Together Magazine 2024

MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Most of us have heard of antimicrobial resistance. It’s a natural process that occurs over time in which antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective, and infections become difficult — or impossible — to treat.

For kids with cystic fibrosis – who rely on regular antibiotics to treat lung infections – antimicrobial resistance can mean the difference between life and death. If the antibiotics used to keep lung infections at bay no longer work, the lung damage can become permanent, and some kids may eventually need a lung transplant.

But it’s not just kids with cystic fibrosis who are at threat of antimicrobial resistance – bacterial infections like golden staph, skin and ear infections can all become resistant to these superbugs.

In fact, antimicrobial resistance is one of the world’s greatest health threats, with the World Health Organization estimating it will claim 10 million lives a year by 2050.

That’s why we are currently at the forefront of the global race to fight these superbugs with superhero viruses.

Associate Professor Anthony Kicic is leading a team tackling antimicrobial resistance through the use of innovative therapies such as phage — specialised viruses, found all around us in nature, which only kill certain bacteria and can be used to target the superbugs.

Dr Yuliya Karpievitch is using artificial intelligence in this research to dramatically reduce the time it takes to identify the most appropriate therapeutic phages for each individual superbug, and develop the best combination for personalised treatment for each patient’s infection.

Discovering why is what we do.

It’s a relentless curiosity and passion to make a difference that drives our researchers to ask and answer the big questions surrounding some of the most devastating, complex and common diseases and illnesses.

As you will read in this edition of Together, our researchers have been at the forefront of Respiratory Syncytial Virus research, including clinical trials of the antibody treatment Nirsevimab now being offered to WA babies, and generating epidemiology data to inform and guide immunisation programs.

A first-of-its kind study – which tracked 220 Australian families over two-and-a-half years – found that for every minute of screen time toddlers are exposed to at home, they hear fewer adult words, make fewer vocalisations and engage in fewer back-and-forth conversations with their parents. The findings highlight the importance of being mindful about family screen use, with Dr Mary Brushe suggesting ways parents can make it a more beneficial experience.

Dr Katherine Landwehr is testing the vape produced by e-cigarettes on human airway cells, using existing biobank cell samples to create 3D models that mimic human lung formation and analyse the effects. It’s anticipated her findings will help inform policy and provide data for advocacy partners to reinforce the message that e-cigarettes are not harmless.

And our geospatial modelling experts, led by Associate Professor Ewan Cameron, used census data to show that children who live in the outer suburbs of Australia’s four biggest cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth –are twice as likely to have asthma as those living in inner city areas. These findings could be used to plan the locations of new asthma clinics, and guide policy interventions to help those most at need and have the greatest impact.

Discovering why is what we do, but we can’t do it without you.

Thank you for being part of our community of supporters and helping us achieve our vision of happy, healthy kids.

Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM Executive Director

Fighting superbugs with superhero viruses

We are currently at the forefront of the global race to fight superbugs with superhero viruses.

Researchers from the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre – a powerhouse partnership between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital — are committed to improving the lives of children living with respiratory disease, and their families.

Associate Professor Anthony Kicic, a Rothwell Family Fellow and researcher with the Wal-yan Centre, is leading a team tackling one of the world’s greatest health threats – antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR happens when bacteria develop ways to resist antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. These superbugs can cause very serious and uncontrolled infections, with limited medicines to treat these bacteria.

AMR is expected to claim 10 million lives a year by 2050, placing significant importance on innovative therapies such as bacteriophages, or

phages — specialised viruses found all around us in nature which only kill certain bacteria and can be used to target the superbugs.

The burden of antibiotic resistance is greatest in children, who receive antibiotics more than any other medication type. Those with underlying illnesses like cystic fibrosis (CF) are also at higher risk of developing AMR.

Associate Professor Kicic said a top research priority for the CF community was tackling the emergence of lung infections resistant to antibiotics.

This had led his team to focus their research efforts on the use of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotics.

“Bacteriophages are specialised viruses naturally present in the environment, including in waterways and soil, which can selectively target and eliminate bacteria,” Associate Professor Kicic said.

“Phage therapy allows for personalised treatment approaches, where phages are tailored to treat specific bacterial infections.

“With the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs posing a global health threat, phage therapy provides a promising alternative to traditional antibiotic treatments, addressing the urgent need for novel antimicrobial strategies.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics Lead Dr Yuliya Karpievitch is using AI and genomic data to transform the way we do research every day. The role of AI in AMR research dramatically reduces the time it takes to identify the most appropriate therapeutic phages for each individual superbug and develop the best combination for personalised treatment for each patient’s infection.

Phages are the natural viral predators of bacteria and are at the core of Dr Karpievitch’s therapeutic strategy.

“Much like special agents on a mission, these phages specifically target and infiltrate only harmful bacteria,” Dr Karpievitch said.

“Once inside, they replicate and millions of their offspring eventually burst out, destroying the bacteria. This action eradicates the harmful bacteria while the phages, having completed their task and with no host left, naturally die off, posing no harm to the patient.”

Dr Karpievitch’s challenge is twofold: finding the correct phage for each type of bacterium

and optimising this pairing for the most effective therapeutic outcome.

