To address the barriers, in 2021 the now retired couple made a generous one million dollar donation to establish the Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship at Flinders University.
It’s visionary support that will not only change an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander medical student’s life each year, but change the lives of many in Indigenous communities by increasing their access to essential medical care.
Dr Calthorpe says, “During our professional careers we sought to understand the health challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As a result, we have created this scholarship in perpetuity to support the studies of Indigenous medical students.”
“It is our hope that Indigenous people will be able to access medical care in their own region, from people they identify with, who speak their language, and thoroughly understand their cultural background,” says Dr Calthorpe.
“We place our trust and have confidence in these doctors to significantly improve Indigenous health outcomes.”
So far, two Indigenous students at Flinders have received $20,000 for each year of their medical degree, helping them to meet the financial challenges they face throughout their studies.
With two small children, second year medical student Lauren Navarrete says juggling the workload of the demanding degree with family needs has been incredibly difficult, causing her to worry about whether she could continue.
“This scholarship funding is the reason studying medicine is possible is for me,” says Lauren. “Thanks to this support I can focus on my studies and the challenging new territory of science.”
Lauren grew up in the coastal town of Kempsey, New South Wales, with her mother’s Dunghutti mob. She initially studied a Bachelor of Midwifery where she came to understand the unique challenges faced by Indigenous women and their families.
“I worked with an Indigenous midwifery group practice. It really cemented why I wanted to get into health care in the first place, and it inspired me to follow my dream of making a difference as a doctor.”
With the annual support of the Calthorpe Wong Indigenous Medical Scholarship, Lauren’s financial pressures have been reduced for the rest of her four‑year medical degree, including day to day living costs, study resources and necessary equipment such as a stethoscope.
“This is an incredibly generous scholarship and I really cannot put into words how grateful I am to be the recipient,” says Lauren.
To the scholarship’s donors she says, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this support that allows me to be here at university, and on my way to achieving my goal of becoming a doctor.”
Knowing how much difference it can make, Lauren says she is looking forward to giving back not only financially but also by working as a rural GP.
“My main interest is women’s health, particularly the perinatal period. I can see myself working as a rural GP, as I would like to give back and provide health care in Aboriginal communities as an Aboriginal doctor.”
