IMPACT: The Alfred Foundation Year in Review 2020

150 Years.

Caring for you.

Front cover: Jenkins Lymphoma Fellow, Dr Paola Polistena with Alfred patient Hans Spierings. Photo by Anna Carlile. Above: Photography by Marcus Crook

Note: Images reflect PPE guidelines at the time photography was taken.

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Our Chief Executive Professor Andrew Way AM

2020 was one of the most challenging years in The Alfred’s history, as our health service grappled with how to best respond to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

While COVID-19 dominated 2020, our strategic priorities were steadfast. We continued to provide excellent care through our many and diverse services, including Intensive Care Unit, Emergency and Trauma Centre, mental health, oncology, neurology and cardiology.

We were not alone in this challenge; other health services in the state and across the country faced similar extraordinary circumstances. We were also not alone as we had the unwavering support from our community and you, our donors.

Because the need for these services never stops, even in a pandemic.

The Alfred has a history of being on the frontline caring for our community in a crisis. This year our hospital celebrates 150 years of caring for Victorians.

Founded in 1871 the hospital was only able to be built through significant donations from the community.

I am proud of the role our health service played in 2020, treating and caring for the community during the pandemic. Our expert care was a constant whether in our hospitals, in aged care settings or in people’s homes.

The resourcefulness and courage of the staff to ensure the care and protection to those affected by the virus is to be commended.

Philanthropy is part of The Alfred’s rich history.

It will be an equally important part of our future as we continue to find and deliver on the new generation of health care.

Our ICU team played a pivotal role, caring for the most complex of COVID cases in the state and possibly the country, while our experts in infection prevention guided national and state responses.

Thank you. Your support allows us to provide the excellence, the edge, that truly makes the difference in ensuring we continue to deliver extraordinary healthcare now and long into the future.

Your generosity enabled us to adapt and respond quickly to the urgent needs of the health service at this time, meaning we could direct funds where they were most needed. Thank you.

Professor Andrew Way AM CHIEF EXECUTIVE ALFRED HEALTH

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Our Chair Sir Rod Eddington AO

I doubt many of us were expecting a year quite like 2020! The significant health, social and economic challenges faced by so many across the globe were, and continue to be, considerable.

These are the things that not only see organisations survive but strengthen during a crisis.

It is also the trust an organisation has built with its communities which sees it survive and The Alfred has this in spades. The people of Victoria have quite literally trusted The Alfred with their lives for 150 years and the organisation’s role in managing COVID-19 has clearly shown this trust is well deserved.

In my former role as CEO for British Airways, I was responsible for managing that organisation through the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Gulf War, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Air France Concorde crash in 2000. These extraordinary experiences provided great insight and shaped my perspective on management in crisis.

I am impressed and proud of The Alfred’s expert leadership and specialised care for the Victorian community throughout the pandemic.

Unfortunately, for many around the world this pandemic continues and its effects will be felt for many years to come. The impact for the not-forprofit sector is likely to be acute, with many charities reporting a decrease in revenue, whilst the need for their services rise.

From the leadership shown by the hospital executive through to the commitment and resilience displayed by staff - frontline as well as the many support staff – the response has been extraordinary.

We are in uncertain times, however what is certain is that the importance of a truly exceptional public hospital such as The Alfred has never been more critical. On behalf of The Alfred Foundation Board I ask that as we negotiate these uncertain times you stand with us, supporting The Alfred in continuing to deliver the very best care to the people of Victoria and beyond.

I also applaud the efforts of Foundation staff during this time. Their adaptability and collective resolve proved they are a strong and professional team, continuing to engage and inspire the support of an ever generous Victorian community.

Thank for your unwavering support.

I liken it to what I experienced in my time at British Airways after 9/11. It’s the people and their willingness and ability to adapt and come together as a team, to work swiftly and have a collective focus.

Sir Rod Eddington AO CHAIR – THE ALFRED FOUNDATION

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Our Director Patrick Baker

In my Director’s Report for The Foundation’s 2019 Impact Report, I predicted a challenging 2020, due to Australia’s unprecedented bushfires.

Little did I know just how challenging it would prove to be!

But 2020 wasn’t just about COVID. The Alfred continued caring for many non-COVID patients across its extensive services. This of course included emergency and trauma patients. The Alfred’s 30-year-old iconic helipad - the ‘front door’ for hundreds of critically ill patients every year - needed important upgrades. These improvements, so generously funded by our donors, will assist pilots achieve a safer approach and landing and provide better patient transfers.

The challenges of 2020 however did not dampen the resolve of The Alfred Foundation to ensure The Alfred continued to receive the support it needed.

I am exceptionally proud of the tenacity, innovation and determination shown by the team. Combined with the support of our donor community we were able to achieve extraordinary things, despite the many social and economic challenges faced by us all.

