Sydney FC has launched a Community Partnership with Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) to raise awareness of research that offers real hope for the one in 20 children born with a genetic disease or birth defect.
Sydney FC has launched a Community Partnership with Children-s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) to raise awareness of research that offers real hope for the one in 20 children born with a genetic disease or birth defect.
Children-s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is one of the nation-s most highly regarded independent medical research institutes, and Australia-s first dedicated paediatric research facility. Based in Westmead NSW, the Institute employs more than 100 fulltime scientists and PhD students.
CMRI is an international pioneer in genetic research, focussing on four main areas of medical research: embryonic development and birth defects, cancer, neuroscience, and gene therapy.
While the research work of CMRI does not receive the same levels of attention enjoyed by equally deserving Children-s Charities, Sydney FC has formed the Community Partnership with CMRI to hopefully help save families from going through the pain and heartache that serious illness brings.
“Sydney FC is proud to announce a Community Partnership with Children-s Medical Research Institute, which undertakes incredible medical research with enormous implications for the future health of every man, woman and child, in Australia and worldwide,” said Sydney FC CEO Dirk Melton.
“While acknowledging the importance of helping children who are facing battles with illness it is also important that we try to help CMRI as they strive to discover breakthroughs to find ways to prevent or cure the illnesses that can tear families apart.”
Sky Blues fathers Brett Emerton and Liam Reddy have also become CMRI Ambassadors and spent a day with the scientists at Westmead last week learning about the research being carried out by CMRI.
“Spending time at CMRI really opened my eyes to the great work that is done by extraordinary Australians trying to give all of us a better quality of life,” said Sydney FC midfielder Brett Emerton, who is the father of two boys. “The scientists doing this research are the real heroes and it is very humbling to think that they go to work every day trying to work out how to save people-s lives.”
“As players we get a lot of pleasure in spending time with sick children but to be able to try to raise awareness for an organisation that is trying to stop the illness is just as important,” said Sydney FC goalkeeper and father of two young boys Liam Reddy.
Sydney FC will help Children-s Medical Research Institute raise awareness, and funding, including working with CMRI in its signature event – Jeans for Genes Day – which has raised approximately $56 million since its inception in 1994.
Although CMRI research focuses on children, many of the diseases that affect children, such as cancer and epilepsy, also affect adults. “Scientific discoveries made for our children may also have the capacity to improve the health of adults” said Professor Reddel, CMRI-s Executive Director, adding “We are excited about our partnership with Sydney FC, and especially the partnership’s potential to raise awareness in the wider community about our work.”
According to Professor Reddel, despite some obvious differences, there are also striking parallels between elite footballers and high-performing researchers: “Both operate in an international environment that is highly competitive, and require countless hours of practice, skilled coaching, and an intense motivation to succeed. And in both arenas, success requires teamwork in addition to high-level individual performance.”
To launch the Community Partnership with Children-s Medical Research Institute, Sydney FC will make a donation from Saturday-s game against Perth Glory at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The scientists and staff of Children-s Medical Research Institute will also be guests of Sydney FC for Saturday-s clash with Perth at the Sydney Football Stadium as part of a ticket giveaway for CMRI staff and partners.
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