Her pioneering work is set to revolutionise how doctors treat superbug infections, enabling rapid personalised treatments that promise quicker patient recoveries.

It’s this world-leading research that places the importance of what we do at Telethon Kids Institute.

Researchers like Associate Professor Kicic and Dr Karpievitch are asking the big questions and finding new innovative answers to ensure we can deliver new treatments so all kids can lead happy, healthy lives.

Discovering why is what we do, but we can’t do it without you.

It’s because of support like yours that breakthroughs have already been made, but there is still so much to do.

Every donation is helping our researchers pursue life-saving and life-changing work in areas including childhood cancer, mental health, infectious diseases, rare diseases, autism, chronic diseases and many more.

Please consider supporting Telethon Kids Institute with a tax-deductible gift. Please donate today.

Your support means we can continue to make life-changing breakthroughs with far-reaching impact.

Joshua Iszatt and Dr Yuliya Karpievitch

Painting a new picture of social and emotional wellbeing

A collaborative new program developed by Telethon Kids Institute aims to enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of young people through arts programs.

The Social and Emotional Wellbeing through the Arts (SEW–Arts) project and associated resources have been developed by Telethon Kids Institute, with funding from Healthway, in partnership with Edith Cowan University (ECU), and with advisory support from The West Australian Ballet, the WA Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo), and the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AgWA).

Telethon Kids Institute Senior Research Fellow Leanne Fried said the SEW-Arts framework had helped 32 arts organisations in Western Australia to intentionally promote the social and emotional wellbeing of young people through their programs, by equipping teaching artists and arts administrators with datadriven strategies and resources.

The benefits of incorporating the arts in clinical settings have been recognised for decades, however this research is the first-of-its kind.

“We have always known the arts can support children’s health and emotional wellbeing. We hope this project continues to drive awareness and provide teaching artists with the skills to recognise what they currently do to enhance social and emotional wellbeing and how they can intentionally promote it,” Ms Fried said.

“Wellbeing factors and key messages have been developed with input from young people aged 12–18 who are involved in the arts, and clinical psychologists, to ensure we identify evidence of social and emotional wellbeing that is meaningful to children and young people.

“We are collecting data and tailoring assessments for each arts organisation as they implement the SEW-Arts framework in their programs. It’s interesting to see how language and awareness of wellbeing factors have increased and enabled conversations across art forms.

“Our experience of working with a native title group in Esperance has presented additional opportunities to deepen our understanding and engagement with young Aboriginal people and how their health and wellbeing needs are different yet also similar.”

The research has been made possible by the generous support of Healthway, who have backed the project for four consecutive years.

“Healthway has been more of a partner in this work than a funding body. They have done an amazing job of supporting the arts organisations to provide input into the SEW-Arts framework. With this support, arts organisations have proposed innovative projects that expand the use of the framework and further develop their capacity to promote social and emotional wellbeing,” Ms Fried said.

First shot at respiratory syncytial virus prevention

Our researchers have been at the forefront of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) research. Their efforts have helped ensure WA families can now gain free access to an Australia-first, $11 million RSV immunisation program expected to cut RSV-related hospitalisations by up to 80 per cent.

Our Vaccines Trials Group (VTG) was involved in pivotal clinical trials showing the success of Nirsevimab (a long-acting monoclonal antibody treatment) in preventing RSV-related hospitalisations in babies, leading to the rollout first in Europe, North America, and now Australia. The Infectious Disease Epidemiology Team also provided pivotal burden of disease data – identifying babies with a higher vulnerability for severe RSV infections – which informed strategic direction for the roll-out of Nirsevimab in Western Australia.

Nirsevimab is currently being offered for free to all WA babies under eight months as well as selected older children with an increased risk of severe RSV.

Extensive epidemiology research from the Telethon Kids Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Team in collaboration with Perth Children’s Hospital and PathWest Laboratory, has generated data revealing which children are at greatest risk of RSV and the most vulnerable periods for infection, ready to inform immunisation programs.

Perth epidemiologist Associate Professor Hannah Moore said only 1,400 RSV cases had been reported in Western Australia to date, out of a national total of 80,000, however we anticipate this number will grow.

“With the recent cool change in weather, we’re expected to see a spike in reported cases of the seasonal virus in the west,” Associate Professor Moore said.

“The good news is over 10,000 Western Australian babies are now immunised against severe RSV, an outcome that is set to prevent 400 hospitalisations.

“A further 10,000 babies being protected could mean WA will see the same 80-90 per cent reduction in infant RSV hospitalisations reported in the Northern Hemisphere.”

With the roll-out of Nirsevimab underway, the Telethon Kids VTG have also been involved in other global clinical trials showing the effectiveness of a maternal RSV vaccine, given to pregnant women at 24 to 36 weeks of pregnancy to prevent RSV infection in babies.

Telethon Kids Institute was the leading Australian site for the phase three trials, which were undertaken in 18 different countries.

With further research being undertaken in the infection prevention space, it is hoped that a number of prevention options will be available in the future to tackle RSV, for all age groups.

Click here to learn more about the research at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases

Learn more about the program and access resources here.

Associate Professor Hannah Moore

SEW-Arts framework session at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre

Creating happy, healthy futures for generations of kids

Maggie Dent is a member of the Fiona Stanley Circle, a special group of people who have generously decided to leave a gift to Telethon Kids Institute in their Will.

