Pioneer’s legacy lives on through scholarship

“I was really surprised and humbled to receive the June Howqua Scholarship. Dr Howqua’s devotion to her work and to the lives of others is a real inspiration and it is an immense privilege to receive this award,” said Matthew Hare (pictured), the second recipient of the June Howqua Scholarship.

“I believe that those of us who have been blessed with extensive educational opportunities have a responsibility to use our training for the benefit of others,” said Matthew.

These sentiments reflect those of the late Dr June Louise Howqua who made an enormous difference to the lives of many people during her life and is still having an impact today through the June Howqua Scholarship, established in perpetuity through a gift in her will.

Dr June Louise Howqua was a distinguished consultant physician in Melbourne. She was one of the women pioneers in the medical profession in Australia, specialising in cardio-thoracic medicine, serving as a member of the Monash University assessment team for coronary surgery and establishing a coronary care unit at the Queen Victoria Hospital. She also operated a very successful private practice for more than 30 years.

During her life, Dr Howqua was not a stranger to adversity. She lived through the Great Depression and then experienced the usual struggles associated with being one of the few women working in a male dominated profession. However, she was known for her egalitarian beliefs and she asserted these in the way she conducted her life — treating all people as equals.

The scholarship is awarded to a student in the final year of the Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery on the basis of academic achievement. The final year of the undergraduate medicine course is particularly demanding. It involves full time placements at hospitals around Victoria and possibly internationally making it impossible for students to maintain regular employment.

Matthew Hare is a final year medical student who is passionate about improving the lives of people living in poverty. He has a particular interest in preventative and public health, with a focus on non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. These types of condition are an emerging threat in developing countries. By 2020, it is predicted that these diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries.

Matthew’s inspiration came during his Honours degree Bachelor of Medical Science when he was mentored by Professor Paul Zimmet AO (PhD 1973, HonLLD 2011). Monash alumnus Professor Zimmet is an expert in diabetes and public health and was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 2011 for his outstanding work in this field.

Matthew was already working towards achieving his goal of specialising in non-communicable diseases when he applied for the scholarship. His honours research focussed on the effects of ethnicity, age and gender on the tests used to diagnose diabetes, the results of which he presented at the Australian Diabetes Society conference in Perth and the World Diabetes Congress in Dubai. He was also accepted into the International Diabetes Epidemiology Group’s Training Program held in the United Arab Emirates last year.

The scholarship has given him the opportunity to undertake his final year elective medical placement with the Diabetes and Obesity Prevention group at Cambridge University’s Institute of Metabolic Science later this year. Without the scholarship this would not have been possible.

“This scholarship will be of immense benefit to me in both the short and long term, enabling me to make the most of my opportunities as a medical student and providing experiences that will form the basis of my life’s work,” said Matthew.

“Studying medicine is an absolute privilege. It is a license to enter into people’s lives, to be with them and assist them during times of immense hardship as well as in moments of great joy. There are few professions that offer such potential to make a positive impact.”