LeagueNews - Cerebral Palsy League

VALE
Image sourced from Focus and Innovation, A History of Paediatric Education in Queensland’. 1986
League farewells
paediatric pioneer
Dr David Clements Jackson was
considered a pioneer in the paediatric
disciplines for the treatment of
cerebral palsy and is remembered as
a well respected advisor to the
Cerebral Palsy League of
Queensland.
He was born at Kangaroo Point in
Brisbane and educated at the
Kangaroo Point State School, Church
of England Grammar School, and
graduated with medical degrees from
the Melbourne University in 1937.
He was a resident at the Mater
Hospital for one year before travelling
to England to spend two years at the
Birmingham Children’s Hospital,
Edgbaston.
This period ended when he was
commissioned as a Surgeon
Lieutenant in the Royal Naval
Reserve, serving on destroyers and
at a submarine depot.
For meritorious service he was
12
awarded a Distinguished Service
Cross which was presented by the
late King George VI in person.
After demobilisation he returned to
Brisbane and commenced a private
paediatric consulting practice and
joined the clinical staff of the Mater
Children’s Hospital and remained an
active consultant to that hospital until
his retirement from there in 1973.
An important role at this time was
coordinating the teaching and the
timing of teaching of paediatrics
between the Mater Hospital and the
Royal Children’s Hospital.
A lecture theatre was named in his
honour in recognition of this service.
Whilst teaching paediatrics, Dr
Jackson developed a particular
interest in the clinical aspects of
cerebral palsy which led him to be an
advisor and Specialist Paediatric
Consultant to the Cerebral Palsy
League of Queensland, formerly the
Queensland Spastic Welfare League,
for many years.
This role included regularly leading
David Clements
Jackson
7/9/1912 to 11/10/2006
AM DSC MBBS DCH
FRACP FRACGP
Clinician
Teacher
Planner
Innovator
Author
multi-disciplinary teams to
Rockhampton, Hervey Bay and
Toowoomba to attend assessment
and advisory clinics.
For his service to paediatrics her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II created
him a Member of the Order of Australia
in 1983.
Many associated with the League will
remember Dr Jackson’s ability to flip
his monocle into his breast pocket.
Acknowledgments and thanks:
Focus and Innovation, A History of
Paediatric Education in Queensland’,
by John Pearn, published by
University of Queensland, 1986.
Professor John Pearn, AM
Dr Maurice Williams