a history of supporting our local health service including contributing $165,000 in 2019 to help fund a virtual reality simulator at Townsville University Hospital to help train the next generation of surgeons in keyhole abdominal surgery.
Hailing from Yungaburra on the Atherton Tableland, John met Vicki at the Mt Garnett races and wooed the Sydneysider to settle in the north. They have been living in Townsville since the 1980s and made significant life-long contributions to local industry and tourism. Vicki sadly passed away in 2021.
This donation to local health is the largest contribution received by Brighter Lives in its 34-year history.
Brighter Lives’ Deputy Chair, Dr Matthew Bryant said, “This is an incredibly generous donation and it will make a significant impact for people in North Queensland as it will allow us to access equipment that we wouldn’t normally have here in Townsville or in our smaller regional communities.
“Funds will be made available through the John and Vicki Williams Special Funding Round for medical equipment.”
A special funding round is being launched today. Staff at any Townsville Hospital and Health Service facility are encouraged to apply for medical equipment that fulfils a local need.
