WA Child Research Fund receives almost $4 million funding boost ahead of Telethon 2025 for seven studies

Groundbreaking medical research aimed at improving the lives of WA children has received a major funding boost, with almost $4 million awarded to seven cutting-edge projects across the State.

The Cook Government and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust contributed the funding to support research into a range of critical health issues affecting young West Australians — from improving treatment for high-risk childhood leukaemia to better managing diabetes-related complications.

The successful projects, selected from a pool of 57 applications, will each receive up to $600,000 over three years. The funding is evenly matched between the Government and Telethon.

Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said the initiative was about harnessing WA’s world-class research strengths and translating them into tangible outcomes for local communities.

“This investment builds on our commitment to support research that matters — research that will deliver real benefits for WA children and their families,” Mr Dawson said.

With the annual Telethon fundraiser event fast approaching, Premier Roger Cook said the funding announcement was a timely reminder of why the weekend means so much to West Australians.

“Telethon weekend is one of the most exciting weekends in the Perth calendar,” he said.

“But what it also is, is an opportunity to remind ourselves just how important the services we provide to sick kids is.

“Also the importance of medical research to ensure that kids of the future get better health care.”

Among the projects to receive funding is an innovative study by Professor Chandrakumar Balaratnasingam from the Lions Eye Institute.

His team will use non-invasive retinal imaging to investigate whether early signs of damage in children with diabetes can be detected through the eyes — a potential game-changer in the early diagnosis and prevention of organ complications.

Curtin University’s Associate Professor Laurence Cheung will lead another study which aims to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy for children battling high-risk leukaemia.

“The fund will allow us to test a new therapy to make the immunotherapy more effective for children with high-risk leukemia,” Mr Cheung said.

“Leukemia is the most common cancer in children, so this will have a huge benefit.”

Meanwhile, Dr Bernadette Ricciardo from The Kids Research Institute will spearhead an initiative to embed Aboriginal Health Practitioners in inpatient settings to assess and improve skin health in Aboriginal children.

The projects span both metropolitan and regional WA, reflecting the importance of delivering benefits to families regardless of where they live.

The funding announcement is part of the 2024–25 round of the WA Child Research Fund, which supports high-impact studies focused on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.

It comes at a time when investment in child health research is seen as increasingly vital, with growing recognition of how early interventions can lead to lifelong benefits.