The Betty and John Laidlaw AO Education and Innovation Hub also opened in late-2020. This space, in large part funded through philanthropic support, provides a purpose-built environment for staff to recharge, connect, listen, and learn. A unique space where healthcare intersects with art, technology and people, the Hub provides staff with a muchneeded environment to collaborate and advance their knowledge as well as nurture and propel innovation.

On January 25 2020 Australia recorded its first case of COVID-19. From February, The Alfred was operating a significant testing clinic, and since then has been front and centre on multiple levels in the response to the health crisis.

Thank you for your continued support of The Alfred.

Your support is always vitally important, but it means even more in times of adversity and great uncertainty.

Your unwavering commitment and generosity is hugely valued and very much appreciated.

Home to one of Australia’s leading ICUs with the most complex case mix in the country, The Alfred prepared early for a significant increase in patients. In readiness for potentially dozens of complex COVID cases, our 50 cubicle ICU more than doubled its capacity with the ability to expand even further if necessary.

I look forward to sharing more updates with you throughout 2021 on how your support is changing and saving lives. You can also follow The Alfred Foundation on Facebook for all the latest news at facebook.com/thealfredfoundation.

We knew this pandemic would put enormous strain on existing and emergency funding sources. We also knew to help the hospital protect and support the community through this crisis, we were going to need their help. We appealed for support and the response was overwhelming. Generous donations from across our community meant we were able to purchase additional critical care equipment, support groundbreaking COVID research and make necessary facility upgrades.

Patrick Baker DIRECTOR – THE ALFRED FOUNDATION

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Your Support Making an Impact Throughout 2020 your support has enabled us to fund critical projects and items within our four key funding pillars; transforming care, leading technology, advancing discovery and developing extraordinary caregivers.

TRANSFORMING CARE Projects funded Pandemic intervention and Monitoring system (PiMS) Pilot program Consumer Focus Group for Australian Centre of Blood Diseases - a first at Alfred Health Music therapy program for patients with cancer Helipad upgrade Patient accommodation facilities for rural and regional cancer patients

LEADING TECHNOLOGY Equipment funded Mobile CT Scanner New Generation Ventilators GridION - a device capable of running multiple DNA/ RNA sequencing experiments Paediatric ultrasound inducer Globex Pulsatile Pump (for simulation training) Cardioultrasound for ICU Music Therapist, Dr Lucy Forrest

Mini C-Arm for plastic surgery Bladder scanner

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ADVANCING DISCOVERY Projects funded Development of COVID-19 Biobank ‘Better, targeted therapies for heart failure patients’ study/research ‘Geriatric & Autoimmune Diseases’ study/research ‘The low emulsifier diet in Crohn’s disease’ study/ research

Brian Jenkins

The Alfred Cancer Biobank

DEVELOPING EXTRAORDINARY CAREGIVERS

Research into Human Skin Equivalent to treating skin loss in burns Development of leukaemia treatment research projects

Projects funded

Lung transplant research projects

Novel multidisciplinary team-based operating room simulation project Cardiac Medical Interventional Research Fellow (new opportunities in heart failure management) Two nursing scholarships for the career development of nurses (this funding was received for nursing students completing a PhD) The Jenkins Fellowship for Lymphoma Development of Cellular Cancer Immunotherapy Capacity and Clinical Trials

Iris and James Foster who funded The Alfred Cancer Biobank

The Alfred Foundation 2019/2020 Financial Year Summary

Total Income

Total Expenses

Net Income

$2,714,000

$17,871,595

Donations

$20.585m

Gifts in Wills

$3,916,937

Trusts & Foundations

$5,312,022

Corporate & Events

$1,021,466

Total Income

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$10,355,170

$20,585,595

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The Alfred - Year at a Glance

MAY

Lifesaving trial moves to Tasmania

MARCH

The Alfred prepares as COVID-19 cases begin to increase in Australia

Before COVID-19 struck, Natalia Rodriguez had been travelling from Launceston to The Alfred Oncology Unit every three weeks to take part in a clinical trial that could save her life. The Alfred was able to overcome considerable hurdles for Natalia to continue the treatment in Tasmania by setting up a satellite hub at The Royal Hobart Hospital through an innovative practice called ‘Teletrials’. This was the first time in Australia, and potentially the world, that the Teletrials model was used for a phase 1 clinical trial.

The Alfred significantly increased its capacity to care for critically ill patients with major expansions to its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department (ED). ICU capacity was doubled, with the potential to expand further to more than 380 beds if needed. ED capacity was increased to treat up to 200 patients after a redevelopment across the ground floor.

