The funding relationship between Greater Bank and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) has reached a major milestone of 21 years in partnership. A long-term success story that demonstrates the true value of sustained funding support in the often uncertain arena of medical research.
As Australia’s healthcare industry celebrates Medical Research Week for 2019 (30 May – 7 June), the two Hunter-based institutions acknowledge their shared history of working together to address health issues on both a local and international scale.
Since 1988, Greater Bank has funded a range of important research projects that have provided a key platform for the growth of HMRI.
Professor Tom Walley, Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute, highlights the importance of corporate support to help fund medical research focused on conducting cutting-edge research into better treatments, cures and forms of prevention.
“As we look to bring the message of the benefits of health and medical research to the Australian public this week, it is partnerships such as the one we share with Greater Bank that really demonstrate the true value that can be delivered through sustained support.”
“The long-term commitment of Greater Bank and the investment they have made has allowed us to plan for the future. It offers our researchers more certainty in an industry that typically suffers in the way of career stability and funding vulnerability.”
The Institute’s relationship with Greater Bank began in 1988, with pilot funding of $25,000 for a research project investigating the potential of the common cold virus to kill melanoma cells.
This project has since gone on to become a multi-million-dollar international clinical trial and reflects the trajectory of what has become a fundamental relationship between two community-minded organisations.
Most recently, HMRI’s involvement with Greater Bank has been channelled through support from Greater Charitable Foundation and its funding of the work carried out by the Institute’s Stroke Research Group.
The HMRI Health Research Economics team have found that for every $1 invested by Greater Bank in a 2009 stroke research program, a return of $6.63 was obtained through additional research grants and better patient outcomes.
Greater Charitable Foundation CEO, Anne Long, acknowledges the significance of the partnership in helping to deliver real health-outcomes to improve the lives of those most vulnerable in our community.
“We fund projects that will make a real and lasting difference to lives, and the outcomes the HMRI researchers are delivering are proving to do just that,’ said Ms Long.
“We are currently 2 years into a 3-year partnership, supporting a medical trial to help alleviate post-stroke fatigue and improve quality of life. In light of the developments already achieved through sustained funding of the research, we are confident about the potential for success.
“Our ongoing support has helped HMRI attract and retain leading researchers in the field, and as a regional centre we understand how significant this is for the Institutes success and ongoing achievements.”
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