‘Bloody Good Dinner’ 2018 raises $740,000 to support medical research in blood cancers and bone marrow failure
On Wednesday 23rd May, Snowdome and Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision collaborated together to host the second annual ‘Bloody Good Dinner’. The night was a phenomenal success raising more than $740,000 for Australian blood cancer and bone marrow failure research.
More than 440 guests attended including families both past and presently affected by blood cancers and bone marrow failures, medical and business leaders plus sporting and entertainment personalities. New York City’s latest dining hotspot, Chinese Tuxedo, came to town for one night to help put on our ‘Bloody Good Dinner’. The restaurant is the brainchild of Australian duo Eddy Buckingham and Chef Paul Donnelly.
The evening was hosted by Hamish McLachlan who interviewed a variety of people including Professor Sharon Lewin who spoke about her experience as a female researcher. This year funds raised will go towards the Gunn Family Career Development Fellowship for Women in Haematology that aims to support and guide female researchers to help reduce the gender divide. Prof Lewin spoke passionately about what this scholarship hopes to achieve. The audience also heard from two patients, Jackie Haintz and Luci Shepherd who spoke eloquently about their journey and why more research funds are desperately required. In addition to the scholarship, the money raised will help fund The Centre of Research Excellence in Bone Marrow Biology and the Australian arm of an international trial to improve survival rates in patients with Follicular Lymphoma.
A raffle and auction was held on the night offering items and money-can’t-buy experiences donated by sponsors including, AFL, The Australian Ballet, Blakes Feast, BVLGARI, Captain’s Choice, Dann Event Hire, Mercedes Benz and Tennis Australia.
We would like to thank all our sponsors, donors, partners and volunteers that worked to make the evening such a success and achieve such an incredible result for medical research. Together, we really are helping ‘make hope real’ for Australian blood cancer and bone marrow failure patients.