APRIL

Cracking the code on COVID-19 Dr James McMahon, infectious diseases physician and Head of Clinical Research at The Alfred and Monash University, led a new COVID-19 research project which tests what the virus does and how it behaves in different people. The project also focuses on the interactions between medicines and the virus to better understand how effective any treatments might be.

AUGUST

New hope for brain cancer treatment The Alfred’s Neuroscience department began investigating a new drug to find a safe and effective treatment option for glioblastoma (GBM) brain tumours. The team found a drug called AZ10606120, that substantially reduces the number of tumour cells by stopping a protein found in the GBM called P2X7R. The drug has the potential to halt tumour growth and has an anti-cancer effect that is more effective than conventional chemotherapy treatment.

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SEPTEMBER

Clinic to measure heart health after COVID The first specialist clinic in Australia to study the impact of COVID-19 on the heart opened at The Alfred. While some international evidence suggests the infectious virus can leave behind cardiac scarring, cardiologists and respiratory physicians are working together to explore whether unexplained breathlessness may be the first sign of trouble.

SEPTEMBER

Artificial intelligence (AI) could become a powerful tool in skin cancer assessment

OCTOBER

The Victorian Melanoma Service at The Alfred began conducting the Skin Cancer Management with Artificial Intelligence (SMARTI) trial which directly compares artificial intelligence results to that of doctors in the real-world setting.

Triage Response established to support mental health Following a thirty per cent increase in demand during COVID-19, The Alfred’s Mental and Addiction Health Triage Team established the Triage+ response to help support the growing number of people seeking mental health support. The team provides 24/7 support and intervention and is now a permanent part of our Mental and Addiction Health service.

OCTOBER

Professor Peleg receives prestigious Fellowship Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at The Alfred Hospital Prof Anton Peleg was recognised for his contributions to infection-immunity research, clinical trials, prevention of outbreaks, device infections and microbial genomics with a fellowship from the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

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We had good reason to do some philanthropy in this area.

DI AND NEVILLE BERTALLI

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Transforming Care The Victorian Melanoma Service (VMS) at The Alfred was founded 25 years ago as the state’s first and only comprehensive multidisciplinary service for people with melanoma. Our team is globally renowned for its expertise in enhancing detection and improving patient outcomes in Australia where one person is diagnosed with melanoma every half an hour*.

Neville and Di Bertalli know first-hand the devastating impacts of melanoma. Twenty years ago Di tragically lost her brother to melanoma while Neville also lost his mother to the disease when she was just 45.

deaths from a rapidly growing melanoma, nodular melanoma. This work drew attention to the importance of detecting this unusual melanoma with a different presentation that had previously been misdiagnosed and overlooked.

These experiences spurred the couple 15 years ago to donate to the VMS, a contribution which has had significant impacts on driving melanoma research outcomes ever since.

Dr Jonathon Ng’s research looked at the accuracy of different biopsy methods for diagnosis. The research evaluated the outcomes of 2500 melanoma biopsies and demonstrated pitfalls with some partial methods of biopsy leading to failure to detect the presence of melanoma. Recent publications from the VMS on melanoma biopsy have shed further light on the implications of different biopsy methods, demonstrating the ongoing impact Di and Neville’s support continues to have 15 years later.

Thanks to the generosity of The Bertalli Family Foundation, the VMS was able to develop a translational database including 150 data items to what is now more than 11,000 patients. This data has enabled research to answer many questions about melanoma susceptibility, detection, progression and treatment and the results have generated many publications. The database continues to grow and develop capacity to provide critical insights and inform future research at the VMS.

The VMS is now one of Australia’s largest multidisciplinary treatment services for melanoma caring for more than 1,500 Victorians each year.

In 2020, The Alfred announced plans to expand on the service by building a world-class treatment and research centre – The Victorian Melanoma Centre.

Founder and pioneer of the VMS, Adjunct Professor John Kelly AM said the Bertalli’s generosity allowed him to step away from his ‘day job’ as Head of Dermatology at The Alfred and concentrate his efforts on melanoma – a decision which has recently seen Prof Kelly receive a Member of the Order of Australia award for services to medicine through the management and treatment of melanoma.

We look forward to sharing more information on this exciting project throughout 2021. * Source: melanoma.org.au/understanding-melanoma/ melanoma-facts-and-statistics/

‘By helping The Alfred link and expand our existing melanoma database the Bertalli grant was instrumental to our research efforts to continually improve our knowledge of the disease and the success of treatment,’ Prof Kelly said.

Di and Neville also generously funded two research scholarships (Dr Hugh Roberts and Dr Jonathon Ng) which later translated to advances in patient care.

Dr Hugh Roberts undertook important research demonstrating the large contribution to melanoma Professor John Kelly AM

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The Hub provides a place for growth in ideas, knowledge and skills.

