Overcoming Adversity

Introducing Ray Avery: New Zealander of the Year

Ray Avery is a one in a million New Zealander.

After being abandoned by his violent parents he grew up in orphanages in London, and lived for a brief period under a bridge where he was eventually outed in a police raid. This event proved to be a turning point in Ray’s life when an observant policeman saw his obvious intelligence, took him under his wing and helped him get on his feet. With his treacherous journey far from over, Ray then worked in a variety of fields before arriving in New Zealand in the 70’s where he continued building his science career.

From here Ray helped set up The University of Auckland School of Pharmacology and worked as head scientist for Douglas Pharmaceuticals. After leaving Douglas, he set about his mission to help change the world. The first of these endeavours was to work with the Fred Hollows Foundation where he invented the iontracular lens - a simple, cheap invention that has now helped save the sight of millions of people in the developing world.

In 2003 Ray set up Medicine Mondiale, a social enterprise that is dedicated to helping improve the lives of the world’s underprivileged. Efforts to date have included setting up a cancer hospital in Nepal, development of a protein formula that for 20c can save kids from malnutrition, a device to accurately administer intravenous drugs in third world hospitals that has the potential to save millions of lives, and a cost-effective incubator that will save premature babies in third world countries from dying in the cardboard boxes many of them start their lives in. There are many other initiatives under way.

As well as pouring his enormous energy and passion into his work, Ray is also a committed family man. He and his wife, Anna, have a lovely daughter and another baby due in December.

This year Ray was the first recipient of the New Zealander of the Year award; he was also recently awarded the Peter Blake medal for leadership.

Ray is an extraordinary person and an excellent speaker. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear from an expert on how to conquer through adversity.

Event listed by Emma Barnes

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