AMA(NSW)CHARITABLEFOUNDATION
ByStephanieOsfield
ThoughtheAMA(NSW)Charitable Foundationisnowcomingtoa close,it’sphilanthropicworkwill haveimpactsforyearstocome.
Fromraisingfundsforlife-saving equipmentdonatedtochildren’s hospitalsandruralregions,to supportingpeopleimpactedby naturaldisasters,disabilityand domesticviolence,theAMA(NSW) CharitableFoundation,whichis windingdownoperation,leavesan impressivelegacy
When15-year-oldAnnaWood diedin1995,thelossofheryounglife saddenedthenation Intheweeks thatfollowed,agroupofGPs pledgedtodosomethingaboutthe tragedy.Withinmonths,their altruismledtotheformationofthe AMA(NSW)CharitableFoundation whichlaunchedtheAnnaWood DrugandAlcoholEducationProject. Donationsfloodedintosupportdrug andalcoholeducationprogramsfor NSWstudents Intotal,thefinaltally raisedwasover$100,000,includinga $50,000donationfromtheNSW government
Volunteers,Collaborationand
Partnership
Thesameyear,theFoundationheld agolfdaytoraisefundsfortheFred HollowsFoundationtopurchasea diodelaserunittobehelpimprove theeyehealthofAboriginaland TorresStraitIslanderpeopleinFar NorthQueensland “Atthat wonderfulgolfeventIwashandeda chequefor$30,000’’,recallsGabi Hollow,FoundingDirectorofthe FredHollowFoundation
TheFoundation’samazing philanthropicworkspanned29 yearsandraisedover$125million
“Throughoutitsimpressiverun,we partneredwithcharities,businesses andcommunitygroupstowork togetherandfundprojectstomeet therealandimmediateneedof peopleincrisisorthose experiencingdistress,disadvantage andchallengesimpactingtheir mentalandphysicalhealth,”Dr DanielleMcMullen,formerAMA (NSW)President,Chairofthe FoundationandincomingAMA President
Thisimportantworkwasmade possiblebyasmall,incredibly dedicatedAdvisoryBoardcomprised of10membersincludingtheChair andCEOofAMA(NSW).“Ourboard includeddoctors,lawyers,members ofthepublicandpeoplefromother professions,”saysA/ProfJohn Gullotta,previousAMA(NSW) PresidentandChairofthe Foundationfortenyears “This diversemixofpeoplehelpedour breadthofvision’’
SophieScott,thenABCreporter, wasaCharitableFoundationboard member “Ifelthonouredtobe involved,becausewhetherraising fundsforbraillebooksforchildren impactedbyvisionimpairmentor life-savingequipmenttogoon rescuehelicopters,wedeliberately chosesmallercharitiesthatoften struggledtocompeteforfunds,”she recalls
Supportingpeoplewithdisability andhealthchallenges
Overthreedecades,animpressive rollcallofcharitiesbenefitedfromthe Foundation Theseincludedthe MuscularDystrophyAssociation (electricwheelchairs),Vision Australia(Brailletypewriters,reading materialsandkits),theHousewith NoSteps(sensoryroomandexercise equipment)andtheMultiple SclerosisSocietyofNSW(specialised showercommodes,mobile showeringtrolleysandreconditioned wheelchairs).
Othercharityrecipientssupporting peoplewithdisabilitiesincludedthe BobbyGoldsmithFoundation(three mobilityscooters),WheelchairSports NSW(fivewheelchairsfortheirsports rehabprogram)andtheExodus Foundation(whoreceivedamuch needed22-seaterbustotransport disadvantagedstudents).“Our missionwastochannelthegoodwill
A/Prof John Gullotta (left) handing over cheque to Can Assist, AMA (NSW) Charitable Foundation Gala Dinner 2012
ASSOCIATION UPDATE
andcharitablespiritofthemedical professiontosupportadiverserange ofcharities,”saysA/ProfGullotta
“WhenmynieceBernadettewas three,shedevelopedmeningococcal diseaseandtragically,lostbothher legs,”herecalls “AnECMOmachine helpedkeepheralive,butWestmead Children’sHospitalonlyhadone ECMO,soIassuredthemwewould raisefundsforanother Wehelped donated5ECMOmachinestoenable childrentofullyrecoverfromtheir meningococcaldisease.’’
