June 19, 2024
The Apunipima Cape York Health Council would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to our former Chief Executive Officer, Mr Cleveland Fagan, who passed away unexpectedly on 10 June 2024.
A local Aboriginal man with traditional and historical connections to Cairns, Yarrabah, Kuranda, Mareeba and Cape York, Cleveland was passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Cleveland served as the Chief Executive Officer of Apunipima for 12 years from 2005 to April 2017 and oversaw Apunipima’s transition from an advocacy organisation to primary health care service provider. This was a period of incredible growth as the organisation increased its staff numbers from 20 staff to over 200, and expanded into many of the services and programs that we see as core health services today.
Cleveland was a champion of change for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience to build capacity and develop our local and regional organisations to be leaders of primary health care in our communities.
The Board, management and staff of Apunipima are saddened by the sudden loss of Cleveland and would like to express our deepest condolences to Cleveland’s immediate and extended family and acknowledge his immeasurable contribution to our organisation and the people of Cape York.
