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Canberra Today 15°/19° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

In the pink, for a good cause

Governor General Quentin Bryce, left, chats with Carolyn Forster, associate Prof Tracy Bryan and Dr Scott Cohen, from CMRI.

A DEDICATED group of ladies who lunch are proving they can make a difference – and host a social event worth talking about!

Stunning venues, stalls, sparkling wine and signature petit fours are just some of the reasons the Children’s Medical Research Institute annual Canberra luncheon has become a notable event on the social calendar.

Enjoying the produce stalls.
The 2011 luncheon will be held at Burra Station Homestead on Wednesday, November 16 and the theme is bright pink, says Carolyn Forster, who has been a member of the CMRI Canberra Committee since 1973.

“Out-of-town venues are always charming and it’s a great opportunity to lunch in the gardens of a country property, browse the Christmas stalls and relax with friends,” Carolyn says.

CMRI conducts research into childhood diseases and their consequences.

It raises funds with the Jeans for Genes Day campaign each August and is supported by 27 fundraising committees around the country, of which the Canberra committee was the third established.

After 38 years, Carolyn is still as passionate as ever about helping out.

“I never resent one minute I spend with CMRI because it is such a worthwhile organisation.”

Carolyn says one-in-20 children is born with a congenital abnormality or genetic disease.

As a mother of three and grandmother of five, Carolyn is aware that “having a healthy child is a real gift”.

She says the work of CMRI is so important because it conducts basic research into childhood disease.

“If you can find the basis for a disease then you can fix it.

“By studying the key changes that occur during development we can identify when, where and how faults may occur.

“If small problems can be detected at this stage they could be prevented from becoming big problems, or treated to reduce their impact on our children’s quality of life.”

Having already raised $15,000 this year from Jeans for Genes day activity, the Canberra committee is aiming to match the $80,000 they raised last year for CMRI.

Carolyn says the committee is always looking for new members. For more information about the Canberra committee email cmricanberra@hotmail.com or phone 0437 510676.

More information about CMRI at www.cmri.org.au

[box] What: Children’s Medical Research Institute Annual Canberra Luncheon
Where: Burra Station Homestead, Burra Creek
When: 11am-3pm, Wednesday, November 16
Cost: $75
Theme: Bright pink
Why: To socialise and raise money for the Children’s Medical Research Institute [/box]

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