CHRIS MCLOUGHLIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE, ALFRED HEALTH

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Developing Extraordinary Caregivers The field of healthcare is by its very nature a field of constant innovation and collaboration. Without it there would be no modern medicine – no antibiotics, no organ transplants, no vaccines, no advanced medical equipment and along with it a much shorter life expectancy for all.

In 2020, The Alfred was extremely proud to open a contemporary space, designed specifically to foster innovation and collaboration. The Betty and John Laidlaw AO Innovation and Education Hub, or ‘the Hub’ for short, encourages the coming together of staff to recharge, innovate, teach and learn in order to constantly improve care and develop healthcare leaders.

Executive Director of People and Culture, Chris McLoughlin said with many of our staff having to demonstrate their versatility this year, working in new environments or roles, including the State Government’s hotel quarantine program, the Hub had provided a welcoming space for staff to reconnect and recharge.

‘The space was co-designed to engage our great diversity of staff across The Alfred precinct. As well as being a place to meet, collaborate and create, the Hub also provides a place for growth in ideas, knowledge and skills.’

Located within the hospital, the Hub enables Alfred staff and research partners to come together to share and test new ideas, learn from each other and rapidly translate their ideas back into care delivery. A variety of spaces bring people together with art and technology to inspire, challenge and drive sustainable innovation and facilitate best practice education.

The Hub was made possible through the incredible legacy of significant philanthropists and long time Alfred supporters Betty and John Laidlaw AO. Other major contributors include Bulla Family Dairy, the Ian Potter Foundation, Gras Foundation, Robert C Bulley Charitable Fund, WTMS and our community.

Projects such as the Palm Vein Scanner highlight how when innovation and collaboration are central to problem solving, you find creative new solutions that move healthcare forward.

We would also like to acknowledge the generous loan of significant aboriginal artwork made by Anita Castan during the opening of the Hub.

Patient identification is imperative in all healthcare settings however, this is complicated in the Psychiatry High Dependency Unit (HDU) where approximately half of the patients remove their ID wrist band in the first two days of admission.

The Palm Vein Scanner Project is the result of a collaboration between Alfred Psychiatry and the Australian Centre for Health Innovation and addresses the issue by using infra-red light to reveal an individual’s unique vein pattern in their hand.

Similar to fingerprints, this pattern can be used to help identify both staff and patients in the mental health units. This project is currently being implemented in the ground floor psychiatry unit as part of usability testing, with the aim being to role this out to other units in the near future.

Alfred staff connecting in the Hub

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Rapid helicopter access to The Alfred from the scene has helped halve the death rate from serious injuries in Victoria.

PROFESSOR MARK FITZGERALD, DIRECTOR OF TRAUMA SERVICES AT THE ALFRED

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Leading Technology The Alfred’s helipad provides a lifesaving service for all Victorians.

For over 30 years it has received more than 10,000 patients requiring critical lifesaving care, including from the Bali bombings, the Longford gas explosion, Black Summer and Black Saturday bushfires and more recently the White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, this vital piece of infrastructure received significant improvements to safeguard landings and provide faster, safer transfers for some of our most critically injured patients.

The Alfred Emergency and Trauma Centre operates 24 hours a day to provide the community with timely, quality care for people who are acutely ill and injured. In the year 2019-20, the centre received almost 70,000 patients, around 1500 of these were considered major traumas.

The $250,000 upgrade includes the installation of new lighting, illuminated wind direction indicator, surface upgrades and implementation of a new Pilot Activated Airport Lighting Control (PAALC) system allowing pilots to control the helipad lights via remote radio control on approach. These improvements all contributing to more efficient patient transfers into our Trauma Centre, where the next phase of their lifesaving care begins.

Director of Trauma Services at The Alfred, Professor Mark Fitzgerald said airlifting patients from more remote parts of the state was critical. ‘Rapid helicopter access to The Alfred from the scene has helped halve the death rate from serious injuries in Victoria,’ he said.

Andrew has made incredible progress with his recovery and remains grateful to The Alfred for helping him get back on his feet. ‘I was in a wheelchair for three weeks and the staff were unbelievable – from the surgeons, to the occupational therapists, to assessing my home and supporting my day-to-day living.’ Andrew’s own parents were so appreciative of his lifesaving care they made the decision to donate to upgrade the helipad, ensuring it continues to serve future generations of families just like their own.

In June 2020, while supporters were generously donating to upgrade our helipad, 54-year-old Andrew Mackay was up a ladder at his Rushworth property in central Victoria, trying to remove a 20-foot-long dead branch from a tree. Things took a tragic turn and Andrew ended up being pinned to the ground by the branch.

Andrew remembers looking down at his “shattered” legs and realising he was in considerable trouble.

