This year the RBWH Foundation also marked another important milestone – 30 years of remarkable generosity from the Asian community, whose support has become a powerful force in shaping the future of healthcare.
For Franky Nawei, the very first RBWH patient to receive this treatment, the event was an opportunity to share, first-hand, the impact of donating to medical research.
Franky was only 32 years old, and apparently fit and healthy, apart from a persistent rash and intermittent cough, when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer, called primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL).
Expressing his gratitude for the ‘gift of research’, Franky said that donations give people, like him, “a second chance at their life”.
Guest speaker, former RBWH Foundation Board member, Ms Jenniwaty Luhur OAM, said that the outcomes of the community’s generosity - from improving outcomes for premature babies to studying the impact of ageing on women - can be felt not only in Queensland, but across the globe.
“I am so grateful for the privilege of speaking to, and on behalf of, my fellow friends in the Asian Community, to acknowledge the vital work that the RBWH Foundation does in ensuring funds are directed where they are most needed, and to be proudly part of supporting such remarkable research,” Ms Luhur said.
Thanking the Chung Tian Buddhist Temple and Buddha’s Light International Association of Queensland Loving Care Group for their continuing support, she encouraged guests at the celebratory event to build on this incredible legacy.
“The Asian Community has been actively involved with fundraising efforts for over thirty
years, but philanthropy, charity, the pursuit of knowledge, and the betterment of healthcare will never end.”
Reflecting on decades of not only generosity but impact, RBWH Foundation CEO, Simone Garske, said that the benefits continue to be felt across areas including youth mental health and prostate cancer.
“Since 1985, the RBWH Foundation has distributed just over $84 million dollars across Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; the Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) and prestigious Herston research institutes and centres. The RBWH Foundation also proudly partners with Redcliffe Hospital and supports their grant program.
“Together, we have built a legacy of positive change, and we look forward to continuing this journey with you.”
