Promoting the advancement of otology and audiology: a history of the Thomas Wickham-Jones (TWJ) Foundation.

Objectives: For 50 years, the Thomas Wickham-Jones (TWJ) Foundation has promoted the advancement of otology and audiology in the UK and Republic of Ireland through a series of overseas Fellowships and other grants.

Methods: The paper examines the history of the Foundation since its establishment in 1974, drawing upon the Foundation's archives and personal recollections. The analysis is located within a framework concerning the factors that shape the success or failure of a foundation including vision, strategy, information, leadership and finance.

Results: The activities of the TWJ Foundation are charted over five decades, and the governance of the Foundation is detailed. Particular attention is given to the Major Fellowships offered, at first in North America, and to their subsequent development into the Foundation's current rotation.

Conclusion: The paper offers an assessment of the TWJ Foundation's impact on the training of otologists in the British Isles and concludes with a brief self-reflective analysis.