‘Andrew presented with significant injuries to both his legs but the most time critical was his compound left ankle injury which paramedics at the scene described as a near complete amputation,’ said Alfred Orthopaedic Surgeon, Andrew Hughes. ‘With an injury like this it is imperative that we stabilise the ankle and re-vascularise the limb as soon as possible in order to have a chance of salvaging it. With the rapid helicopter transfer we were able to achieve this within six hours from the time of injury.’

On December 22 Andrew and Kim were able to see out the year on a positive note by celebrating their wedding, with Andrew proposing to Kim while recovering at The Alfred.

Following surgery, Andrew spent two weeks recovering in ICU and a further three weeks in rehabilitation. 'Thanks to The Alfred's extensive experience in these types of complex injuries and the plastic surgical skills of Edmund Ek and Eugene Lim, Andrew had a successful free tissue transfer to cover the soft tissue defect in his left leg, said Mr Hughes.

Alfred trauma patient Andrew Mackay being rescued after being crushed by a tree branch

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For the present time, we've had a good win.

ALFRED PATIENT HANS SPIERINGS WITH WIFE ROSIE

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Advancing Discovery In 2020, thanks to the generous decision made by Brian Jenkins to include a gift of $500,000 in his Will, The Alfred was able to establish The Jenkins Fellowship for Lymphoma – one of four fellowships in our clinical haematology department dedicated to finding new treatments and therapies for people living with blood disorders.

Brian was a committed supporter of The Alfred, dating back to 2010, when he first funded lifesaving equipment for our Intensive Care Unit. This was followed by continued support for a further seven years until, unfortunately, Brian was admitted to The Alfred himself with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in February 2017. Melinda and Nicole, Brian’s daughters, learned the extent of his incredible philanthropy at this time.

that could be done when, through his locum GP, Hans learnt of a clinical trial being conducted at The Alfred.

‘Dad was never one to brag about his ‘good deeds’ or require recognition. So it wasn’t until we saw his name on the donation honour board in The Alfred’s main entry hall that we realised just how much he had been supporting the hospital during his lifetime,’ Nicole said.

Paola believes in the importance of establishing a good doctor/patient relationship and it is clear the pair have built a winning team. Thankfully Hans is taking well to the treatment with his recent results showing he is now in complete remission. ‘How long that lasts I don’t know. But for the present time we’ve had a good win,’ he said.

After deciding Hans was suitable for the trial, he received the innovative treatment through continual infusion which is when he first met Paola. ‘Being in the hospital for around a month, I got to know Paola and I just found her to be a beautiful person – I feel very comfortable with her.’

Brian realised he wanted to do something more significant with his giving to The Alfred and decided to create a legacy by including a generous gift in his Will to the hospital.

One of Nicole and Melinda’s hopes for their father’s legacy was to see improvements in life expectancy and better treatment options for lymphoma patients.

‘Dad wanted his gift to make a difference to the lives of others and have measurable results for fighting lymphoma,’ said Melinda. ‘We are so pleased to hear this is already happening and Paola's work will continue because of the gift Dad left to The Alfred in his Will.’

Sadly, Brian passed away in July 2017. Nicole and Melinda worked with the Foundation team over time to establish a fellowship for lymphoma research in their father’s name.

Dr. Paola Polistena was appointed to the fellowship position in February 2020. She is currently enrolling and managing patients onto clinical trials with the aim to further advance research and treatment for lymphoma patients.

The Alfred is seeing an increasing number of patients with higher grade lymphomas and the fellowship is already impacting patient outcomes for people like 71-year-old Hans Spierings from East Gippsland.

Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in January 2020, Hans commenced an eighteen-week course of chemotherapy which saw his cancer reduce by around half. Unfortunately, Hans became immune to the treatment. It seemed there was nothing more

Brian Jenkins with daughters Melinda and Nicole

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Thanks to our Supporters Financial Year 2019 - 2020 HOSPITAL BENEFACTORS

Foundation

nib Health Funds

Brian Jenkins

The Alfred Intensive Care Foundation

Women @ The Alfred

Nuttelex Food Products

Kelvin Kellett

VOLUNTEERS

Orloff Family Charitable Trust

Alberta King

Robert C Bulley Charitable Fund

Guenter Langhanns

Australian Food Allergy Foundation

Suan Chan

Marie Kuca

Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation

Dianne Dymond

Collier Charitable Fund

Doreen Phillips

Sid and Fiona Myer Family Foundation

Ian and Maria Cootes

Uri Rosenberg

Richard Smith

Eva and Les Erdi Humanitarian Charitable Foundation

Jenny Temple

Susan Harris Foundation

PRINCIPLE DONORS

Graeme Peter White

Bettine McCaughan

AAMI

Tung Bow Wong (黃東寶) and Tew Gook Wong (黃陳 秋玉)

