Mary Freer, a globally recognised leader in healthcare and social care reform, has been selected for a prestigious residency at The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre in Italy, starting in February 2025.
Known for hosting the world’s most visionary thinkers, this renowned program will give Freer a month to advance her groundbreaking project: a Global Toolkit for Self-Compassion.
Freer’s mission is bold—transforming healthcare systems worldwide through compassion with compelling research to back it up. In 2016, she launched the Compassion Revolution, a movement that has garnered international recognition for redefining how care is approached, emphasising compassion at its core. At the Bellagio Centre, Freer will tackle one of the sector’s biggest challenges: creating innovative tools to help frontline healthcare workers practice self-compassion.
“The residency gives me the dedicated time and space to create a toolkit that healthcare and social care workers desperately need to manage the daily stress and trauma they face,” said Freer.
The Bellagio Centre has a storied history, hosting Nobel Laureates, change-makers, and pioneers across disciplines. Freer joins the ranks of just 100 global leaders chosen annually, all dedicated to addressing urgent global challenges through cross-disciplinary collaboration.
During her residency, Freer will sharpen her Global Toolkit for Self-Compassion, a resource designed to combat burnout and build resilience among health and social care workers. The toolkit, which Freer describes as a "necessity, not a luxury," will support those carrying the weight of the world’s crises.
“I hope this toolkit becomes an essential resource for workers on the frontlines—helping them care for themselves while they care for others,” Freer added.
As a Westpac Social Change Fellow, author and acclaimed TEDx speaker, Freer’s influence spans globally. The Global Toolkit for Self-Compassion will be ready for launch following her Bellagio residency.
