Over $150,000 in support from the ophthalmic community

Throughout the JULeye campaign, the ophthalmic community rallied behind The Eye Foundation in support of JULeye by selling merchandise, wearing JULeye shirts and contributing funds towards research into eye disease.

Over $150,000 has been raised as a result of this support from over 80 practices and doctors nationally which has been recognised in the MY JULeye page of juleye.com.au . In recognition of this support, awards will be announced at the RANZCO National Congress in November this year.

Bledisloe Cup a huge success for JULeye

In partnership with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), the innovative event partnership for the Bledisloe Cup match on Saturday 26 July was a huge success. With 60 volunteers selling tattoos and collecting donations from rugby supporters, thousands of dollars was raised for research into eye disease.

Inside the stadium over 70,000 rugby supporters became eye aware with former Wallaby Captain Dr Mark Loane interviewed in the centre of the field and the JULeye online campaign aired on the big screen pre-game.

This would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of Clayton Utz and Macquarie Group employees who volunteered their time on Saturday night to help out! We also acknowledge the tremendous leadership shown by the ARU in enabling this partnership to take place in the first year of JULeye.

Clayton Utz Bledisloe Cup Lunch

A major corporate partner, Clayton Utz, generously named The Eye Foundation as the charity of choice for their Bledisloe Cup lunch hosted by Phil Kearns. Dr Mark Loane, ex Wallaby captain, practicing ophthalmologist and Board Director of The Eye Foundation was a speaker at this event.

The Clayton Utz Foundation matched, dollar for dollar, money donated during the lunch to help raise a grand total of $6,430 for The Eye Foundation. Thank you to both Clayton Utz and their guests for their generous support at this event.

Team of Deloitte volunteers take over Sydney

As a pilot for JULeye 2009, a group of volunteers from Deloitte gave their time to help sell JULeye merchandise outside the QVB and in Pitt St Mall in Sydney on Wednesday 23 July. We thank them for their tireless efforts in what was the coldest day of the year. The team of volunteers helped raise money for research into eye disease and we will be rolling out this day nationally next year.

The Eye Foundation Larapinta Challenge 2009

The Eye Foundation is excited to launch The Eye Foundation Larapinta Challenge 2009. This trip, managed by fundraising adventure travel company ‘Inspired Adventures’, is giving 20 people the opportunity to join an incredible trekking challenge along the Larapinta Trail (Central Australia) in late April/early May 2009. This adventure is designed to challenge Australians to get fit, raise funds for The Eye Foundation and have an extraordinary experience in one of Australia’s most incredible and scenic destinations.

Funds raised from The Eye Foundation Larapinta Challenge 2009 will go directly to The Eye Foundation’s indigenous eye health programs including the Minum Barreng (‘tracking of eyes’) Indigenous Project.

We invite you to consider participating in this fundraising and fitness challenge which is all about: everyday people – fundraising champions – incredible journeys!

To find out more click here or call Kim at Inspired Adventure on 02 9262 7882.

Be part of Bledisloe Cup this JULeye

The Australian Rugby Union has joined the JULeye campaign in event partnership for the Bledisloe Cup on 26 July in Sydney. There will be a team of volunteers from Clayton Utz and Macquarie Bank roving around ANZ Stadium to spread the word about JULeye and sell special edition eye tattoos.

Australian – green/gold – and New Zealand – black/white – eye tattoos will be sold outside the stadium in lead up to the game. Avid rugby supporters will be able to badge their support for their chosen team by wearing a patriotic eye tattoo for the Wallabies or the All Blacks.

A new campaign launched by the ARU has seen Dr Mark Loane, ophthalmologist and ex-Wallabies Captain, named as the 70s Ambassador for the Built by Rugby – forged in union campaign. Sydney will host the Bledisloe Cup Test for the first time in three years – and tickets to the blockbuster on 26 July are now on sale to the general public through Ticketek.

