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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-10-31 Daily Xml
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David, Prof. D.

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (15:34): I rise today to extend my sincere congratulations, and I am sure the congratulations of the house, to our newly announced South Australian of the Year, Professor David David. To say I was excited by the announcement last night is certainly an understatement. I also congratulate SA Local Hero Andrew Costello, Senior South Australian of the Year Barbara Spriggs, and Young South Australian of the Year Kyran Dixon, all of whom we can be proud.

In five minutes, I will endeavour to do justice to capturing the importance, passion, expertise and commitment of the 45-year stellar career of Professor David David, a surgeon who witnessed the human pain and anguish experienced by those with facial deformity and disfigurements and set out righting the wrong, a man who understood that our face is what presents us to the world, creating those first impressions and instant judgment, and a man who has worked tirelessly and with nerves of steel to finesse the expertise of redesigning and reshaping human faces from babies through to adults.

For over four decades, David David has trained, built and invested himself in networks of expertise all over the globe, taking his much sought-after talent and commitment not only to teach other professionals but to also share his expertise with those in poorer countries, to ensure all could share and benefit from his groundbreaking work and gift, always executed through sheer hard work, determination and dedication. The status and recognition of this award shine a light and focus on the groundbreaking work of both the individual commitment of Professor David David and his innovative service through the Australian Craniofacial Unit, supported by the foundation.

Over the years, Professor David David has skilfully built a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals who may be required to treat and heal complexities of facial challenges and associated issues. These professionals may include orthopaedic surgeons; oral surgeons; neurosurgeons; eye specialists; ear, nose and throat specialists; occupational therapists; speech pathologists; social workers; psychiatrists; psychologists; dentists; and whomever he may need to call in with the expertise required to ensure the best outcome possible for the patient. To do this as a sole patient would be absolutely overwhelming in anyone's language, and it would not only be traumatic but almost impossible.

It was a future-thinking Labor government led by Don Dunstan that saw the foundation of the Australian Craniofacial Unit cemented in South Australia, for the benefit of not only South Australians but Australians and indeed the world. And so an ambitious process gave rise to the establishment of a national centre of excellence in the field of craniofacial surgery right here in Adelaide. The unit was the first of its kind in Australia, and in fact today the Australian Craniofacial Unit at the Women's and Children's Hospital is still the only unit of its kind in Australia and one of only two dedicated standalone multidisciplinary craniofacial units in the world.

As a young surgeon, Professor David David's passion was fuelled by the inspirational work of French surgeon Paul Tessier, a pioneer craniofacial reconstructive surgeon who, during World War II, developed a surgical and rehabilitative approach in support of burns victims. These victims often found themselves in mental institutions, entirely sane but rejected by society because of their disfigurement. This experience was the powerful impetus for Professor David, as he was driven to create a professional team-based approach to serve those people who needed this holistic care.

Human nature often dictates that until we are exposed to a critical life-changing situation, we take little notice of the journey of others, the intervention and expertise required. In this case, my family and I knew firsthand the expertise Professor David David had to offer. When our journey began with the arrival of our eldest daughter, Amelia, in 1990, with a rare bone disorder that would affect her personal journey, her growth and her physical development, we knew we were in good hands when we first met him in her very early days.

With countless and endless appointments, interventions and operations—too many to count, with quite a few being very confronting because of their significance—we managed to get through that journey due to his absolute care. Confirmation of the life-changing work of David David was reinforced when I heard Amelia speak as a craniofacial ambassador, and it brought me to tears when I realised what her journey had been before she had actually had this life-changing facial reconstruction.

This award is very well deserved by a person who has dedicated his life to improving the lives of others. Australia is proud of you, Adelaide is proud of you and I hope that you go on and do us proud in the national awards in Canberra next year. I know that Professor David David will work tirelessly, continuously and selflessly to campaign for the rights and needs of those less fortunate and that he will ensure that the Australian Craniofacial Unit will endure right here in Adelaide. Congratulations, Professor David. I am so proud to know you. You are not just Amelia's specialist but you are indeed our family friend.

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