Vale Mr David Polson AM

Vale Mr David Polson AM

10 Feb 2025

St Vincent’s mourns the passing of Mr David Polson AM, a great Australian, and a great friend of our hospitals, patients, clinicians, researchers, and team members for more than four decades.

David was one of the first Australians to be diagnosed with HIV, and so began his long association with St Vincent’s. First as a patient in Ward 17 South – Australia’s first designated health service for people experiencing HIV/AIDS at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney – then as an HIV advocate, philanthropist, and community leader.

In his role as a high-profile advocate and community leader – and most recently as Emeritus Founding Chair of Qtopia Sydney – David was a familiar face in the corridors at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.

David’s tireless contributions – including his participation in more than 30 clinical trials related to finding treatments and cures for HIV/AIDS – advanced our knowledge and response towards the disease and no doubt improved and saved the lives of countless thousands the world over. 

David was also a long-standing Ambassador for the St Vincent’s Curran Foundation’s HIV Future Fund. David was instrumental in helping the Foundation fundraise for immunology research, treatment, and HIV patient care programs over many years. He helped the St Vincent’s Curran Foundation connect to supporters and donors and was a much-loved member of its community.

David had a unique connection with our founders, the Sisters of Charity. He was particularly close to Sister Clare Nolan, who was St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney’s Director of Nursing in the early 1980s at the outbreak of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and who was instrumental in establishing Ward 17 South. I know they shared a very special friendship.

Only a few months ago, David kindly agreed to an interview about his time as a patient at St Vincent’s where he described the hospital as “a haven”.

“It was pure love in that place. From the Sisters, from the nurses, from the cleaning staff, the doctors, the administrators. It was love and caring. And it was such a safe place to be. I didn’t like being there, but I loved them.”

David, the whole of St Vincent’s loved you too. We will miss you dearly.

Our deepest condolences to all of David’s family, friends, colleagues and associates. 

David Polson AM and Sister Clare Nolan, RSC