St George & Sutherland Medical Research Foundation (SSMRF) has put out a last call for the community to go Red for Research and help support the groundbreaking work of medical researchers in this area.
The Red for Research campaign is being held for the first time this June to raise awareness and funds for medical research at St George and Sutherland hospitals.
The foundation invited individuals, schools, businesses, local healthcare workers, doctors and community groups to "go red for research" and has so far raised $11,000.
SSMRF provides grants to support the medical research of doctors and other health professionals at St George and Sutherland hospitals with the aim of improving care and outcomes for patients and the wider community.
It was formed in 2007 to provide small grants to fund promising new research or emerging researchers, which are often a springboard to more lucrative grants.
The foundation helped establish the Microbiome Research Centre at St George Hospital, which is dedicated to researching human microbiota - the bacteria in the body.
Local businesses and organisations including Tynan Motors, Ramsgate RSL, Austbrokers SPT Insurance, Novotel Brighton-le-Sands and McGrath St George are among those who have answered the call to "go red".
SSMRF chief executive Leanne Dib said the current pandemic plaguing the globe highlighted the role of medical research in saving lives.
"Now more than ever it is important to support medical research in our local hospitals," she said
"It has been wonderful to see the community come together and we thank them for 'going red' and making donations during this challenging time."
Ms Dib said when medical research was integrated with patient care, the community had access to better health services.
"When medical research is conducted in your hospital, you can be confident that the brightest minds are working together to deliver the best possible healthcare for you, your family, and your friends," she said.
Funds raised during the campaign will help support projects in key health areas including cancer, cardiovascular disease, microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease.
McGrath St George real estate agent Michael Flevaris is among those who took up the cause. He set himself a challenge to walk 300 kilometres and complete 3000 push-ups during June, and raised more than $3000 for the foundation.
"I'm going Red for Research to show my gratitude to all the medical professionals for their hard efforts and to enable researchers in our hospitals to investigate the causes of diseases, help find new treatments and most importantly, to prevent life-threatening diseases and conditions," he said.
Ms Dib said the response from the community had been positive.
"Red for Research has been a fun and upbeat campaign, offering an insight into the importance of funding local research and how it improves the healthcare of everyone in the community," she said.
With key fundraising activities cancelled because of COVID-19 restrictions, she said the campaign was one of the only ways the foundation could currently raise money.
The foundation has set a target of $20,000 - the amount of a seed grant funding grant for early career researchers
You can support the campaign by clicking here.
For more information about the foundation or how you can help, email Leanne Dib at ceo@ssmrf.com.au or click here.
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