A proud mother of four wonderful sons and an enthusiastic and grateful grandmother to seven grandkids, Maggie Dent has always been a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages.

The beloved Australian parenting author, often referred to as the ‘queen of common sense’ has been a long-term supporter and admirer of the life-changing work at Telethon Kids, donating some of the proceeds from her first book and leaving a gift in her Will.

Ms Dent’s father ensured she was instilled with a strong social conscience from a young age, but she said it was her long-held hero Professor Fiona Stanley who was responsible for putting the fire in her belly to empower parents with the knowledge about what was important when it came to raising their children.

“I just have an enormous passion for children who are more vulnerable and who are struggling. The more that I understand about what comes out of this amazing Institute, the more I feel this is exactly where my money needs to go when I am no longer here,” Ms Dent explained.

Everyone who includes a gift to Telethon Kids in their Will is welcomed into our Fiona Stanley Circle, which is named in honour of Telethon Kids Institute Patron and Founding Director, Professor Fiona Stanley AC.

Members of the Circle share Professor Stanley’s optimism, vision, and decision that a healthier future for children will be part of their own personal legacy.

“Leaving a gift

in your

Will to the Institute means you can actually impact whole generations to improve. It is a very exciting opportunity.”

Professor Fiona Stanley AC, Patron & Founding Director

Professor Stanley said bequests provided much needed monies to support crucial areas not funded by research grants. These included laboratory costs, research support, shortfalls from grants and funding to attract the best and brightest researchers from anywhere in the world.

Members of the Fiona Stanley Circle are regularly updated with Institute news, vital research breakthroughs and stories from our passionate community, along with opportunities to meet researchers behind the scenes and meet Professor Stanley at an exclusive annual event.

Leaving a gift in your Will is a great way to support the critical work that you care about after your other financial considerations have been taken care of.

For a confidential and obligationfree conversation please contact Gifts in Wills Officer, Kirren Fullagar on (08) 6319 1444 or kirren. fullagar@telethonkids.org.au

Transforming lives through two-year fellowship

Senior Research Fellow Dr Caroline Alexander’s passion to pursue child health research was ignited by her lived experience as a child living with cerebral palsy.

Since 2021 Dr Alexander has been a research fellow and study coordinator for the Early Moves project, a collaboration with Telethon Kids Institute’s The ORIGINS Project.

Her passion for working in demand-driven clinical research, using innovative technology in clinical settings, and working with large and complex data sets is about to reach new heights, with support from the Imogen Miranda Suleski Fellowship.

The Imogen Miranda Suleski Fellowship is an award for early-career post-doctoral researchers at Telethon Kids Institute. In 2010 Imogen Miranda Suleski’s mother developed septicaemia during her pregnancy and Imogen died shortly after birth. With encouragement from the family, Imogen’s grandmother Jan established the Fellowship in memory of her granddaughter.

“It was then that my husband David and I wondered what we could do to help other families avoid the profound distress we’d all experienced. We decided to fund research into the potential health problems of pregnant women and their newborn babies,” Jan explained.

Dr Alexander aspires to lead clinically driven and integrated research in early detection and intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Her work aims to identify early clinical predictors of non-motor adverse developmental outcomes in at-risk children, aged 2-years old. Embedded within the Kids Rehab WA department of Perth Children’s Hospital, this research will directly inform current clinical pathways to fasttrack children to targeted early intervention, transforming the lives of our most vulnerable infants.

Over a cup of tea with Jan and David Lord, Dr Alexander said: “This fellowship offers me an incredible opportunity to conduct research that will directly impact the lives of vulnerable infants and their families, by enhancing our understanding of how we can better identify high-risk infants who would benefit from targeted early support for their learning and cognitive development.”

The Imogen Miranda Suleski Fellowship is valued at up to $70,000 and this is the first time it has been awarded as a two-year award.

Gifts like this award help power child health research. If you’re interested in learning more about major giving, please contact Simmone Sharp at simmone.sharp@telethonkids. org.au

Mr David Lord, Mrs Jan Lord and Dr Caroline Alexander

Study finds ‘technoference’ is getting in the way of vital parent-child communication

Telethon Kids research has revealed young children are missing out on precious language opportunities thanks to increasing levels of family screen use.

Growing up in a language-rich home environment is vital for children’s language development in the early years, but the firstof-its-kind study, led by Dr Mary Brushe from Telethon Kids Adelaide, found that for every minute of screen time toddlers are exposed to they’re hearing fewer adult words, making fewer vocalisations, and engaging in fewer conversations.

In findings that went around the world, the results were most profound in three-year-olds tracked during the two-and-a-half-year study, with just one extra minute of screen time associated with seven fewer adult words, five fewer child vocalisations, and one less backand-forth interaction.

Given children in this age group were found to be consuming an average of 172 minutes of screen time a day – whether their own or their parents’ use nearby – the results suggest the average three-year-old could be missing out on up to 1,139 adult words, 843 vocalisations, and 194 conversational turns a day.

“We know the amount of talk and interaction is critical for children’s early language development – this study highlights that screen time may be getting in the way of that,” Dr Brushe said.

