RBWH Foundation Board member Lisa Smith, Deputy Board Chair Kristin Devitt, Board Chair Susan Buckley, Board members Leona Murphy and Sharyn Ghidella, Foundation CEO Simone Garske.
The RBWH Foundation has been announced as inaugural Philanthropic Foundation of the Year by the Queensland Community Foundation in recognition of its commitment to advancing patient care and life-saving research at RBWH.
The annual awards celebrate the work of individuals and organisations which make significant contributions to Queensland’s philanthropic sector.
The RBWH Foundation Board Chair Susan Buckley accepted the award at a Brisbane City Hall celebration in front of hundreds of passionate philanthropists and other charitable organisations.
In accepting the award, Ms Buckley paid tribute to the expertise and dedication of RBWH health workers and researchers.
“The Foundation exists to serve RBWH, the Herston Health Precinct and all the amazing clinicians – the doctors, the nurses and staff,” Ms Buckley said.
“They have been doing amazing work through the COVID-19 pandemic, for so many years now, and they inspire us every day.”
Ms Buckley said the honour was also shared with RBWH Foundation supporters who were committed to the vision of advancing better health for all.
“RBWH Foundation couldn’t do the work it does without the many donors, corporate supporters and volunteers who give back to the Foundation.”
RBWH Foundation donors, Thai Dang and wife Diamond Tran, were shortlisted for Emerging Philanthropist of the Year. For the past two years, the couple have hosted a Thank You Queensland Health party, in celebration of Thai’s lifesaving RBWH bone marrow transplant.
Three years ago, Thai was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Chemotherapy at his local hospital failed to halt the cancer so Thai was referred to the RBWH Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit, the largest in Australia.
Thai is now in remission and his donations to the RBWH Foundation include an auspicious recognition of the life-saving transplant. The first donation was $10,177, the second was $5,177. The figure of $177 represents the date of Nguyen’s transplant, the 17th of July.
Long-time RBWH Foundation supporter, Betty Byrne Henderson AM was honoured with the 2022 QCF Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Achievement in recognition of her lifetime of giving. Betty’s journey into philanthropy began in 1987. At the time, Betty was heavily involved in Byrne Ford, the family company she founded in 1969 with her husband, Bernie Byrne.
QCF CEO Tara Castle said she continued to be amazed by the extraordinary philanthropic work being undertaken to shape lasting, positive change with charities that support people in need from all walks of life.
“The QCF Philanthropy Awards honour community members and organisations who have made exceptional philanthropic contributions in Queensland. While our nominees don’t seek public recognition, we want to acknowledge their generosity and commitment which shines a light on the power of philanthropy to create enduring impacts,” Ms Castle said.
The RBWH Foundation thanks QCF sponsors and supporters: QIC, The Public Trustee, Anglo American, Deloitte, QUT, Perpetual, Goodman Private Wealth and 4MBS Classic FM.