Helpingchildren,familiesand communities
Charitiesrelatedtochildren’s wellbeingwerealwaysaFoundation priorityandincludedBearCottage (fundsforanewhospiceandfacility upgrade),andCAN-Assist(which receivedaminibustotransportrural cancerpatients) Raisingawareness of‘forgotten’diseaseswasalways topofmind,leadingtothe2013 donationof$66,000toAlzheimer’s AustraliaNSW,withthenNational PresidentItaButtrose,AO,OBE appearingasguestspeakerat annualGalaDinnerthatyear. Contributingtomentalhealth organisationswasalsohighon agendaandledtofundsbeing raisedforimportantneedssuc suicide/interventionprograms Lifelineandvideoconferencing equipmentforHeadspace
TheAMA(NSW)Charitable Foundationwasalsoreadyto supportthoseimpactedbyadv andcrisis In2004,aspecial campaignraisedfundsforthe
RedCrosstohelppeopleimpacted bytheBandaAcehtsunami.In2016, $25,000wasdonatedtoSoldierOn,a charityforthosewoundedwhile servingintheArmy,NavyandAirforce andtheirfamilies.
Atthe2014FoundationGalaDinner, RosieBatty,Australianoftheyear, wasguestspeakertoraisemoneyfor theLukeBattyFoundation,whichshe startedtohelpothersafterthetragic deathofhersonduetodomestic violence “Australiansoftheyear oftenpartneredwiththeFoundation andspokewithgreatpassionatour GalaDinnertoraisefundsfortheir charityofchoice,”A/ProfGullotta explains “In2008,LeeKernaghan passedhiscowboyhataroundthe room,raising$6,000withinminutesto supportpeopleindrought-stricken bushcommunities”
Othercharitiesalsobenefitedfrom fundsraisedtoassistruraland remotecommunities Theseincluded AussieHelpers,(donationofatruck usedtosupportpeoplestrugglingin bushcommunities)andtheRoyal FlyingDoctorService,(whoreceived intravenouspumpsetsanda ventilator)
“Withthesupportofvalueddonors liketheAMA(NSW)Charitable Foundation,wekeepouraircraftand vehiclesequippedandoperating,to proudlydeliverfreeaccesstoour servicesforthoseliving,workingand travellinginoutbackNSW,”saysRFDS SouthEasternSectionCEO,GregSam
Carryingthetorchforward “Thoughitissadtosaygoodbyeto theAMA(NSW)Charitable Foundation,wealsoneedtoadapt andmovewiththetimes,”says FionaDavies,AMA(NSW)CEO.“The Foundationbeganwhenpeople usedtoputcashonthetableand writechequesandnow,theyare verycomfortabledonatingonline So,theFoundationiswindingdown andwehavepassedtheremaining fundstotheMedicalBenevolent Associationtoprovidecounselling andfinancialassistanceduring timesofneedsfordoctorsandtheir families TheAMAisalwaysmindful ofhowwecanengagein philanthropicworkandwillcontinue tobringtheFoundation’sspiritof communityandgenerositytoallof ourAMA(NSW)eventsand activities.”
DrAndrewWines,Presidentofthe NSWMedicalBenevolent Associationsaid“TheMBAis honouredtoreceivetheremaining fundsfromtheCharitable Foundation TheMBAhasaproud supportingdoctorsattheirmost difficulttimes,wewelcomethe chancetobothreceivethefunds andtoalsoraisetheprofileofthe MBAandtheworkwedo’’ AMA(NSW)wouldliketo particularlyacknowledgeRon HeinrichandScottChapmanof HWLESolicitorswhoservedasboth FoundationAdvisoryBoard membersandadvisors HWLE SolicitorssupportedtheFoundation withpro-bonolegaladviceduring theoperationoftheFoundation AMA(NSW)wouldliketo acknowledgeallofthemembersof theCharitableFoundationBoard throughouttheyears:
A/ProfJohnGullotta
DrBrianMorton
DrMichaelSteiner
DrKathrynAustin
DrDanielleMcMullen
DrElizabethFeeney
MsSophieScott
MrScottChapman
MrRonHeinrich
MrLauriePincott
MsFionaDavies
2009 AMA (NSW) Charitable Foundation Gala Dinner; Grant to Wheelchair Sports NSW
2022 Gala Dinner; Charitable Foundation raised funds for; The Torie Finnane Foundation for Women, Bravehearts and the MBA of NSW