The study followed 220 Australian families, using Fitbit-like devices to measure the amount of electronic noise and parent-child talk surrounding children aged between 12 and 36 months. This included noise generated by screens viewed by the parent and/or child from sources including TV shows, videos or games.

Worn at home by children for 16-hour periods at multiple points in time (when the children were aged 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months), the device used LENA speech recognition technology to reveal the number of adult words, child vocalisations, parent-child interactions,

and the amount of electronic noise that occurred during the recorded period.

In all, researchers coded more than 7,000 hours of audio to calculate the amount of screen time children were exposed to as opposed to other electronic noises.

Dr Brushe said the findings supported the notion of ‘technoference’ – a modern phenomenon where screen use is interfering with communication between parents and their children – as a real issue for Australian families.

“If anything, we’ve probably underestimated how much screen usage – and associated ‘technoference’ – is going on around children because we haven’t been able to capture parents’ silent screen-related activities, such as reading emails, texting, or quietly scrolling through websites or social media,” she said.

While the results made for stark reading, especially given the significant role screens now play in our daily lives, Dr Brushe said there were things parents could do to minimise the potential impact on children’s language development.

“It might be that they opt for interactive coviewing as a way to reduce the burden of screen time or encourage families to engage in conversation when a screen is on.”

The study, Screen time and parent-child talk when children are aged 12 to 36 months, was a collaboration with the University of Adelaide, the University of Oxford, and the Menzies Health Institute at Griffith University and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics.

To learn more, you can watch a video discussing the findings here

19-month-old Elizabeth with parents Callum and Lauren Walley engage in interactive screen time

Dr Mary Brushe

Cutting edge techniques reveal stark gap in childhood asthma risk

Techniques originally developed to map and tackle malaria globally are now being brought to bear by the Institute’s Geospatial Modelling Team on child health problems closer to home.

Earlier this year a project led by Associate Professor Ewan Cameron combined health data – gathered for the first time in the 2021 Census – with cutting edge statistical modelling and satellite imagery to reveal surprising insights into the spread of childhood asthma across Australia’s four biggest cities.

Contrary to expectations that asthma rates would be higher in inner city areas due to heavy traffic and pollution, the data revealed children aged 5-14 who live in the outer suburbs are twice as likely to have asthma as their inner city peers.

The results were uniform across all four cities studied – Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane – with around 12 per cent prevalence in the outer suburbs compared to around 6 per cent closer to the CBD.

“In many ways it was surprising just how similar all the cities were,” Associate Professor Cameron said. “We found that in every city there was that same trend – increasing prevalence from the wealthier inner-city suburbs to the poorer outer-city suburbs.”

Socioeconomic status explained at least half of the stark spatial variation, with combined climate factors and outdoor air pollution accounting for the other half.

“We know from earlier studies, including the Raine Study in WA, that the risk of developing asthma is strongly shaped by socio-economic factors including higher rates of chronic family stress and poor housing quality, including dampness and poorly ventilated gas stoves, as well as dietary and obesity factors,” Associate Professor Cameron said.

“People in lower socio-economic areas, many of whom are renting, often lack the means to alleviate these issues and may have poorer access to health care support for asthma management.”

The study was made possible thanks to data supplied by Australians in response to a question about chronic health conditions, added for the first time to the 2021 Census.

Associate Professor Cameron, also from Curtin University, said the results highlighted the challenges faced by government and health authorities tasked with fighting Australia’s childhood asthma epidemic, with our rates among the highest in the world.

However, they could prove useful in helping to plan the locations of new asthma clinics and guide policy interventions, such as providing financial assistance to convert cooktops from gas to electricity,

and installing high-efficiency rangehoods and ventilation to eliminate cooking gases or dampness in the home.

“By revealing where asthma risk is highest at a fine level of precision – down to neighbourhood block size – we can identify the local government areas that need the most support,” Associate Professor Cameron said.

“This means we can target interventions and policies to help those most at need and have the greatest impact.”

The study also showed the significant role played by climate and environmental factors, after the team used satellite imagery to investigate the levels of different pollutants around each city, vegetation, and temperature and rainfall variation.

“We do find there’s a contribution from environment –places that experience large daily temperature variations tend to have higher risk of asthma. More extreme weather can be a factor in triggering asthma,” Associate Professor Cameron said.

The team will repeat their analysis following the 2026 Census and plan to also use the data to examine trends for other chronic diseases.

Associate Professor Cameron undertook this research with the support of a Stan Perron Charitable Foundation People and Platforms grant.

The study was conducted in collaboration with Joyce Mo and Charles Yu, two visiting scholars from Princeton University in the United States. The resulting paper, A health inequality analysis of childhood asthma prevalence in urban Australia, was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and can be read here.

Associate Professor Ewan Cameron

Perth Sydney Melbourne

For the second year running, Illuminate PitchFest shone a light on the innovative, world-class research at Telethon Kids Institute, providing early to mid-career researchers an opportunity to launch their careers to new heights, thanks to the funding support of an Illuminate Award.

Inspired and moved by the energy in the room on the night, several generous guests shocked everyone by unexpectedly supporting three additional awards! Awards worth a total $235,000, all made through philanthropic gifts, were presented on the night.

