A gift inspired by gratitude
Dr Frank Lin (OM 1995) has dedicated his career to restoring possibility.
Frank is a specialist reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgeon, and whether treating patients in Melbourne or through his humanitarian work overseas, he has seen first-hand the difference that opportunity and support can make.
It is a lesson that began much earlier, as a scholarship recipient at Melbourne Grammar School.
“My time at Melbourne Grammar School was only made possible through a bursary,” Frank says.
“My parents were first-generation migrants who worked incredibly hard to bring our family to Australia, and I had applied for an academic scholarship,” he adds. “Perhaps, at the time, I didn’t really understand its impact; but looking back now, I can see that it was an important moment that shaped the course of my schooling.”
Today, Frank and his wife, Angela Yang, are helping create opportunities for future generations through their support of the Jack Morrow Centre for Humanities. Their gift, which also includes a bequest commitment to the School, will be recognised through a naming association within the new Morrow Centre for the Witherby House room, honouring Frank’s enduring connection to his old House and the community that helped shape his journey.
For Frank, the decision to support the Morrow Centre was a natural one.
“I always enjoyed the Humanities at school,” he says. “The Jack Morrow Centre feels like a fitting place to give back, especially since it’s now the home of Witherby, my old House.”
While his career has taken him to some of the world’s leading centres for plastic and reconstructive surgery, and into operating theatres across the Asia-Pacific through humanitarian missions, one lesson from his time at Melbourne Grammar has remained constant: the value of community.
“Even when I was overseas, many years after graduating, I would run into someone who shared that Grammar connection,” Frank says. “That sense of belonging and support wasn’t obvious to me when I was a student, but it became clearer as I progressed in my medical career.”
Those experiences have also given him a deep appreciation for the role that opportunity and possibility can have in people’s lives.
“I think those of us living in Australia are incredibly fortunate, because opportunity exists on so many levels,” he says. “It was only through working overseas, including in places that are less fortunate, that you really gain perspective on how lucky we are.”
That perspective lies at the heart of Frank’s philanthropy.
“I’m grateful for the support the School gave me, which allowed me to be part of this community,” he says. “I hope that one day, a student who had a similar start to mine will experience the same kind of opportunity and support that I did.”
Looking back, Frank encourages today’s students to make the most of the opportunities before them.
“Value that opportunity and really make the most of what’s around you,” he says. “Take part in activities, try new things, and never underestimate how short that time is. Most of all, stay connected, because the School’s community stays with you long after your years there.”
