“No child’s name should be spoken in the past tense.”
Kerri
Mother
Lauren was a spark of life – mischievous, full of dreams, and always on the move. She loved dancing, scouts, horse riding, and dreamed of one day becoming a lawyer.
When Lauren was 15 years old, she had the opportunity of a lifetime: a school trip to Paris. She was studying French and had dreamed of seeing the Eiffel Tower.
What began as headaches and tiredness soon became something no family should ever endure. Doctors discovered a tumour in Lauren’s brain. Within days, she endured a 12-hour surgery. Four days later, came the words no family should ever hear:
“Glioblastoma. Stage Four. Terminal.”
Courage in the midst of heartbreak
Despite her devastating diagnosis, Lauren was determined to live her life with joy, courage, and love.
She created a bucket list – with elephants at the very top. She fed elephants in Bali and saw them at Melbourne Zoo. Elephants became her symbol of strength and hope.
But glioblastoma is relentless.
Doctors gave Lauren three to five years to live. She had just 21 months.
Lauren passed away in 2020. She was only 17.
Lauren’s brilliance touched many.
Why medical research matters
Brain cancer kills more kids in Australia than any other disease.
Brain cancer kills more people under 40 than any other cancer.
One Australian is diagnosed with brain cancer every 5 hours.
80% of patients diagnosed with brain cancer will die within 5 years.
Survival rates have barely changed in 30 years.
Rewriting the future of cancer together
Behind every statistic is a child like Lauren.
This is why your donation to WEHI today is important.
Your gift today fuels groundbreaking research at WEHI that brings hope to children and families.
Your support brings us closer to a world where no child’s name is spoken in the past tense.
If you would like to make a donation via bank transfer or BPAY, please call our Fundraising team on (03) 9345 2403 or email us at fundraising@wehi.edu.au
If you would like to make a donation via cryptocurrency, please visit our crypto giving page.
To request donation envelopes to use at an event, please contact us on 03 9345 2403 or fundraising@wehi.edu.au.
US supporters can donate via the Chapel & York US Foundation, nominating The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research as a recipient.
Donations to WEHI of $2 or more are fully tax deductible.
Your personal information
The personal information you provide via this form will be used by WEHI to process your donation, to issue you with a tax receipt and to send you future communications and updates. You can opt out of receiving marketing correspondence from us at any time. We will not disclose personal information about you to anybody else, unless you have given consent, or we are authorised or required to do so by law.
Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about how we handle personal information including who to contact if you have a privacy enquiry.