We are excited to announce the eight winners. A big congratulations to:

Dr Yuliya Karpievitch - Illuminate Visionary Award supported by Gubgub & Wallace Family

Dr Jess Reynolds - Illuminate Award supported by Woods Family

Dr Pamela Laird - Illuminate Award supported by The Giorgetta Charity Fund

Dr Jacinta Saldaris - Illuminate Award supported by Peers & Partners

Dr Jane Choi - Illuminate Award supported by Helping Little Hands

Dr Ben Wylie - Illuminate Award supported by Sue Fletcher & Kerimi Family Foundation

Dr Katherine Landwehr - People's Choice Illuminate Award

Dr Penelope Strauss - People's Choice Illuminate Award

At Telethon Kids our greatest asset is our people. We are strongly invested in the future of child medical research, welcoming, nurturing, and encouraging the best Australian and international researchers.

However, our best and brightest researchers face an increasingly competitive environment in securing research funding. This means substantial delays in research and even career insecurity, particularly for early and mid-career researchers.

Through the power of philanthropy, our community plays a pivotal role in equipping brilliant researchers with the funding they need to transform their vision into ground-breaking advancements.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and generously supported Illuminate Pitchfest, including some of our own staff who support the Institute through our own workplace giving program, Peers and Partners – a generous award supported by our staff, for our staff.

We invite you to learn more about how you can support an Illuminate Award.

Please contact Manager, Philanthropy Major Gifts, Simmone Sharp on +61 8 6319 1822 or email simmone.sharp@telethonkids. org.au who is happy to introduce you to this exciting and gamechanging program for our early to mid-career researchers.

Telethon Kids researchers investigate toxicity of e-cigarettes

Vaping is the health scourge of the moment, with suppliers targeting teens and young people with artificially coloured and flavoured e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ which we now know to contain toxic and harmful chemicals.

Previous work by Telethon Kids Institute researchers has had a direct impact on Australian policies regarding e-cigarettes, but what is still not fully known is the toxicity of the actual aerosol inhaled by users, and how it changes between the different flavours.

Telethon Kids Institute has long campaigned for tougher action on vaping – now an epidemic among school students and young people.

cell samples to create 3D models which mimic human lung formation, then analysing the effects vape has on them.

Telethon Kids Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said vaping had become a huge public health problem in Australia –particularly for young people who were taking up the habit in droves without understanding the health risks.

“Here at Telethon Kids, together with Curtin University, we’ve got perhaps Australia’s leading program of research looking at what’s in these products, and their effects on health,” Professor Carapetis said.

“Worryingly, we know from the research that many of the products marketed to this age group as ‘nicotine-free’ in fact contain nicotine – making them a gateway to tobacco use – as well as a host of other unlabelled toxic and concerning chemicals.”

Dr Katherine Landwehr and Associate Professor Alexander Larcombe from the Respiratory Environmental Health team within the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre – a powerhouse partnership between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital – are staying ahead of the game by testing the vape produced by e-cigarettes on human airway cells.

The researchers, who are also affiliated with Curtin University, are using existing biobank

Dr Landwehr said the work was expected to provide significant insight into the health effects of vaping and exposure to vaping.

“We have been directly exposing these unique human lung models to vape with different flavourings, using a set-up in the lab that mimics the act of vaping,” Dr Landwehr said.

“We have found that different flavourings all have different toxic effects – we have yet to find a vape that is not harmful to use.

“We anticipate these findings will help inform policy and provide data for advocacy partners to reinforce the message that e-cigarettes are not harmless.”

Dr Katherine Landwehr is the recipient of a $25,000 People’s Choice Illuminate Award, funded by our generous supporter community and passionate philanthropists.

If you would like more information about supporting an Illuminate Award visit our website here.

Back: Dr Ben Wylie, Dr Jess Reynolds, Dr Jane Choi, Dr Penelope Strauss Front: Dr Katherine Landwehr, Dr Jacinta Saldaris, Dr Pamela Laird, Dr Yuliya Karpievitch

Dr Katherine Landwehr

Active play program being rolled out across Australia

More than 80,000 Australian children are expected to benefit as 700 childcare centres across the country trial Telethon Kids Institute’s Play Active program aimed at boosting declining physical activity levels.

A new national trial of Play Active, led by Professor Hayley Christian AM from the Child Physical Activity, Health and Development team at Telethon Kids Institute, was officially launched in Perth last month by Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly and WA Minister for Early Childhood Education Sabine Winton.

Professor Christian – also a National Heart Foundation Fellow and Professor with the School of Population and Global Health at The University of Western Australia — said Play Active was the only program of its kind in Australia that provided evidenced-based guidelines on the amount of physical activity, sedentary time and screen time children should have in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).

“While the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years state children aged 3–5 years should be getting three or more hours of physical activity per day, including 60 minutes of energetic play, our research has found that only one in ten young children are achieving this,” Professor Christian said.

“Given young children spend a lot of time in childcare, there is a huge opportunity here to increase their physical activity levels, in particular energetic play that gets them huffing and puffing and is essential for their health and development.”

The Child Physical Activity, Health and Development team at Telethon Kids started researching physical activity levels in young children more than ten years ago with 120 ECEC services and more than 2,500 children and families.

“Our research showed that early childhood educators were eager for information about how to help young kids be more active,” Professor Christian said.