Kathleen McGarvey Allan McNicol

Kevin and Nancy Wood and Family

Audrey Nancarrow

GIFTS IN WILLS

Trang Nguyen

Graeme Anderson

Donald Owen

Lungitude Foundation

Allan Armstrong

Brian Pekin

Jeffrey and Yumi Markoff

Jean Barrie

Noel Ricardo

Muriel May and Leslie Talbot Batten Foundation

Nina Blazic

Rosemary Richards

Brian Butcher

O'Donohue Family Foundation

Bella Rigbye

Madeleine Carrier

Swiss Concept Australia

Athalie Ross

Allan Casey

Norman Clyde Wellington

Bruce Rowe

Valerie Cath

Zaparas Lawyers

Doris Ryan

William Chambers

Grant Senior

Merrin Foundation

TOP DONORS

Giacinto Cincioni

Geoffrey Smith

The Percy Baxter Charitable Trust

The Alfred Café

Jeffrey Coles

John Storey

Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation

Kathleen Cotes

Colin Such

Robert Cross

Craig and Melissa Campbell

Keith Tiedemann

Santina Di Natale

Dry July Foundation

Anthony Trumble

Gary Efron

Gras Foundation

June Tunks

Judith Fisher

The Holckner Family

Ian Tyler

Barbara Gillham

James and Elsie Borrowman Trust

Thirza Williams

Eileen Hansen

Leonard Wintour

Joe White Bequest

Lesley Jackson

The Fox Family Elgin and Leslie Charles Gordon H and L Hecht Trust Helen Macpherson Smith Trust The Ian Potter Foundation The Jack Brockhoff Foundation Pamela Myer Jacobson John and Betty Laidlaw The Life Support Committee The Margaret Pratt Foundation The Marian and E H Flack Trust

Peter and Lyndy White Foundation The Pratt Foundation Szental Family Ewa and Ezriel Rabinowicz Tattersall's George Adams Foundation Whole Time Medical Specialists The William Buckland

Rhonda Moroney

Bulla Family Dairy Fox Family Foundation John F Marriott Charitable Trust Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation

Henrick Larsen John Liddle Harvey Lie Marjorie Marris

Beverley Murcia Pamela Newton

Ethel Hird

Lew Foundation

THE ALFRED FOUNDATION BOARD Sir Rod Eddington AO (Chair)

Meg Landrigan

George Richards

Patrick Baker (Director, The Alfred Foundation)

Chris Nolan (Alfred Appeal Committee Chair)

Rob Sayer

Ravi Bhatia

Nicholas O'Donohue (Life Support Committee Chair)

Carolyn Stubbs OAM (Women@The Alfred Chair)

Greta Bradman Anthony Charles Allan Hood

Paul Sheahan AM

Juli Ogilvy Tony Phillips

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Professor Andrew Way AM (Chief Executive, Alfred Health) Alan Williams Sir Donald Trescowthick AC KBE (Patron)

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ENDURING GIFTS IN WILLS

E and D Rogowski Foundation

Colin Bourke

Judy Matear

Joseph Augen Trust

The Geoffrey Mallin Rollason Trust

Breathe Easy for CF Julia Breen

Elizabeth McEniry and Cameron Green

Estate of Lindsay James Baldy Estate of Arthur and Anne Barry Estate of Amelia Batten E C Blackwood Charitable Trust Major Arthur Lyndhurst Blannin Estate Nola Therese Bren Donation Estate of Ernest Lonsdale Brown Estate of Dorothy Isabel Buttle Dennis Osborne Clarke Charitable Trust Estate of Alfred Noel Curphey Estate of Philippe Andrey Davies Estate of Mary Ann Edwards The Helen Fookes Trust Grace and Herbert Foulkes Charitable Trust William Samuel Godfree Charitable Trust The Grant Bequest Jean and Gerrard Harper Bequest John Henry Charitable Trust Estate of Mrs Grace Horton The Doris and Rupert Joseph Charitable Trust Estate of Ernest John Kebby Joseph Kronheimer Charitable Fund Martha Miranda Livingstone Fund The Sarah Josephine Logue Memorial Fund

Carr Family

Vladimir and Georgia Selar Bequest

Charles & Cornelia Goode Foundation

Estate of William Arthur Shipperlee

CMV Group Foundation

N and M Wodetzki Family Fund NRC Fund at Australian Philanthropic Services Foundation

Raymond Corrigan

Papamichael Family

John Henry James Symon Charitable Trust

Domenico Donato

DIY Resolutions DPM Susan and Geoff Duncan

Robert John Ousley PayPal Giving Fund Loris Peggie Adele M Pernell R W Peters Sarvesvari Rajakulendran

