Lucy Mathen (born 1953) is an Indian-born British ophthalmologist and former journalist. Having initially worked for the BBC, she retrained as a doctor and launched Second Sight – a non-profit organisation aimed at curing cataract blindness in India's poorest state, Bihar.
Lucy Mathen
Born
1953 (age 70–71)
India
Nationality
British
Occupation
Ophthalmologist
Lifeedit
Mathen began her career as a print journalist, working for the Surrey Mirror in the mid-1970s.[1] She became the British Broadcasting Corporation's first ever female British Asian to front a major national television programme in 1976 when she began working for John Craven's Newsround (the BBC's children's news series).[2] She was the programme's first dedicated reporter – others, such as the anchorman John Craven, also appeared in other presenting roles for the BBC.[3] She worked on Newsround from 1976 to 1980. During this period, Samira Ahmed, now a prominent British Asian broadcaster, found Mathen an inspiration.[2]
During the making of a documentary on women in Afghanistan in 1988, a conversation with a local doctor made her reconsider her journalistic role: "I suddenly felt like a bit of a fraud. That's when I vowed that if I were ever in a war zone again, I would be a medic and not a reporter". At the age of 36, she retrained as a doctor at St George's Hospital Medical School in London. St. George's Hospital Medical School.[4] She chose ophthalmology as her specialty. After taking part in a surgical training course in India in 1996, she saw the effects of blindness caused by cataracts. She launched a non-profit organisation – Second Sight – in December 2000 to bring eye surgeons into the rural north India where the problem was most acute.[5] In 2012 she received the inaugural Karen Woo award from the British Medical Journal for the charity's work in Bihar. In 2020, in spite of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns, over 43,000 people had their sight restored by Second Sight working with small community eye hospitals all over the state of Bihar. The total number of blind people who have benefitted from the charity's work is now well over half a million. She has written about her change of career and the first 10 years of the charity's work in a book called A Runaway Goat: Curing Blindness in Forgotten India.[6] A sequel called Outgrowing the Big: Sight for India's Blind and A New Way of Seeing the World was published in June 2019. Award-winning journalist Simon Barnes, reviewing OTB called the book a 'triumph' -'humanity is the super-power that has allowed the charity Second Sight to punch way above its weight in 18 years.' OTB is dedicated to Mathen's greatest inspiration - her late mother Monica. She wrote her obituary which appeared in The Guardian newspaper in 2018. The book is also dedicated to Mark Rees, her partner of 50 years. They have one son Calum and one daughter Leyla. It was Leyla who introduced her to playing football which she still plays regularly and has incorporated the encouragement of women's football in India as part of a programme discouraging child marriage.[7] She is also a keen runner and completed three London Marathons and a half-marathon, and a triathlon raising money for Second Sight in the process.[8] She plays bass guitar in the band Startled Saint which she and Mark formed with friends in the 1970s.
In 2017, she launched the FAME project, which aims to eliminate vitamin A deficiency and the resulting blindness in children in economically backward areas of India.[9] FAME stands for Food, Vitamin A, Measles vaccination, and Education.[9] In July 2022 Mathen's Medical School - St George's University of London- conferred on her an honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine (DSc(Med)) for services to Ophthalmology.
Referencesedit
^Barnes, Simon (2003-04-18). Land where folly and courage run hand in hand. The Times. Retrieved on 2011-10-01.
^ ab. theophthalmologist.com. 1 April 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021.
External linksedit
Second Sight
January 01, 1970
lucy, mathen, born, 1953, indian, born, british, ophthalmologist, former, journalist, having, initially, worked, retrained, doctor, launched, second, sight, profit, organisation, aimed, curing, cataract, blindness, india, poorest, state, bihar, born1953, india. Lucy Mathen born 1953 is an Indian born British ophthalmologist and former journalist Having initially worked for the BBC she retrained as a doctor and launched Second Sight a non profit organisation aimed at curing cataract blindness in India s poorest state Bihar Lucy MathenBorn1953 age 70 71 IndiaNationalityBritishOccupationOphthalmologistLife editMathen began her career as a print journalist working for the Surrey Mirror in the mid 1970s 1 She became the British Broadcasting Corporation s first ever female British Asian to front a major national television programme in 1976 when she began working for John Craven s Newsround the BBC s children s news series 2 She was the programme s first dedicated reporter others such as the anchorman John Craven also appeared in other presenting roles for the BBC 3 She worked on Newsround from 1976 to 1980 During this period Samira Ahmed now a prominent British Asian broadcaster found Mathen an inspiration 2 During the making of a documentary on women in Afghanistan in 1988 a conversation with a local doctor made her reconsider her journalistic role I suddenly felt like a bit of a fraud That s when I vowed that if I were ever in a war zone again I would be a medic and not a reporter At the age of 36 she retrained as a doctor at St George s Hospital Medical School in London St George s Hospital Medical School 4 She chose ophthalmology as her specialty After taking part in a surgical training course in India in 1996 she saw the effects of blindness caused by cataracts She launched a non profit organisation Second Sight in December 2000 to bring eye surgeons into the rural north India where the problem was most acute 5 In 2012 she received the inaugural Karen Woo award from the British Medical Journal for the charity s work in Bihar In 2020 in spite of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns over 43 000 people had their sight restored by Second Sight working with small community eye hospitals all over the state of Bihar The total number of blind people who have benefitted from the charity s work is now well over half a million She has written about her change of career and the first 10 years of the charity s work in a book called A Runaway Goat Curing Blindness in Forgotten India 6 A sequel called Outgrowing the Big Sight for India s Blind and A New Way of Seeing the World was published in June 2019 Award winning journalist Simon Barnes reviewing OTB called the book a triumph humanity is the super power that has allowed the charity Second Sight to punch way above its weight in 18 years OTB is dedicated to Mathen s greatest inspiration her late mother Monica She wrote her obituary which appeared in The Guardian newspaper in 2018 The book is also dedicated to Mark Rees her partner of 50 years They have one son Calum and one daughter Leyla It was Leyla who introduced her to playing football which she still plays regularly and has incorporated the encouragement of women s football in India as part of a programme discouraging child marriage 7 She is also a keen runner and completed three London Marathons and a half marathon and a triathlon raising money for Second Sight in the process 8 She plays bass guitar in the band Startled Saint which she and Mark formed with friends in the 1970s In 2017 she launched the FAME project which aims to eliminate vitamin A deficiency and the resulting blindness in children in economically backward areas of India 9 FAME stands for Food Vitamin A Measles vaccination and Education 9 In July 2022 Mathen s Medical School St George s University of London conferred on her an honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine DSc Med for services to Ophthalmology References edit Barnes Simon 2003 04 18 Land where folly and courage run hand in hand The Times Retrieved on 2011 10 01 a b Ahmed Samira 2011 09 30 Newsround racism and me The Guardian Retrieved on 2011 10 01 30 years of Newsround CBBC Retrieved on 2011 10 01 Kallury Kruttika 2010 10 07 Eye catcher India Today Retrieved on 2011 10 01 Organisation Second Sight Retrieved on 2011 10 01 Excess Baggage Medics abroad and Bridges BBC Radio 4 Retrieved on 2011 10 01 Carter Sally 2011 04 01 Lucy Mathen From journalism to ophthalmology British Medical Journal Retrieved on 2011 10 01 Marathons Second Sight a b Lucy Mathen talks about her charity Second Sight theophthalmologist com 1 April 2021 Archived from the original on 1 April 2021 External links editSecond Sight Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lucy Mathen amp oldid 1220380297, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
