Our annual event to celebrate our donors 

Each year, QIMR sets aside two days to invite our supporters to hear about the achievements being made by our inspirational scientists. It is an opportunity for QIMR to give back to our most valued supporters and personally thank them for the important part they play in QIMR’s success.

In 2010, our annual Thank You event were held on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 October in QIMR’s auditorium. Our supporters who attended either day were given a very special inside look into how their donations are helping to make QIMR’s medical research possible.

Highlights during the Thank You function events included:

• Australian poet and QIMR ambassador Rupert McCall welcoming the audience as MC.

• Dr David Pattinson explaining how he is developing vaccines to protect people from a range of diseases including malaria, which is responsible for approximately one million deaths every year.
• Professor Michael Breakspear, Chair of the Mental Health Division, introducing QIMR’s newest Research Division and outlining the range of mental and neurological diseases we research, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• Professor David Whiteman engaging our 100 plus audience, with his talk on skin cancer. Did you know that Queenslanders have the highest rates of melanoma and skin cancer in the world? David is working towards better methods for preventing and treating skin cancers.
  
• Our audience were also very excited to hear QIMR is embarking on the largest skin cancer study ever conducted in Australia, QSkin.
• The unveiling of the latest plaques on our Wall of Appreciation where donations of $500 and more are acknowledged each year.

After the Thank You functions, our donors were re-inspired by our scientists' research and left with the knowledge their support is truly making a difference.