Estate of Alice Letitia D'Esterre Taylor

Sir Rod Eddington AO

Estate of Doreen Taylor

Andrew Eger

Flora Louisa Thompson Charitable Trust

Philip Elg

Estate of William Eastwood Thompson

Meredith Evans

Judith Roach for L Ian Roach AO

Anna Fauci-Russo

Ken and Gail Roche

Alfred Frohlich

Kevin Ruddell

Christine Gilbertson Giorgio and Dianne Gjergja

Sandra Jackson Benevolent Fund

Sydney Maxwell Wellard Charitable Trust

CM Gray

Gordon Sargood

Hacer Group

Greg Shalit and Miriam Faine

Estate of Emily Vera Winder

Halad to Health

Kim Shoppee-Lynch

Charles Wright Charitable Trust

Hardman Family Fund, a sub fund of ACF

June Smith

Estate of John Frederick Wright

G R and L D Hastings

Graham Spring OAM

HealthSmart Pharmacy

Judith Stembridge

MAJOR DONORS

Rachel M Hornung

Russell Stocker

Mary Adamson

Yen Hu

AFL Players' Association

Peter and Mandy Hui

Norman and Renee Super and Family

Alfred and Jean Dickson Foundation

Geoff and Denise Illing

Christine Tarascio Thomson

Roseanne Amarant

Insureware J and E King Foundation

Ken and Helen Turnham

Jacks Five Foundation

Michael and Leanne Wells

Keith and Mary Jeffery

Andrew Wheatland

Alfons and Gertrud Kaiser

The Will and Dorothy Bailey Charitable Fund, managed

by Equity Trustees

M J and S E Edwards

Eliza Wallis Charitable Trust Annie Josephine Wellard Charitable Trust

Kevin Azo and Peter Reid

John Robertson Grigor and Mrs Eva McKenzie Bequest

Robert Ferguson Baird

Estate of Edith McTaggart

BAMFA Properties

Estate of L I Roach

Morgan Mansell Fund, a sub fund of ACF

Opalgate Foundation

Rodney Dalton

Mary Symon Charitable Trust

Gordon Miller

Commonwealth Bank Staff Community Fund

The Yvonne Patricia Stevens Family Trust

Estate of Charlotte Marshall

James Richardson Medical Research Foundation

Anita Castan

Estate of Heather Sybil Smith

Auimatagi Family

Thomas B Payne Fund

The Carji Club

Sartori Medical Research Fund

Estate of William Marshall

Eugene and Janet O'Sullivan Memorial Fund

Marion and Bob Campbell

Mr and Mrs Simon Rothberg Charitable Trust

Elizabeth Balson

Ke-Ane Kassulke Jeffrey Kaufman

Bell Charitable Fund

The Ky Enterprises

Graham Berry

L R Cazaly Trust Fund

Bird Family Trust, managed

by Victorian Community Fund

Colin Lock Lung Foundation Australia Angus Mackay

Patricia and Kevin Birkett

Christopher Leigh Maddock

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Relton Co John Renison Jan and Keith Richards

Spotlight Foundation

Lyn Williams AM Ronald Wong Kenneth Woolfe The Yulgilbar Foundation

TH E A L F R E D FO UN DAT I O N

Responding to COVID-19 Research was a key part of our response to COVID-19, with a number of studies and leading experts strengthening our ability to provide treatment and care to those affected by the virus, thanks to the support from Trusts, Foundations and the community.

INTELLIGENT HOME MONITORING TO PREVENT COVID DEATHS RESEARCH Thanks to funding from nib health funds and our donors, people self-isolating with COVID-19 can have their health observed from afar, with a hospital-monitored software system that gets smarter with each patient cared for.

YOUR SUPPORT IMPACTING COVID RESEARCH

CovidCare, developed by Alfred Health and Deakin University, uses an intelligent decision-support system to remotely manage and triage patients with confirmed COVID-19, while they self-isolate at home.

In response to COVID-19 and its impacts on immune compromised people, The Alfred established its third biobank – The COVID-19 Biobank. Biobanks are used to store biological samples such as blood and tissue to advance clinical research.

Alfred emergency and trauma physician, and CovidCare study lead Associate Professor Joseph Mathew, said self-isolating at home is the best option for many people with the potentially deadly virus, however even those with mild symptoms can deteriorate without warning.

Thanks to the support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, The Orloff Family Trust and our donors, the COVID-19 Biobank team has collected over 16,000 nasal, throat and blood samples from more than 330 participants across five Victorian hospitals. This collaborative effort allows researchers from across Australia access to these samples with 12 applications for the data already occurring.

