The O’Brien Institute has taken great strides towards advancing life-saving research thanks to the generous support of JO and JR Wicking Trust, managed by ANZ Trustees.
The Wicking Trust was created by John Oswald Wicking and his wife Janet Ramsey Wicking in John’s will in 2002. Throughout their lives, the couple devoted themselves to helping others through volunteer work and philanthropy. John Wicking was born in Balwyn, Victoria, the son ofJeannie and successful novelist and journalist George Wicking. Always prepared to do whatever necessary, John quit school during the economic hardships of the Great Depression and helped his family by getting a job in the field of accountancy and finance. At the outbreak of the Second orld War, John volunteered with the Australian Infantry Forces. He was only the sixtieth Victorian to enlist. After training and serving in Egypt and Crete, he was captured by the German forces. While a prisoner of war, he attempted three daring escapes. After the war, John returned to Melbourne and married his longtime sweetheart, Janet Ramsay. The couple bought a 2,000 acre farm in the Strathbogies, where hey ran livestock for 20 years. Far left: John and Janet were active philanthropists.
John also served on the boards of several prominent companies and was the managing director and chairman of Kiwi International. In 1986, John was made Member of the Order of Australia for his services to industry and community work. Throughout their lives, John and Janet were active philanthropists, donating a lot of time and money to many charitable organisations. The relationship between the O’Brien Institute and the Wickings was forged in the 1990s, when Prof. Wayne Morrison performed complex ear microsurgery on John Wicking. The partnership with the trustee, NZ Trustees, has helped the O’Brien Institute advance the science of tissue engineering. In the first partnership year, 1.5 million resulted in two new permanent positions at the Institute: the Wicking Professor/Director of Tissue Engineering, filled by Prof. Greg Dusting, and his assistant Tiffany Tran. Over the past several years, the grant helped advance research into: The O’Brien Institute has taken great strides towards advancing life-saving research thanks to the generous support of JO and JR Wicking Trust, managed by ANZ Trustees.
- Converting human fat cells into beating human heart cells. This research could have significant benefits for heart disease victims. Published papers have received wide media coverage.
- Better understanding of pancreatic function, which will help improve insulin management for diabetic patients.
- Advanced knowledge of how best to use fat tissue for reconstructive surgery, which will ensure better outcomes for plastic surgery patients.
Even though John and Janet have passed on, their legacy of generosity lives on through their perpetual trust and its commitment to helping others. The O’Brien Institute looks forward to future advances in research made possible by the support of the JO and JR Wicking Trust. The Institute is grateful to ANZ Trustees for its support. Visit www.anz.com/personal/private-bank-trustees/trustees for more information.
