Our Story
At Snowdome, we are committed to raising funds for blood cancer research.
We collaborate with world-leading Australian and International blood cancer
researchers to accelerate new therapies and bring next-generation treatments to
Australian blood cancer patients faster.
We are the only not-for-profit organisation exclusively focused on raising funds to
support translational research into blood cancers: myeloma, lymphoma and leukaemia,
research that takes basic scientific findings to create new treatments.
Our Founders
In 2009, Dr John Tandy received the devastating news that he had myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. At the time, life expectancy for a myeloma diagnosis was no more than a few years.
When Rob Tandy received his father’s news, just four weeks after the birth of his own son, he was determined to do what he could to ensure that his children would have the opportunity to create precious memories with their grandfather. The idea of what was to become the Snowdome Foundation, was planted.
Within a matter of months, Rob engaged Professor Miles Prince AM, a leading Australian haematologist, determined to help Australian blood cancer patients access life-changing treatments sooner.
Miles in turn met Grant Rutherford, an internationally recognised advertising creative who just lost his precious Chloe to leukaemia in 2009, the same year as John’s diagnosis. Chloe was just nine years of age.
Driven by a desire to find a cure for blood cancer through medical research, and to spare other families of the same heartache, Rob, Grant and Miles went on to establish the Snowdome Foundation.
Snowdome is committed to raising funds to support translational research into blood cancers: myeloma, lymphoma and leukaemia. Research that uses basic scientific findings to accelerate new therapies and bring next-generation treatments to Australian blood cancer patients faster, helping them live longer, better lives.
We are proud to have funded an extensive number of research projects and positions, aid thousands of patients access clinical trials and to have supported some of Australia’s most exceptional researchers and clinicians in advancing diagnostic tools and treatments for blood cancer.
Today, through this work, the life expectancy of blood cancer diagnosis is far greater. Sadly, Dr John Tandy passed away in 2022. However, his original prognosis of just 3 years, became 13 years. Those precious years enabled him to see all his children marry and to welcome nine grandchildren, creating precious memories with all of them.
What’s in a Name?
In 2007, Chloe Rutherford was diagnosed with leukaemia. Chloe seemingly beat the disease only to relapse and pass away from complications from pneumonia in 2009.
Our Foundation name emerged from a case of mistaken identity rather than a flash of inspiration, but it is entirely fitting.
On one of the first of her over 250 visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Chloe thought she saw a gift shop, with snowdomes from all over the world adorning its glass walls.
In was in fact, the nurses’ station where she was having surgery. To Chloe it was beautiful and magical, and like all things beautiful, she just had to have a snowdome of her own. Of course, she got what she wished, and as she bravely underwent each treatment for her cancer, more and more snowdomes appeared; gifts from family, from friends both old and new and from the nurses who cared for her.
Soon, her collection grew and every one of them has a story. Mostly bought from overseas, one was even blessed by a Chinese monk, in China, of course. One came from Paris where Chloe’s best friend was at the time and sat alongside her and her mother in the Church of Notre Dame as they lit a candle and said a prayer.
Chloe left behind over 50 gifted snowdomes. That number has been increasing every year since then.
Our Challenge
Blood is essential in maintaining life. Our blood performs many functions including transporting oxygen, nutrients and hormones around the body, in addition to carrying white cells and antibodies to fight infection. When the normal blood cell development process is interrupted by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal types of blood cells, blood cancers can develop. This affects the production and performance of our blood cells with rogue blood cells accumulating in the glands, marrow and organs in our body, resulting in infections, fatigue and bleeding. This can lead to death.
There are three main types of blood cancers; lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia and they are a significant priority for Australia.
Blood cancers are the second most diagnosed cancer, and the third biggest cause of cancer deaths in Australia. In 2023, it was estimated that more than 19,500* would be newly diagnosed with a blood cancer, accounting for 12 per cent of all cancer cases.*
This is the equivalent of 53 people per day or one person every 27 minutes.
Alarmingly, the incidence continues to grow, increasing by 47 per cent in the past decade.
There are no screening programmes or lifestyle changes that could reduce the risk of developing a blood cancer, and many are still considered incurable.
We need greater understanding through the support of translational research and clinical trials to discover new treatments and cures and accelerate patient access to new discoveries.
This is our challenge.
Our Achievements
Since establishment in 2010, Snowdome has committed more than $53 million to ground-breaking blood cancer research. We have funded 67 research projects, enabling over 98 funded, multi-year, research positions. Across Australia, we have enabled 1,817 patients to participate in clinical trials supported by Snowdome.
Through philanthropic funding, Snowdome helped establish the Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where over 6,200 genomic tests have been conducted, resulting in better diagnoses, treatment pathways and prognoses for patients.
With the rise of immunotherapies, Snowdome partnered with the Epworth Medical Foundation to build and launch the Epworth Centre for Immunotherapies and Snowdome Laboratories in March 2021. The first patient was treated in early 2023.
Over the years, we have proudly supported a rich diversity of innovative research projects in the quest to discover new and better diagnostic tools and treatments to help Australians living with blood cancer access next-generation treatments, faster.
Recognition and Awards
2022 Small Charity of the Year by the Third Sector Awards
2022 Volunteer of the Year by the Third Sector Awards for the incredible work of Geoff Nyssen
#348 Top 500 Financial Times High-Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific 2021
Finalists in the Charity Business category of the 2016 Victorian Telstra Business Awards
Latest News
From Diagnosis to Advocacy: Tahli’s Journey with life-changing CAR T-cell Therapy
Tahli’s life took an unexpected turn in the autumn of 2020. A busy mother of two and a talented baker, she found herself facing a daunting diagnosis: stage 4 lymphoma. As she navigated her journey from diagnosis to treatment and ultimately remission, Tahli’s story became one of hope and advocacy for groundbreaking medical treatments like … Continued
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Interview with Helen Buckingham OAM
We recently sat down with Snowdome Board Director, Helen Buckingham OAM, to get her thoughts on the funding of a new immunotherapy treatment for myeloma, and how clinicians and patients can have their say.
Read more
Vital boost to blood cancer treatment
A state of the art, purpose-built laboratory complex in Victoria will provide new hope to Australian blood cancer patients.
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