‘A system that is intelligent and can predict and flag which patients may need greater medical assistance before their health declines, is a powerful tool to prevent an intensive care stay, or even death,’ Associate Professor Mathew said.

109 patients were enrolled onto the platform with scalability up to 10,000 patients and potential for other broad applications, including The Alfred’s ‘hospital in the home’ program.

Early results have shown promising advances in our understanding of long-term immunity for those infected with COVID-19. Further work is underway to learn more about immunity duration and immunity as it relates to vaccines.

This important research project would not have been possible without funding and we thank our supporters for their remarkable contribution. There is more amazing research soon to emerge from the COVID-19 Biobank which we look forward to sharing with you in the near future.

‘We all have a role to play in helping fight COVID-19 as well as supporting our community, and as a health insurer this is even more paramount. This system does just that, helping patients to recover at home while also reducing pressure on hospitals,’ nib Managing Director, Mark Fitzgibbon said.

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YE A R I N R E VI E W 2 02 0

“”

PHILANTHROPY DEVELOPS THE CAREER OF LEADING COVID-19 EXPERT

We really need that broad and long-term range of expertise.

In 2008, The Alfred established a Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, thanks to generous funding from the James and Elsie Borrowman Trust. This distinguished position was a major career development milestone of one of Australia’s leading infectious diseases experts – Professor Allen Cheng.

PROFESSOR ALLEN CHENG

Professor Cheng held the Chair position for three years from 2009-2012, publishing over 24 research papers and generating competitive research funding valued at over $3 million. In what would be a career defining moment, the day of Prof Cheng’s appointment, the H1N1/09 virus, known more commonly as swine flu, was declared a pandemic.

‘If someone had said they were an expert in coronaviruses prior to SARS, or in retroviruses prior to HIV, we would have thought that’s a really niche area.

However, we are now acutely aware of how important that knowledge can be; no knowledge is ever wasted.’

Professor Cheng said the opportunities provided

by The Borrowman Trust were essential to career development in a field where research outcomes can often take many years.

Aside from his role as Director of Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology at The Alfred, Prof Cheng also holds positions as President of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) and as Victoria’s Acting Deputy Chief Health Officer where his expertise continues to contribute significantly to both the Federal and State governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘A lot of early career researchers are funded by very short-term grants and it’s important to nurture scientists and academic clinicians so they can become independent and acquire their own funding down the track,’ Prof Cheng said.

The Alfred - COVID-19 Facts & Figures

77

6,882

COVID-19 tests conducted

confirmed COVID-19 positive admissions

suspected COVID-19 admissions, including

72,090 at our public Screening Clinic.

17,452 at our Surveillance Clinic.*

25 requiring intensive care.

1,091 requiring intensive care.

107,208

*Made up of staff, teachers, aged care workers and other health care workers.

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TH E A L F R E D FO UN DAT I O N

Community Support More Important than Ever Adaption was a key theme in 2020 and community fundraising was no exception. With usual in-person events off the table, we turned to virtual events in their place with the goal of creating the same opportunities for meaningful community engagement.

As part of Dry July, The Alfred ran an online trivia evening with the help of Funky Bunch Trivia. The evening raised more than $2,000 and also offered an opportunity for fun and connection during a period of lockdown.

Dry July Foundation grant rounds will also see the continuation of our patient accommodation program for rural and regional cancer patients.

We also saw extraordinary support from the broader community in 2020 by way of donated goods and messages of support for our staff.

Everything from chocolates to hand creams was donated to acknowledge the tireless efforts of Alfred staff during the pandemic. Staff spirits were also lifted from the beautiful messages received from the community, including many hand drawn pictures and letters from local children.

A huge thank you to all the participants who went dry this July in support of The Alfred and to everyone who donated. Together we raised more than $42,000, an incredible outcome for our cancer patients. Money raised will fund a continuation of the music therapy program which brings joy and relief to patients going through treatment. Further funding from the

An act of extraordinary selflessness 2020 was particularly difficult for our star community fundraiser Gary Denson. Gary was diagnosed with a rare stage 4 melanoma in December 2019 and in the early months of 2020 was told he had just 90 days to live.

However, in June 2020 the team at The Alfred was able to perform an emergency surgery to remove cancerous growths. It wasn’t a cure but it gave Gary the precious gift of more time with his wife, sons, family and friends.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Gary started his own ambitious community fundraising campaign to raise $90k in 90 days. The response was incredible, with Gary reaching his initial target in just 26 days! Gary quickly realised the potential to achieve something truly extraordinary and set his sights on raising $500,000.

All money raised will support clinical trials and treatments to help others facing cancer. Gary has also been proactive in urging the public to practice caution in the Australian sun and have their skin checked regularly. Gary is enjoying his remaining time with his wife Keri, and his three sons.

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