National Eye Health Report for JULeye

Eyesight outranks ability to hear, speak or move when it comes to performing at work yet most aussies neglect their eyes. A new report[ii] released by The Eye Foundation in the lead up to JULeye has found that for the majority of Australian workers, being able to see is fundamental to being able to do their job. Despite this, working Australians are still taking part in activities that can increase the risk of eye disease, including more than one in four who admit to regularly smoking.

According to The Eye Foundation report, Australian workers are four times more likely to feel that losing their eyesight would make it most difficult to complete their job, compared to if they were to lose their ability to speak. In addition twice as many workers felt that losing the ability to see would make it most difficult to do their job, compared to if they lost their mobility.

[i] This research was conducted online in April 2008 by Newspoll among 600 Australians aged 18-64 nationally, including 404 workers.
[ii] This research was conducted online in April 2008 by Newspoll among 600 Australians aged 18-64 nationally, including 404 workers.

Walking billboards - a JULeye concept

As part of an integrated campaign, JULeye will see the streets of Australia filled with walking billboards. The Australian community have the opportunity to design their own t-shirts incorporating a statement using the letter <eye> to wear their support for JULeye and literally become walking billboards for the campaign.

Simple statements like ‘I have a dream’ or ‘I believe we can’ incorporate the letter <eye> concept to cleverly show not only support for the JULeye campaign but also an individual statement about the wearer. This design-your-own t-shirt concept is available on juleye.com.au and a portion of proceeds of each t-shirt sale will go towards eye health research.

Mabuzi Art have made this concept possible by supplying an online shop to design your own t-shirt and print each shirt individually as web orders come through.

VIVO Cafés support JULeye

VIVO Cafés, all three of which are located on George Street in Sydney's CBD, brew more coffees for Sydneysiders from Monday to Friday than any other CBD outlet and this JULeye, all VIVO staff will be sporting their JULeye t-shirts in support of the cause.

Every Tuesday in the month of July, VIVO staff will be wearing their support for eye health research helping to build on the awareness campaign for the month. They will also be selling JULeye merchandise to their 6000 coffee customers a week to help raise much needed funds for eye health research.

VIVO stands for Vivacious, Individual, Vibrant and Original. VIVO Cafés are the pride and joy of brother and sister co-owners, Con and Angela Vithoulkas. After 24 years together as business partners, they know that the VIVO formula is their finest work yet. Angela was recently awarded 2007 NSW Telstra Business Owner as part of the Telstra Business Women Awards.

Alcon on the road for JULeye

Alcon Laboratories is out in force this July with their national sales team decked out in JULeye polo shirts to support the campaign. As well as contributing significant funds towards eye health research, Alcon has also engaged their staff in support of JULeye by wearing the shirts, spreading the message on the road and even selling merchandise within their offices.

As one of the leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide, Alcon Laboratories is the leader in eye care products and, like The Eye Foundation, is committed to the fight to prevent and, one day, eliminate blindness.

JULeye is a prime opportunity for companies to be the first involved in a pioneering and ground-breaking eye health campaign. It is a chance to align with The Eye Foundation and work with this highly regarded organisation to improve eye health throughout Australasia. Why not get your team onboard for this JULeye?

JULeye FUNDRAISING ART AUCTION

In support JULeye, Sydney-based art adviser, Natalia Bradshaw, has collected a group of artworks by leading Australian artists for auction during JULeye. Each work directly relates to the eye – either through the artists’ direct experience with eye disease, or with the eye and the way of seeing as a seminal aspect of their body of work.

You can request a catalogue or register a bid by contacting The Eye Foundation at or phone (02) 8394 5220

The Rock Dancer 2003 acrylic on canvas 110.5 x 123cm Donated by the artist via Sullivan + Strumpf Fine Art Retail price: $17,000 Reserve price: $17,000

The Rock Dancer comes from the Structures period (2000 – present) but is perhaps more representational than the rock shapes in the sense that it is based on a beautiful little black/grey bird that flits, dances across the rocks stirring up insects as it goes and not afraid by human activity. It’s activity warranted an image’, Sydney Ball, Sydney. Recently having a cataract removed from his left eye, and having previously had one removed from his right eye, Ball is very pleased to be able to help the Eye Foundation with the donation of this painting.