A Decade of Celebrations
10th November - The Generosity of Spirit
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To celebrate our 10-year anniversary, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC hosted an event at NSW Government House to commemorate the milestone.
The elegant evening emphasised the power of our community, driven by a joint commitment to our cause;
forming the foundation of our achievements, empowering ground breaking research, enhancing patient care, and instilling hope among those living with cancer.
15th November - Giving Day
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As we approached the 10-year milestone of opening our doors we were faced with a problem. One of our Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines had to be decommissioned – like most machines that administer radiation, they have a limited lifespan of 8-10 years.
We needed to raise $4.5M for a new machine and radiation bunker fit-out which led us to hold our first ever Giving Day... and thanks to our wonderful community it was a success!
In just 24 hours, 2,788 people took a moment out of their day to donate. With this support, and with a generous gift of $2.2 million from the Sargents Charitable Foundation, we raised an incredible $4.55 million to support the new LINAC, bunker and equipment for our radiation oncology department. Thank you to every person who donated, volunteered, and shared the news.
Because of you, and our generous community, we have been able to purchase a new LINAC that can administer more than 100,000 treatments over its lifespan.
17th November - Research Revelations
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In November, we hosted our 10th anniversary Research Symposium. What an inspiring day, hearing all about the latest research at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and across the Sydney Local Health District. This year’s theme was “From pioneers to pathbreakers”celebrating 10 years of discovery and practice-changing research.
The symposium is an opportunity for researchers and the broader community to congregate, share ideas, and celebrate the advancements that have been made possible over the last decade. Chris O’Brien Lifehouse presentations featured the research from our Head & Neck, Thoracic Oncology, Integrative Oncology, Prostate, Arto Hardy Family Biomedical Innovation Hub, and Sarcoma departments.
Celebrating achievements and the future impact of our ground-breaking research, Dr Sarah Sutherland earned “The Research Establishment Award”. Sarah’s research aims to enhance outcomes for patients with colorectal peritoneal metastasis. The project will compare response rates to treatments and explore the creation of personalised vaccines using sequencing data.
20th November - 10 Year Reception
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The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Reception took place on November 20th at the University of Sydney’s Refectory Hall. The event welcomed over 100 attendees from various aspects of Chris O’Brien Lifehouse’s 10-year legacy. Government representatives, Sydney Local Health District members, past and present staff members and the O’Brien family reflected on our shared achievements. Peter Overton gave an impactful speech, and a video message from America’s Australian Ambassador and Ex-Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, highlighted Chris O’Brien Lifehouse’s contributions to cancer care over the past decade.
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