WA Kids' Medical Research Gets Multimillion-Dollar Boost

• 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.

As stated by 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."