Dr James Muecke

Professional life

From Wikipedia:

Dr James Muecke began his career in Kenya.  He relocated to South Australia and became an eye surgeon and blindness prevention pioneer, starting both Vision Myanmar at the South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology in 2000, and Sight For All, a social impact organisation "aiming to create a world where everyone can see". 

In the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours, Muecke was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).  He received the University of Adelaide's Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Award in 2019. 

On being appointed the 2020 Australian of the Year, Muecke immediately advocated for a tax on sugary drinks in the fight against Type 2 diabetes. 

He has stopped conducting surgeries due to an inherited neurological condition impacting use of his right hand.

Since starting his medical career in Kenya, Dr James Muecke AM has been passionate about fighting blindness.  His focus now is the leading cause of blindness in adults – type 2 diabetes – a spiralling epidemic that's impacting nearly one-in-ten Australians.  It's the fastest growing cause of vision loss in Aboriginal people and the sixth-biggest killer in this country.  Dr Muecke wants to challenge our perception of sugar and the impact it has in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Dr Muecke was set on being a doctor for as long as he can remember. However, after practicing medicine for a year after study, treating people who mainly had chronic, self-inflicted diseases, Dr Muecke became disillusioned.  He reinvigorated his passion for medicine after a year volunteering in Kenya, Africa where he discovered that he was able to cure infectious diseases such as malaria and TB as well as help people in poor communities.  This encouraged him to pursue a career in public health.

Aside from the life-threatening encounters with rebel soldiers and wild animals, James’ time in Africa and Israel also taught him about his passion for having an impact on people's lives and making a difference in the world.

After his involvement with poverty in disadvantaged countries and communities, seeing children in blind schools with easily preventable impairments, he came home to Australia to find a crisis in diabetes that is poorly understood.

Public Comment: You get it!  You have put it all together as to what is causing a world-wide epidemic of chronic diseases and early deaths.  It’s too much sugar and refined carbs in our diet.  We cause it – we literally eat ourselves sick.  But the good news is, we can quickly stop the progression of these chronic diseases, regain good health, and prolong our lives and healthspan just by making a lifestyle change in our diet.  Thank you for presenting this important message.  (21 minutes)

Published by: Low Carb Downunder - August, 2020

Dr Muecke now has Type-2-Diabetes, the leading cause of blindness in adults, in his sights.  Type 2 diabetes affects around 10% of Australians, it is the fastest growing cause of vision loss in Aboriginal people and the sixth-biggest killer in this country.  Significantly, Type-2-Diabetes is also preventable in the majority of cases.

James Muecke's "Doctor of the University" Award from the University of Adelaide in March 2021.  His opportunity to address the graduates on their graduation day. (21 minutes)

Published by: Dr James Muecke - April, 2021