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Meet our mate Henry!
At One For Health, we’re inspired every day by our incredible giving community— early-career doctors from across Australia who are coming together to tackle health inequities. Among them is Henry Howard, a junior doctor in Victoria, whose philanthropic journey has left us in awe!
Henry’s commitment to giving started long before he joined One For Health. Straight out of medical school, he made an extraordinary pledge: to donate 50% of his intern wage to charities addressing health inequity, both in Australia and overseas.
“I want people to be thinking about charity,” Henry says. “I want people to see their peers giving good money to good charities. Let this be the new normal!”
Normalizing generosity is exactly what Henry has set out to do. During his intern year in 2021, he live-streamed each donation, sparking curiosity and conversations within his community. The result? Over $53,000 donated in just one year.
Breaking the Barrier to Giving
Henry is the first to admit that taking the leap wasn’t easy. “The most important lesson was that giving any more than a few dollars at a time is scary,” he shares.
“You don’t want it to go to an undeserving organisation or person. I think this stops a lot of people from giving at all. But giving to an organisation you can trust, that’s doing evidence-based work, is incredibly fulfilling. The donations I’ve made are the most important thing I’ve ever done.”
Henry’s contributions have had a far-reaching impact. From funding malaria nets in sub-Saharan Africa to supporting fistula care for vulnerable communities, tackling malnutrition, and backing Indigenous-led health projects in central Australia, his giving spans a remarkable range of causes.
“The charity work I do gives me a spring in my step at work. It gets me out of bed. Every day, I’m fundraising a little for important causes. I’m helping people directly and indirectly,” he says.
Joining One For Health
Since his incredible intern-year pledge, Henry has committed to giving 10% of his income indefinitely. In 2024, he discovered One For Health and saw it as an opportunity to join a community of like-minded doctors committed to making a difference.
“It’s really important to have other people around you to remind you that you’re not alone and you’re not silly,” Henry explains. “A community also gives legitimacy. One doctor giving part of their income to charity might look a little odd, but 100 doctors giving together? Suddenly, people start to think we’re on to something.”
Now, 1% of Henry’s wage is donated through One For Health, helping us support impactful initiatives tackling health inequities in Australia and beyond.
A Vision for the Future
Henry’s passion for giving is as much about inspiring others as it is about the causes he supports. He hopes to see a cultural shift within the medical community toward philanthropy.
“My hope is that this becomes the norm,” he says. “It should be strange to not give a portion of our income to effective charities.”
As we grow our One For Health community in 2025, we’re inspired by Henry’s leadership and selflessness. His story reminds us of the privilege we enjoy as doctors in Australia —and the power we have to create meaningful change when we give together.
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