Harry Maddicks had a long and meaningful connection to his local community. His family arrived in Daylesford during the Gold Rush in the 1850s, and they went on to live and work in the area for three generations. 
Harry, a radio enthusiast, established a local shop selling radios and household appliances, and he and his siblings were also actively involved in volunteering in the local community.
Later in life, Harry was sadly diagnosed pancreatic cancer. As he came to the end of his battle with the disease, he had one final wish: he wanted to be able to help people.
Tim Byrne, of Ballarat, was Harry’s friend and lawyer for many years, and remembers his old friend very fondly.
Upon Harry’s passing, a trust fund was established, with Tim instructed to find a charity that would help the local community, especially people who needed medical attention.
As a young man, before he began his career as a lawyer, Tim had worked as a builder’s labourer at St John of God Ballarat Hospital. He spent many long days there doing everything from mixing concrete to scrubbing floors, and he knew the hospital and its staff well. Tim felt a great deal of gratitude to St John of God Ballarat Hospital for shaping him into the man he is today. He decided that the hospital, which is known for delivering compassionate care and an extensive range of health services, would be the perfect place to bestow Harry’s final gift. Tim generously gave a gift of his own in addition to the funds from Harry’s trust, to further support health care in the community they both loved so much.
The kindness and compassion of Tim and Harry will make a significant difference for patients at St John of God Ballarat Hospital and the local community for many years to come. We are so grateful for their generosity.
By considering a gift in your Will to St John of God Foundation, you can help to ensure the very best health care is available for people in their time of greatest need, for generations to come.
If you would like to know more about how leaving a gift in your Will can create a life-changing health care legacy for future generations, for a confidential discussion please contact:
Preema Wong, Director of Philanthropy Preema Wong
Tel: 0427 526 899
Email: [email protected].
Image: Tim Byrne’s fondly remembered friend, the late Henry ‘Harry’ Maddicks, as a young man.