- Cook Government extends WA Child Research Fund
(WACRF) for another four years
-
$16 million for health and medical research to
help WA kids and teens
- WACRF is co-founded by the State Government and
Channel 7 Telethon Trust
- Latest round of WACRF recipients receive $3.6
million
Respiratory disease is the main cause of hospitalisation and premature
death in children with cerebral palsy, and new research being undertaken in
Western Australia aims to better prevent and manage respiratory disease for
these children.
Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson announced a $16 million boost
to the WA Child Research Fund (WACRF) over the next four years to provide
ongoing investment in child and adolescent health and medical research.
Supported by the WACRF, Dr Noula Gibson and her team at the Child and
Adolescent Health Service are developing the RESP-ACT program.
Dr Gibson has been awarded almost $600,000 in WACRF grant funding, to
further expand her respiratory research - she is one of six WA researchers
receiving a share of $3.6 million.
This program aims to provide early identification of respiratory disease
in children with cerebral palsy and help them to live longer and healthier
lives.
Under the RESP- ACT program, children will receive a comprehensive
assessment and individualised healthcare plans with assistance provided by a
range of specialists including speech pathologists, dentists, clinicians, and
physiotherapists.
During a recent
12-month feasibility study at the Perth Children's Hospital, the RESP-ACT
program significantly reduced hospital admissions within the participant group.
The WACRF was set up by the Department of Health and Channel 7 Telethon Trust in 2012.
Since then, more than $46.6 million has been
awarded to 160 projects - from developing probiotics to prevent childhood
pneumonia to understanding the lifelong impact of paedatric burns on children's
health and reducing the impact of climate change on the health and wellbeing of
children in WA.
Visit the WA Health website for more information on the WA Child Research Fund and to
see the complete list of 2023-24 recipients.
Comments attributed to Medical Research
Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The Cook
Government is very pleased to announce this long-term multimillion-dollar commitment
to the WACRF in the lead up to this year's Telethon.
"The WACRF not
only helps fund medical equipment, critical services and life-changing opportunities
for sick, disadvantaged and vulnerable children, but also supports medical
research into childhood diseases.
"The incredible
work being supported by this fund is kicking goals in the medical research
space - supporting medical researchers like Dr Gibson.
"This groundbreaking
research work is crucial when it comes to providing Western Australian
children with the best quality care now and into the future."
