Telethon

Telethon Giving Ceremony / Beneficiaries Function

Chairman Geoff Cattach and CEO Andrea Alexander recently attended the 2019 Telethon Giving Ceremony at Crown Perth. The ceremony, led by Telethon Trust Chairman Richard Goyder, was a great chance to see how CLCRF’s Million Dollar Partnership with Telethon has helped so many.

The record breaking $38 million dollars raised by generous West Australians last year was handed over to 51 beneficiaries across WA. These included hospitals, medical facilities, research institutes and community organisations. All these beneficiaries provide vital services, therapies and equipment for children in WA.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was the guest of honour at the giving ceremony and he said he felt humbled, overwhelmed and emotional to hear about the work done by WA organisations to help sick children and families.

“It’s not just the money that helps.” Says Morrison “$38 million is a tremendous achievement but it’s what’s behind the money that I think is truly special and is worth appreciating.”

Professor Jonathon Carapetis of the Telethon Kids Institute said the money raised by Telethon has helped the research centre, like other beneficiaries, to change children’s lives.

The ceremony was a wonderful celebration and CLCRF is honoured to be a Million Dollar Partner with Telethon. We look forward to raising more money for the important research into childhood cancer in this exciting partnership.

Dance for A Cure 2018 Sadly Cancelled

The Children’s Leukaemia and Cancer Research Foundation (CLCRF) regrets to announce the cancellation of Dance for A Cure for 2018. Due to lack of registrations, the event will be unable to take place on Sunday 18 November.

The event was set to raise funds for Telethon and CLCRF, a charity that funds research into cancers that affect children and their families. Childhood cancer is the single greatest cause of death from disease in Australian children, with three losing their lives to cancer every week.

Event organiser Kylie Dalton is disheartened by the event outcome stating that sadly to make the event successful, so many more registrations were needed.

“It takes a long time and a lot of people to put an event like this on, so when we are faced with a situation like this it breaks all of our hearts. I am just devastated for the dancers and the families that did register early, and have been practising to get their steps right. I know we will find a way for Dance for A Cure to come back, just maybe not in this format. I want to personally thank my volunteer team that have worked alongside of me to get us to this point and gratefully know you will come back to help with whatever we do next.”

Refunds are being offered to all registrants. An email has been sent out to all that registered, explaining the process for either seeking a refund or donating their registration cost to CLCRF. Information regarding this process can also be found on the Dance for A Cure website: danceforacure.com.au.

CLCRF Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Alexander is grateful for the efforts of all involved in putting together this event.

“We would like to thank all of the volunteers that have invested hours into Dance for A Cure and we share their disappointment and sadness that it was unable to go ahead. Thanks also to our sponsors who once again supported this event, we hope to work with them again in the future on other projects.”

The Children’s Leukaemia and Cancer Research Foundation sincerely apologise for the cancellation, and hope that your support for the charity will continue. With your contribution, CLCRF can continue making a difference in the lives of children and families struggling with cancer.

Should you have further questions about this event cancellation, please contact event organisers.

CLCRF continues ‘Million Dollar’ partnership into second year

The Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation Inc. are proud to be a Million Dollar Partner of Telethon7 Perth for a second year!

The $1 million donated from CLCRF to Telethon has been earmarked solely for childhood cancer research, ALL, infant ALL, brain tumours and sarcomas.

CLCRF chairman Geoff Cattach presented the cheque to Channel 7’s Tina Altieri during last weekend’s Telethon coverage.

“Next year we’re hopeful that here at Telethon Kids Institute they’ll be additional research for children’s brain tumours and the relationship with Telethon allows us fund research into sarcomas.

“Part of the reason (we have) our relationship with Telethon (is that it) allows us to put more funds back into the research for children’s cancers.”

Telethon raised more than $38 million to support crucial child health research, provide vital medical equipment, and drive social welfare programs.

Since 1968 Western Australians have raised over $300 million through Telethon for the kids of WA.

There are several ways you can continue to help support Telethon. Book your tickets now for this weekend’s Friends of Finlay Camp Out and or register for our Dance for A Cure 2018 in November – all monies raised will go to Telethon and child cancer research.

