During the 65th anniversary event are life members Dawn Miller, Joyce Sharpe, Mena Sharpe, Professor Roger Redell, Marg Weir OAM, Edith Burgess, Rhonda Bailey, Kate Quinn and (back) president Lucy Hill. Photos: Supplied.
In 1959, young Gerringong mother Dorothy Bailey contracted rubella while pregnant, leading to her son being born with a congenital heart problem.
Dorothy sought medical help for her son in Sydney.
“She took him to see Sir Lorimer Dods, who at that time was a very respected paediatrician,” Children’s Medical Research Institute Gerringong committee publicity officer Lorraine Peade said.
“He said there was nothing that could be done for the child other than to take him home and make him comfortable, and that she could maybe start fundraising for medical research.
“That’s exactly what she did, and she was a pretty amazing force.”
Dorothy founded the Gerringong committee of the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI), which was one of the community fundraising groups instrumental in helping Dods establish a new research facility dedicated to the welfare of children.
Today, there are 17 committees in NSW and the ACT, with only the Kangaroo Valley and Strathfield committees formed a year prior to Gerringong.
CMRI’s head office is at Westmead, and has pioneered microsurgery, immunisations against lethal childhood illnesses and care for premature babies.
It is also the site of world-leading research in areas such as cancer, neurobiology, embryology and gene therapy.
Lorraine said the impact of 65 years of continuous fundraising and 100 financial members was $2.3 million raised for medical research from the Gerringong and Kiama areas.
However, its true impact was evident during the 65th anniversary event in March at the Gerringong Town Hall, where they heard from special guest, CMRI director Professor Roger Reddel.
She said he inspired the 140-strong audience with his account of the groundbreaking research into gene therapy and cancer treatments.
“It was especially moving because after he finished speaking, it turned out there was a Sydney family in the audience whose child had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA),” she said.
Lorraine said Adriana and Adam Sharpe introduced themselves during question time and expressed their gratitude that their daughter had been diagnosed at birth with SMA and underwent gene therapy that means she no longer has that genetic condition.
“They said: ‘That little girl is now running around at the back of the hall,’” she said.
“She had been diagnosed at birth and she was able to have one gene therapy injection and now does not have that genetic condition anymore.
“We had no idea they were there. The grandparents were from Wollongong, and they’d seen advertising for the event, and they came, and it was so beautiful.
“Professor Reddel was clearly so moved, because it’s not every day they get to see the children.”
Active foundation members Mena Sharpe (left) and Joyce Sharpe, along with Adam and Adriana Sharpe and their daughter, who has benefited from the CMRI.
She said the Gerringong committee still had active foundation members, and first and second-generation family members continuing the cause for Dorothy all these years later.
“They were young mothers and if Dorothy Bailey said you had to join, you did,” she said of how it started.
“It’s something that is close to their hearts.
“Everyone has a story about children and the unexpected, so anything that draws us together to help and to do something practical and positive is good.”
She said many of the fundraising activities they began doing in those early days they still did today, particularly catering for community groups and private functions.
“I mean, at one stage, everyone who got married had Children’s Medical Research cater for their wedding at the town hall,” she said.
“That meant everybody got a job and did the cooking and did the service.
“I’ve been a member since 1989 and I think we were definitely still doing weddings into the 90s.”
She said some of the foundation members, like Mena and Joyce Sharpe, had met every Monday for years to sew.
“They are a part of a group we call the ‘Monday Ladies’ and they are amazing,” she said.
“They can knit, they can crochet, they can embroider and they create beautiful children’s clothing.
“They have been behind the CMRI craft stall at every one of our quilt and craft shows.”
Lorraine said the annual CMRI Gerringong Quilt and Craft Show, which would mark its 32nd year this year, ran over three days and regularly made $5000 from their craft stall alone.
She said other events had included Mother’s Day high tea and fashion parades, Melbourne Cup luncheons and national Jeans for Genes Day, which this year marked 32 years.
“From the very first one, we’ve always participated,” she said of selling Jeans for Genes merchandise and hosting a trivia night.
“It’s just grown. We usually manage to send around $10,000 for the Jeans for Genes campaign.
“When CMRI scientists first began working on gene therapy under the guidance of the late Professor Peter Rowe, most of his peers felt gene therapy was science fiction.
“There is a tradition of genuine community good will that is central to the success of the many and varied fundraising activities.
“There is also a deep appreciation of the importance of medical research as a way to ensure better health outcomes for all of our children and grandchildren.”
Learn more about the CMRI Gerringong committee.
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