“From here, we developed the Play Active program in partnership with leading national and international research institutions and a range of Australian early childhood education and care providers and modelled it on Cancer Council WA’s successful SunSmart program for childcare.” Professor Christian said.

The pilot trial of Play Active saw 100 per cent adoption of a physical activity policy by 81 Perth services, with educators expressing high satisfaction with the program.

Leveraging off this success, Play Active is now being rolled out nationally with a further $2 million in funding, including support from the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Added support from the WA Government’s health promotion agency, Healthway, will ensure equitable access to Play Active among priority populations throughout WA.

Funding from Telethon Kids Institute’s Illuminate Award, supported by the Gubgub Wallace Family, has also contributed to the program’s national trial.

“While nutrition, sleep and sun protection policies are required in national childcare regulations, there is no guidance around how much physical activity, sedentary and screen time children should have while in care,” Professor Christian said.

“Play Active provides that evidence-backed guidance, training and support.”

For more information about Play Active and our national partners, visit playactive.org.au.

Educator and children from Goodstart Early Learning Banksia Grove - the inaugural member of the Play Active Program.

Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly at the launch of Play Active

Workplace giving powers Telethon Kids child health research

Did you know that your workplace could match your regular donations?

Workplace giving is a simple and powerful way to support our work at Telethon Kids Institute through a regular pre-tax payroll deduction. It’s an easy way to give that makes a real difference in our community, benefiting children and families everywhere. The tax offset benefit is applied immediately rather than waiting until the end of the financial year and by matching donations, employers can supercharge their employee’s giving.

The true value of workplace giving extends beyond just monetary donations. It provides an opportunity to form meaningful relationships within and outside the organisation. Employees can find a sense of purpose and contribute to the community by connecting with like-minded individuals.

“Workplace giving is important for us. It’s part of our social responsibility package that encourages our staff and the business to engage with the community. It’s a very simple way for everybody to contribute.”

- Steve Brown, Board Executive Director, RemSense.

We invite your business behind the scenes

Have you ever wanted to see what happens behind the scenes at the Telethon Kids Institute, or meet one of our world-leading researchers?

We offer exclusive tours for up to 15 people to visit the Institute and tour our state-ofthe-art research facilities.

If you and your colleagues would like to come in for a tour of the Telethon Kids Institute, please contact us today.

Ways your business can support child health research

Sam and Carla Schneider were inspired to support child health research after their niece was diagnosed with brain cancer (medulloblastoma) four years ago at the age of five. The lesion was surgically removed, and she has been in remission since.

Monocle Optometry in North Fremantle generously donate $5 from every sale of frames to Telethon Kids.

As a Care and Custody Officer at the Perth Children's Court, Veena SobhaVenu is responsible for helping ensure the Court and everyone who attends are safe, secure, and orderly. Each day, Veena puts on gloves and cheerily does the rounds, collecting bottles from bins across the Courthouse to support Telethon Kids Institute. Thank you Veena and Ventia for donating regularly through the Containers for Change scheme.

If you wish to donate your recyclable buybacks to us, please use our Telethon Kids Institute member number when depositing your containers – C10582389

Located within the car park at QEII Medical Centre, SilverSponge Hand Car Wash has supported child health research at Telethon Kids through several campaigns over the last year by donating a percentage of sales.

They generously offer staff a discounted rate, encouraging more people to take part and therefore increase their support.

We are so grateful for our community who generously support child health research at Telethon Kids and share our vision for happy healthy kids.

We offer unique and meaningful ways for your business to get involved. We look forward to speaking with you about what we can create together.

For more information, please contact Corporate Partnerships Officer, Danka Hundzova – daniela.hundzova@ telethonkids.org.au

Telethon Kids Institute has recently welcomed tour groups from Rio Tinto (top right), Adapptor (bottom left) and Hatchd (bottom right).

Mr Puneet Jain

How having (or losing) a dog can affect kids’ physical activity

First-of-its-kind work led by our physical activity research team has uncovered the positive power of dogs in encouraging greater levels of physical activity among children – especially girls.

The research, led by PhD student Emma Adams, also found the loss of a family dog can prompt a decline in physical activity in children –something that hasn’t been studied before.

The team made the findings after following the progress of 600 children aged 2-7 for three years – from preschool age to their entry into full-time school – to explore the relationship between dog ownership or loss on children’s movement behaviours.

Children’s time spent sedentary, on screens and physically active was measured using accelerometers – small devices worn on the hip during waking hours, for seven days at a time –and parent-report surveys.

The researchers saw a significant jump in daily physical activity in children whose families acquired a dog over the study period, while those whose families experienced the loss of a dog recorded a steep drop-off in activity.

“The results were particularly noticeable in girls, with girls who acquired a dog increasing their light intensity activity and games by almost an hour a day (52 minutes),” Ms Adams said.

“On the flipside, there was a marked drop in light intensity activity and games in girls who experienced the loss of a dog, with their activity dropping by 62 minutes a day.”

Ms Adams said losing a family pet was often children’s first experience of death.

“It can elicit a profound grief response that could reduce participation in normal activities,” she said.

“Though, it can also provide children opportunity to learn about the life and death cycles of animals and the importance of caring for animals as they age.”

