Sir George Montario Bedbrook,
OBE (8 October 1921 – 6 October 1991)
was an Australian medical doctor and surgeon, who was the driving force in creating the
Australian Paralympic movement and the
Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
The Commonwealth Paraplegic Games were an international, multi-sport event involving athletes with a disability from the Commonwealth countries. The event was sometimes referred to as the Paraplegic Empire Games and British Commonwealth Paraplegi ...
, and helped to found the
FESPIC Games
The FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was a multi-sport event in Asia and the South Pacific region which is considered to be a precursor to the Asian Para Games, as two of its edition games in 1999 (7th) and ...
.
Personal
Bedbrook was born on 8 November 1921 in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Victoria. His father was Arthur Bedbrook, a retired serviceman. His mother was Ethel Nora née Prince. He attended
Coburg State School and the
University High School, Melbourne
, motto_translation = With Zeal and Loyalty
, established =
, type = Government-funded co-educational secondary day school
, principal = Ciar Foster
, location = 77 Sto ...
. He received his bachelor's degree in medicine from the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
in 1944.
In 1946, he married Jessie Violet née Page, with whom he had two sons and three daughters. He died on 6 October 1991 in
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) is a teaching hospital in Nedlands, Western Australia.
Opened in 1958 as the Perth Chest Hospital and later named in honour of Sir Charles Gairdner, governor of Western Australia from 1951 to 1963, it is pa ...
.
[
]
Academic and medical career
Bedbrook was an anatomy lecturer at the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
from 1946 to 1950. In 1950, he earned an MS and a FRACS in 1950 from the University of Melbourne. Bedbrook then moved to the United Kingdom for three years, where he worked in orthopaedics. He gained a British recognised credential in 1951 when he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an intercollegiate basis by the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons (the Royal C ...
. In 1953, Bedbrook moved back to Australia, where he and McKellar Hall started a private practice in orthopaedics. During this time, he became a member at the Royal Perth Hospital. In 1954, he founded the Department of Paraplegia at the hospital and continued to work in the department until 1972. He started working at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1956. He headed the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Royal Perth Hospital from 1965 to 1975. He was the department's chairperson from 1979 to 1981. He was the President of the International Spinal Cord Society
The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) was founded in 1961 as the International Medical Society of Paraplegia. It is an INGO, whose purpose is to study all problems relating to lesions of the spinal cord.
History
The International Medi ...
from 1980 to 1984. In 1988, he was the Director of the Spinal Injuries Programme and Clinical Sub-dean of the University of Western Australia. He retired from medicine in 1981.[
While working as an academic and medical professional, he published 117 scientific papers and publications, and wrote two books, ''The Care and Management of Spinal Cord Injuries'' and ''Lifetime Care of the Paraplegic Patient''.][ Bedbrook was the president of the International Medical Society of Paraplegia. He was preceded by Professor V. Paeslack of ]Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and followed by Professor A. Rossier of Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
In 1970, he earned a Diploma in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine from the University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
. Bedbrook earned several honorary degrees, including an honorary MD from the University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...
in 1973, an honorary FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...
in 1981, an honorary Doctorate of Technology from Western Australian Institute of Technology
Curtin University, formerly known as Curtin University of Technology and Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), is an Australian public research university based in Bentley, Perth, Western Australia. It is named after John Curtin, ...
in 1984, and an honorary FCRM from Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1987. Other accolades include the Betts' Medal, bestowed by the Australian Orthopaedic Association in 1972, and a Medal of Honour bestowed by the International Medical Society of Paraplegia in 1978.
Paralympic movement
Ludwig Guttmann
Sir Ludwig Guttmann (3 July 1899 – 18 March 1980) was a German-British neurologist who established the Stoke Mandeville Games, the sporting event for people with disabilities (PWD) that evolved in England into the Paralympic Games. A Jewish ...
was the founder of the modern Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...
that started with the Stoke Mandeville Games
Stoke is a common place name in the United Kingdom.
Stoke may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
The largest city called Stoke is Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. See below.
Berkshire
* Stoke Row, Berkshire
Bristol
* Stoke Bishop
* Stok ...
. Bedbook was challenged by Guttmann to bring organised sport to disabled people in Australia when Guttmann visited Bedbrook at the Royal Perth Hospital
Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) is a 450-bed adult and teaching hospital located on the northeastern edge of the central business district of Perth, Western Australia.
History
The hospital traces its history back to the first colonial hospital, whi ...
in 1956. The year after Guttmann's visit, Bedbrook helped Australia to send its first team to compete in the Stoke Mandeville Games. The first team consisted of seven athletes six of whom were from Bedbrook's ward at the hospital, and the seventh from Sydney. Bedbrook did extensive fundraising to help cover the travel expenses of the athletes from Royal Perth Hospital.
