06.03.2026 | 2 min read

Welcome Message

Four years ago, if someone had told me I would be setting up a Foundation in Zoie’s name to fund medical research for less toxic treatments for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in children and adolescents, I would have doubted them. At that time, Zoie was still fighting for her life, and we were exploring treatment options in Melbourne through a clinical trial. Zoie never made it into that trial, but the insights gained over the course of her treatment became the heart of this Foundation – a lasting legacy for our child based on her wishes.

I have seen firsthand the devastating effects cancer treatment can have on a developing body: infertility, osteoporosis, joint replacements, organ damage, early-onset menopause, just to name a few — alongside the profound mental and emotional impact of feeling isolated from peers after life-altering experiences.

Australia invests around $10 billion each year into health and medical research (Research Australia, 2024). Yet, while health makes up 15–17% of the Federal Budget, only about 3% of that is spent directly on research (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024). Programs like the Medical Research Future Fund provide essential long-term support (LexisNexis Capital Monitor, 2024), but compared to hospitals, Medicare, and pharmaceuticals, the share dedicated to discovering new treatments and life-saving breakthroughs remains surprisingly small. This is the motivation for the vision of our Foundation; to advance and sustain medical research within Australia, facilitating more effective treatment options for children, adolescents, and young adults (AYA) with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). .

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