Much-loved doctor Andrew Kornberg aims to raise vital funds for life-changing treatments that bring hope to children with rare diseases.
In July, Associate Professor Andrew Kornberg, Senior Neurologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), will fly his plane solo across Australia to raise $4.5 million to establish dedicated spaces, resources and specialist staffing at the hospital to support children with some of the rarest and most complex conditions.
Fly for the Kids, a one-of-a-kind fundraising initiative, will ensure that children and their families can access the most advanced treatments and the dedicated support at the RCH needed to deliver them. Advanced therapies are new types of treatments that not only help children achieve some developmental milestones that once seemed impossible but also reduce hospitalisations and, in some cases, provide a cure.
Kornberg first completed this unique challenge in 2017, covering 16,000km across Australia in just 25 days to raise awareness and funds for children with complex neurological conditions. This year, his journey takes on even greater significance as he aims to raise vital funds to transform the lives of children with rare diseases, including neuromuscular conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Without treatment, SMA remains the leading genetic cause of death in babies under the age of two. Gene therapy, an advanced therapy, offers hope and a treatment for this condition, providing a revolutionary approach to medicine by replacing defective or missing genes with healthy ones.
“It’s an incredible privilege to be able to do what I can for my patients. Every day presents a challenge for so many of these children and their families, and this journey is my way of doing everything I can to bring hope and a brighter future,” Kornberg said.
While Australian hospitals can currently administer different types of advanced therapies, including gene therapy, access to these life-changing treatments is still limited, can be highly cost-prohibitive, and in many cases, cannot be delivered sustainably.
“This is an opportunity for every Australian to transform the lives of children with rare diseases. Your donation, no matter the size, can bring hope to children and their families who previously had none,” said Ryan Brown, CEO of the RCH Foundation, on the importance of community support. “This unique fundraiser will pave the way for the RCH to improve access to treatment, transforming life outcomes for children in Victoria and across the country.”
Kornberg will take off on his ambitious flight on 2 July, departing from Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne. On his trip around Australia, he will once again visit patients who have benefited from life-changing treatments at the RCH, some of whom are his former patients. This will demonstrate the real-life impacts of this technology and reinforce the importance of investing in children’s health.
The RCH Foundation has partnered with the Live Life Foundation to bring this vision to life. The Live Life Foundation is a passionate supporter of the RCH Neurology Department and has been giving to the RCH Foundation since 2013. Together, these foundations are creating lasting change in paediatric healthcare and transforming the lives of sick children and their families.
To learn more about Fly for the Kids or how you can donate or fundraise, visit flyforthekids.org.au.
Read also: Healthcare NFP launches new streaming fundraiser event
Geraldine is currently the Content Producer for Third Sector, an Akolade channel. Throughout her career, she has written for various industries and international audiences. Her love for writing extends beyond the corporate world, as she also works as a volunteer writer at her local church. Aside from writing, she is also fond of joining fun runs and watching musicals.
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