Building Excellence in Research Experimental Grant Awards

We are thrilled to acknowledge the recipients of the Building Excellence in Research Travel Grants – Anastasia Hughes and Anthony Buzzai. These worthy recipients have each received a $5000 grant from CLCRF, which has allowed them to attend important conferences to advance their respective research.

Anastasia Hughes, PhD student in the Leukaemia and Cancer Genetics team at the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI), received a grant to attend the 3rd Scientific Workshop on Tumour Microenvironment in the Haematological Malignancies and its Therapeutic Targeting in London from the 24 to 26 February.

This workshop is designed to promote scientific interaction between participants from all over the world and aims to present strategies to target haematological cancers in their tumour microenvironment. Anastasia will be attending this significant workshop with Dr Laurence Cheung, Senior Research Officer of Leukaemia and Cancer Genetics at TKI. Laurence will be using his CLCRF travel allowance from the Block Grant for this excellent opportunity.

Anthony Buzzai, PhD Candidate in the Cancer Immunology Unit at TKI, will be using his grant to attend the Keystone Symposia Cancer Metastasis: The Role of Metabolism, Immunity and the Microenvironment in Florence from the 15 to 19 March. This conference brings together biologists and immunologists who have a common interest in how cellular metabolism influences cell function and it encourages new collaborations between researchers to advance their knowledge.

It is important for the Foundation to continue funding these travel grants in order to provide young researchers with the chance to advance their research. We look forward to hearing more about the excellent opportunity these travel grants have afforded Anastasia and Anthony and we wish them both a safe and successful trip.

Telethon Beneficiaries Celebration 2018

On Tuesday 1 May, Telethon 7 Perth held the 2018 Beneficiaries Function at the Crown Perth to celebrate Telethon giving 36 million dollars worth of grants to charities and organisations who meet set criteria.

CLCRF CEO, Andrea Alexander and Board Chairman, Geoff Cattach, attended the event in recognition of the Foundation becoming a Million Dollar Partner in 2017.

It was a heart-warming celebration, as summed up by Telethon’s General Manager, Marie-Anne Keeffe:

“It’s very hard to find words to describe today. Channel 7’s Telethon gave out 36 million dollars raised by the people of our state to 43 of WA’s brilliant child health organisations – they’ll provide world class hospitals, treatments, equipment and services.

“Our inspirational boss, Mr Kerry Stokes, handed over the chairmanship of the Telethon Trust to a business and community leader admired across the nation, Mr Richard Goyder.

“Yes there were tears, but not just mine – a room full of them, for the incredible children that remind us everyday why we dig so deep and why every donation matters.”

It was a wonderful celebration and CLCRF is honoured to be a Million Dollar Partner with Channel 7’s Telethon. We look forward to raising more money for vital child cancer research in this exciting partnership.

Cancer group’s $1m a year offer

The West Australian – 21 Oct 2017 – Page 5,

Cathy O’Leary Medical Editor

A WA children’s cancer research group will direct $1 million a year to the Telethon Kids Institute, in a new funding agreement to ramp up groundbreaking research.

For more than 30 years the Perth-based Children’s Leukaemia and Cancer Research Foundation has been raising money for research into childhood cancers.

Board chairman Geoff Cattach said the three year agreement with Telethon made sense and would help raise the profile of all the research.

The foundation was founded by Peter Harper, whose daughter Jennifer was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1977. When he discovered there was no research into children’s leukaemia being conducted in WA, he set out to raise money. Sadly, Jennifer died in 1978.

The foundation was established at Princess Margaret Hospital, and in 1984 Swiss-born scientist Dr Ursula Kees was recruited from the German Cancer Institute to head up its research laboratory.

Mr Cattach said the new collaboration was designed to get maximum benefit from donations from the community to help sick children.

“I think it will be good for the foundation’s profile but we’ve also got a pretty solid base in terms of the people who contribute to us,” he said.

“I often refer to them as ordinary Australians, but of course they’re not ordinary at all.”