In 1962, Bedbrook was the primary organiser of the first Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, Western Australia, the counterpart of the regular British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He served as the Game's General Secretary. Guttmann presented Bedbrook with a Stoke Mandeville Games pennant during the games's opening ceremony. This pennant was prized because of the level of commitment it entailed to the disabled athletic ideal. Bedbrook, Hugh Leslie
Hugh Alan Leslie OBE (17 April 1900 – 2 September 1974) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Country Party and served terms in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly (1943–1949) and House of Representatives (1949–195 ...
and John Grant were credited with making the games a huge success, with athletes such as Sally Haynes
Sally may refer to:
People
* Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name
Military
* Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port
*Sally, the Allied reporting n ...
praising the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone working at the event.
In 1964, the International Stoke Mandeville Games Committee (ISMGC) held a meeting of managers and trainers in Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, Japan. This meeting resulted in the enlargement of the number of nations represented by the organisation. Bedbrook nominated Australia for inclusion and the organisation's constitution was modified to include Australia alongside Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, Germany, Japan, and Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
. This also resulted in Bedbrook becoming a member of the ISMGC that year. In 1967m the ISMGC set up a Medical Sub-Committee. Bedbrook was the first chair of this committee.[ In 1972, Bedbrook was replaced by Doctor J. Grant on the ISMGC.] In 1964, Bedbrook served as the Australian team leader at the Paralympics. At the 1968 Tel Aviv Paralympics, Bedbrook served as the Australian SMGF Delegate.
In 1974, the fourth Commonwealth Paraplegic Games were held in Dunedin
Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...
, New Zealand. Bedbrook served on the Medical Grading Committee for the Games. He also served on the Jury of Appeal for the Games. These games were the last Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, the decision having been made by the Commonwealth Games Committee, of which Bedbrook was the chairman. Bedbrook recommended that the games be replaced by a zone based competition, similar to the Pan-American Games
The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held ...
. Consequently, he helped to found the FESPIC Games
The FESPIC Games or the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, was a multi-sport event in Asia and the South Pacific region which is considered to be a precursor to the Asian Para Games, as two of its edition games in 1999 (7th) and ...
for Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim comprises the lands around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. The ''Pacific Basin'' includes the Pacific Rim and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim roughly overlaps with the geologic Pacific Ring of Fire.
List of co ...
countries.
PBF (The Paraplegic Benefit Fund) Australia
PBF Australia (The Paraplegic Benefit Fund) was founded by Sir George Bedbrook, a world-renowned spinal surgeon, who founded the Department of Paraplegia at Royal Perth Hospital in 1954. His commitment to the rehabilitation and care of Australians living with a spinal cord injury has received worldwide recognition. He was also the recipient of many distinctions and honours.
Sir George Bedbrook established PBF Australia in 1984 as he was frustrated by the lack of financial support available for patients living with a spinal cord injury. He found that 70% of patients were not eligible for any insurance or compensation payment following their spinal cord injury, with many being institutionalised after discharge from hospital.
Recognition
Bedbrook was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in 1965. He was knighted in the June 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours. In 2011, he was one of the first people to be inducted into the Australian Paralympic Hall of Fame, along with Frank Ponta
Francis Ettore Ponta (8 November 1935 – 1 June 2011) was an Australian Paralympic competitor and coach. He competed in several sports including basketball, pentathlon, swimming and fencing. A paraplegic, he lost the use of both his legs aft ...
and Louise Sauvage
Alix Louise Sauvage, OAM (born 18 September 1973) is an Australian paralympic wheelchair racer and leading coach.
Sauvage is often regarded as the most renowned disabled sportswoman in Australia. She won nine gold and four silver medals at fo ...
. In 2022, inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame was established on 10 December 1985 to recognise the achievements of Australian sportsmen and sportswomen. The inaugural induction included 120 members with Sir Don Bradman as the first inductee and Dawn Fraser th ...
.
See also
* Australia at the Paralympics Australia has participated officially in every Paralympic Games since its inauguration in 1960 except for the 1976 Winter Paralympics.
The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games and are governed by the International ...
References
Bibliography
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*
*
External links
Sir George Montario Bedbrook, Australian National Dictionary of Biography (1921–1991)
Homepage of the Parapalegic Benefit Fund founded in 1984 by the late Sir George Bedbrook
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedbrook, George
Australian orthopaedic surgeons
Australian sports executives and administrators
Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons
Medical doctors from Melbourne
20th-century Australian medical doctors
Melbourne Medical School alumni
University of Melbourne faculty
University of Sydney alumni
University of Western Australia faculty
Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Australian Knights Bachelor
Paralympics Australia officials
1921 births
1991 deaths
20th-century surgeons
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees