Leukaemia Foundation funds ongoing blood cancer research at UWA

The Leukaemia Foundation has announced a $3 million investment to establish the Tony Fini Endowed Chair in Blood Cancer at The University of Western Australia (UWA), in what Leukaemia Foundation Head of Research Bill Stavreski describes as “a legacy-defining moment for blood cancer research in Western Australia”.

Funded in perpetuity, the Chair creates a permanent platform for world-class blood cancer research at UWA, uniting leading WA scientists, hospitals and medical research institutes, and fostering collaboration with the national and international blood cancer communities. The funding is understood to represent the single largest non-government investment in blood cancer research in WA’s history and a tripling of the Leukaemia Foundation’s investment in blood cancer research in the state over the past 25 years.

“The Leukaemia Foundation has been proudly supporting blood cancer research in WA for almost two decades, providing 17 grants valued at more than $900,000,” Stavreski said.

“The establishment of the Chair with UWA takes this investment to the next level.”

The Chair will focus on prevention, early detection and diagnostics — areas that have historically received less than 10% of blood cancer research funding in Australia. Its establishment directly responds to the Australian Research Roadmap for Blood Cancer, which identifies an urgent national need for greater investment in prevention and diagnostics to address rising cases and mortality rates.

“Blood cancer continues to be one of the nation’s most rapidly increasing cancers, with cases rising by a staggering 90% since 2003,” Stavreski said.

“Without significant intervention, the number of Australians diagnosed each year is expected to double within 10–15 years.

“We’ve made incredible advances in treatment but, too often, blood cancer is diagnosed only once it’s already advanced. This Chair will help us change that trajectory — by investing where the potential for long-term impact is greatest.

“Earlier detection means treatments are more effective, less invasive and less costly, and that means better outcomes for patients and their families.”

Establishment of the Chair is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Tony Fini Foundation, the official naming rights donor. It means that for a 15-year period, the position will be known as the Leukaemia Foundation Tony Fini Chair in Blood Cancer.

The Fini family is one of WA’s most respected names in philanthropy and has supported the Leukaemia Foundation since 2010. This support included seed funding for the Leukaemia Foundation Endowment Fund, which helped establish the Chair.

UWA Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health and Medical Research) Professor Romola Bucks said this is the first preclinical chair in blood cancer discovery in Western Australia.

“We look forward to working together with the Leukaemia Foundation to drive innovation and enhance blood cancer research capability as a national and international hub for excellence,” Bucks said.

“The Chair will be a central pillar in building a stronger, more connected ecosystem for blood cancer and haematology research — one that attracts, nurtures and retains outstanding early- and mid-career researchers in the field.”

The Leukaemia Foundation said the initiative is a testament to its partnership with UWA, combining national leadership in blood cancer care and support with world-class academic and scientific capability.

“Together, we are creating a legacy that will benefit not just Western Australians, but people affected by blood cancer throughout Australia and around the world,” Stavreski said.

Image credit: Ezra Alcantra.