QIMR Berghofer Donation

15/11/2022

Professor Corey Smith and Tristan Fung at QIMR Berghofer in Brisbane, QLD.

Sifu Jim Fung Memorial Fund Donates to QIMR Berghofer

By Tristan Fung

On Monday, I travelled to QIMR Berghofer in Brisbane to present them with our $10,000 donation on behalf of the Sifu Jim Fung Memorial Fund for Cancer Research.

Upon my arrival at QIMR, Dr Nancy Cloake introduced me to Professor Corey Smith, Dr Katie Lineburg and several researchers and collaborators involved in QIMR's research into adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) and other EB virus-associated malignancies.

Professor Smith gave me a thorough presentation on QIMR's research and their use of specially altered white blood cells, known as T-cells, to fight cancers like NPC, of which my father died in 2007. He also detailed QIMR's collaborations with Hong Kong University and their progress towards a Phase II trial for the treatment.

Following Professor Smith's presentation, he and Dr Katie Lineburg took me for a tour of QIMR's laboratories. It was fascinating to learn about the equipment and methods they use to study cells on a molecular level. QIMR is one of the very few organisations in the world working on a treatment for NPC.

I am incredibly grateful for the time that Professor Smith, Dr Lineburg and Dr Cloake took to educate me on the vital research that the Memorial Fund's donation will support. I came away from QIMR feeling hopeful that an effective treatment for NPC, a devastating cancer affecting one in ten people from Southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, may soon be available.

My Sincere Thanks to All Supporters

I offer my sincere gratitude to everyone who helped the Memorial Fund make this donation to QIMR, which represents its third donation to cancer research since its inception in 2007.

I also extend special thanks to my Level 5 colleagues at the International Wing Chun Academy, Senior Instructors Andrew, Michiko and Scott, who ran a series of workshops with me that helped us reach our $10,000 donation target in 2022.

The Future of the Memorial Fund

Based on my inspiring visit to QIMR and the relevance of their research to the Memorial Fund's objective, I am pleased to announce that the Fund will direct its next $10,000 donation to QIMR Berghofer.

Support QIMR Berghofer's Research

QIMR Berghofer's research depends substantially upon private donations. I highly encourage you to support their vital work by donating at https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/support-us/donate/