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The donation will go to the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre, an initiative launched by the Children’s Hospital Foundation in collaboration, with some of the world’s leading brain cancer researchers.

One Australian child dies from brain cancer every nine days and the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre is the only research centre in the country solely dedicated to improving survival and survivorship for children with this disease.

The donation, from Golden Casket, part of the Lott — Australia’s official lotteries, has been funded from unclaimed prize money. It will support the Centre’s Australian-first research, which includes innovative new therapies, improving the neurological ability in patients, and reprogramming immune cells to target brain tumours.

Children’s Hospital Foundation Chief Executive Officer Rosie Simpson said the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre was committed to tackling the deadliest disease for Australian children with a game-changing approach to paediatric research.

“The Children’s Brain Cancer Centre unites the best of the best in paediatric brain research,” she said.

“Brain cancer claims the life on one Australian child every nine days — more than any other disease. Despite advances in other types of childhood cancer, survival rates for brain cancer have made little progress over the past 30 years.

“The Children’s Brain Cancer Centre aims to change that. Our goal is to improve the survival and survivorship for children with brain cancer.”

Among the national and international collaborators that make up the Centre’s research team are four leading directors; Dr Tim Hassall (Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service), Professor Brandon Wainwright (University of Queensland), Professor Bryan Day (QIMR Berghofer), and Professor Greig de Zubicaray (Queensland University of Technology).

“It’s leading international collaborations like this that will help bring the world’s most promising brain cancer discoveries directly to Queensland,” Ms Simpson said.

“I’m delighted to see the unwavering support of Golden Casket and their commitment to helping our sickest kids.”

Golden Casket General Manager Andrew Shepherd said the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre gave children and their families living with the disease their greatest chance for a brighter future.

“We have a long history of supporting important health initiatives within our communities and we’re proud to continue that tradition through our donation to the Children’s Brain Cancer Centre.”

“This Australian-first centre is bringing new hope to children and their families living with pediatric brain cancer and it’s a privilege to play a part in helping this world-class team of experts continue their vital research.”

Today’s $500,000 donation is the second contribution Golden Casket has made to paediatric brain cancer research and follows a $500,000 donation made to the Children’s Hospital Foundation in July 2019.

The home of Australia’s Official Lotteries, the Lott unites Australian lottery brands including Tatts, NSW Lotteries, Golden Casket and SA Lotteries under one banner. It operates and markets Australia’s leading lottery games customers know and love creating everyday winners, winning every day.

To help us continue to work wonders for sick kids through ground-breaking research, donate here.