The team also found girls and boys who acquired a dog increased their amount of unstructured physical activity – such as yard play, going to the park, walking or playing with their dog – by around seven sessions a week. By contrast children who lost a dog dropped 10.2 sessions a week for girls and 7.7 sessions a week for boys.

“What these results show is that dog ownership can have a positive influence on children’s physical activity and that we start to see those benefits from early childhood,” Ms Adams said.

She said it was important to note that having a dog came with many responsibilities and wouldn’t be the right choice for everyone.

“We’re not telling families to just go out and get a dog. Rather, it’s about encouraging families who already have a dog to make more use of this mechanism to encourage physical activity,” she said.

The study was published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity earlier this year.

This work was supported by funding from the WA Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway) and partial funding from the BEACHES Project (funded by the UKRI-NHMRC Built Environment Prevention Research Scheme and partially supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course). Ms Adams is supported by an Australian Government RTP Stipend, a UWA and Graduate Women (WA) Research Scholarship, and a Stan and Jean Perron Top Up Scholarship.

Rising STAR awarded scholarship

Youth Mental Health PhD Student Shakara Liddelow-Hunt is the latest recipient of the $30,000 Supporting Training for Aboriginal Researchers & Staff (STARS) Student Scholarship – helping to set the stage for groundbreaking LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal health research.

Funded by Peers & Partners and the STARS donor community, the STARS scholarship fosters professional growth for Aboriginal staff and students, aligning with the Institute’s Aboriginal Employment Career Development Strategy.

Committed to research and collaboration, Mx Liddelow-Hunt will use the funding to facilitate a Roadmap Co-Design Forum as part of their PhD research, bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ youth, Elders, community leaders, and health representatives to address the mental, social, and emotional wellbeing of this community.

“There are limited opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ people to come together and discuss how we can work in collaboration to support our communities, including directions for research,” Mx Liddelow-Hunt said.

“Being able to facilitate that conversation as a PhD student is an incredible opportunity to do meaningful and translational research, and I don’t know a lot of other students who get to work on something so empowering.”

Funding will also be used to continue resourcing for the Walkern Katatdjin Data Governance — a national research project that aims to understand and promote the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people.

Mx Liddelow-Hunt is using the data from this research project for their PhD and further work with services to develop appropriate interventions.

The STARS Student Scholarship Program, launched in 2021 and supported by Professor Deborah Lehmann AO and Professor Michael Alpers AO, aims to establish a foundation for the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers.

If you’re interested in learning more about the STARS program or would like to support training opportunities, please get in touch with Simmone Sharp, simmone.sharp@telethonkids.org.au

Mx. Shakara Liddelow-Hunt

Community champion wins at Western Australian of the Year Awards

Youth voices leading the way

As a person with lived experience of cystic fibrosis (CF), Telethon Kids Institute Community Involvement Coordinator Mitch Messer understands only too well how dramatically the game can change when consumer voices are heard.

His own quality of life radically improved when new CF modulator treatments were made available following persistent consumer advocacy – an approach he has championed for more than 40 years in a bid to bridge the gap between health consumers, the health system and policy makers.

Now, those decades of work as a consumer advocate have been honoured by the wider community, with Mr Messer named winner of the Community category at the 2024 Western Australian of the Year Awards.

Mr Messer first became interested in consumer advocacy as a teenager after being involved in a research project in which he asked a question which couldn’t be answered. The interaction sparked a drive to improve research processes to focus on the genuine needs of those affected by the condition being researched.

“I was big on saying the community should have a say, they should be partners in the care because the care is about them,” Mr Messer said.

“People living with a health condition are a valuable source of information in research, with an important voice in how they want to see clinical improvements implemented.”

Since then he has become an incredible advocate for the CF community at both state and national level, including presenting to Federal politicians on the life-changing effects of new CF drugs and in his capacity in multiple

volunteer roles with peak CF and health consumer organisations.

As part of the Consumer Engagement team at Telethon Kids – where consumer involvement is now second nature – Mr Messer mentors researchers and community members to work together, recruits and manages consumer reference groups, and guides research projects to involve consumers at every stage, from bench to bedside and into the community.

He is an integral part of Telethon Kids CONNECT, an Australia-first program designed to recognise and reward community members’ contributions to research. CONNECT gives members opportunities for networking, training, research engagement, and invitations to special events.

Telethon Kids CONNECT honours the many ways our community supports us to make our research great and achieve our vision of happy healthy kids.

If you’d like to learn more, CONNECT with us today – visit Telethon Kids CONNECT

As a research institute devoted to improving outcomes for children and young people, we know how important it is to hear from the very people at the heart of our vision.

That’s why, back in 2016, we established the Telethon Kids Youth Advisory Group – to ensure any research we conduct about young people includes their voices and feedback.

Currently made up of 10 members aged 1624 years, the Youth Advisory Group’s aims include identifying research priorities for young people – topics such as mental health, sexual health, diet, exercise, and more – and providing feedback and input into research, strategic planning and governance support. Importantly, the group helps our researchers understand how to make their work relevant to young people, and helps them translate that research into interventions and resources that are both engaging and effective for their target audience.

Members of the group – two of whom have previously completed internships with the Institute – have lived experience of a range of conditions and share specific interests including cancer, disability, mental health, LGBTQI+, type 1 diabetes, and ethnically and culturally diverse research.

Community Engagement Senior Manager Belinda Frank said the group played an instrumental role in providing strategic advice and input into Institute priorities.

“I’m always astounded by how articulate and grounded our members are about the ‘big issues’ facing young people,” Ms Frank said.

“A number of the Youth Advisory Group members also sit on various reference groups at the Institute and regularly volunteer – making them a very passionate and empowered group within our community.”

At their last meeting, the group met with researchers from the Future Child Health project team, who aim to be the first research team to quantify how current and future environmental changes affect child health.

The team was grateful for the opportunity to share their work on climate change with the Youth Advisory Group and excited to collaborate with them for greater impact.

Senior Project Coordinator Naomi Hemy said she was impressed with the group’s enthusiasm for the project and their willingness to contribute on an ongoing basis.

“Their considered feedback introduced us to novel aspects and broader impacts that have been invaluable for shaping our work and gaining a better understanding of how to address the concerns of future generations,” Ms Hemy said.

To hear more about opportunities for sharing your voice in research CONNECT with us here – visit Telethon Kids CONNECT.

Members of the Institute’s Youth Advisory Group

Mr Mitch Messer

Our Community

Darcey's Swim for Kids

After watching a loved one slowly lose his battle with cancer at the age of six and faced with her own health battles, Darcey Brooks’ interest to make a difference in child health research was sparked at a young age.

Swimming has become a unique special activity for Darcey – a time to reflect and remember her family friend Charlie.

In 2021, Darcey set herself an amazing goal of completing a solo swim across the Rottnest Channel while raising awareness and funds for the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre.

Not only did Darcey complete the gruelling 19.7km swim, she also finished within the top 20 female competitors and raised more than $6,000.

Last month, Darcey again faced an ultra-swim challenge in honour of Charlie. This fundraising superstar not only smashed her target, raising a total $10,422 for the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre, but finished 3rd in the iconic Lake Argyle Swim event.

Darcey is an inspiring member of our supporter community who has witnessed the impact of our life-changing work through her lived experience.

Thank you Darcey for your ongoing support and passion to make a difference!

Our research is powered by people like Darcey who share our vision for happy, healthy kids.

Join our supporter community today - click here to learn more about fundraising for Telethon Kids.

Christmas cheer raises funds for kids cancer research

Isabelle and Chloe are cousins who spent their Christmas holidays collecting 10c containers to raise money for the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre.

Together, they raised $67.78 – that’s a lot of containers!

Eight-year-old Isabelle also ran a Christmas raffle with her family and raised an extra $56.15. A big thanks to Isabelle, Chloe, and their families.

Telethon Kids’ Runs for Research

More than 180 staff, students and superstar supporters took part in the recent HBF Run for a Reason in our Telethon Kids Institute Team.

Thanks to their amazing fundraising efforts, more than $11,000 was raised for child health research.

For Steven Pearson and his family, joining the Telethon Kids Institute HBF Run for a Reason Team wasn't just for fun or fitness, it was personal. They participated and fundraised this year in memory of their nephew Noah, who received critical care for a severe brain injury after a traumatic birth. They spent six precious days with little Noah before his fight became too much.

Like thousands of families in Western Australia, the Pearson family recently experienced the impact of world-class clinical care and research after their daughter needed support within her first few days of life.

Congratulations to everyone who participated and donated. All the money raised will help our researchers tackle the most common and challenging child health problems.

Being physically active is good for everyone

Dr Hamsini Sivaramakrishnan is a Postdoctoral Researcher in physical activity and mental health. She is interested in how physical activity and sport can be harnessed to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Physical activity can be particularly challenging for children living with chronic health conditions such as type 1 diabetes, cancer, or cerebral palsy. Children with chronic health conditions experience a wide range of barriers to activity such as a fear of injury, lack of social support, improper program facilities, and a lack of appropriate staff to support their needs.

Hamsini’s research is focused on how we can break these barriers and best support kids living with chronic health conditions to participate in physical activity.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to be physically active. My research looks at the longterm benefits of activity for health and wellbeing for all kids, while also exploring how physical activity can specifically support kids living with chronic health conditions, in managing symptoms and improving quality of life.”

School raffle raises awareness and funds

10-year-old Victoria Bridger organised a school fundraiser to raise funds for the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre after watching a show about a school-aged girl who was diagnosed with blood cancer. Moved by the show, she decided to help all kids battling cancer by raising awareness and funds for child cancer research at Telethon Kids.

Victoria organised an Easter Raffle and sold more than 1,000 tickets.

Thank you Victoria –what an achievement! You can learn more about Hamsini’s work by clicking here.

To promote her raffle she spoke at assembly, wrote newsletter articles, and spent her lunchtimes and mornings selling tickets. She was hoping to raise $150 but was very surprised when her total hit $382.50. Her mum Maria said she had fun selling tickets and learned a lot while raising funds for such an important cause.

Darcey with family friend Charlie; Darcey at Lake Argyle Swim; Isabelle and Chloe collecting containers

Victoria Bridger

Steven Pearson and family

Discovering why is what we do but we can’t do it without you

Your support this EOFY will create lifechanging child health research breakthroughs Please donate today.