Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland

During the course of 1970s, for Queensland leukaemia patients in Queensland, their families and the medical staff treating them, life was extremely unlike to what it is seen today. Then, treatment implied months of chemotherapy, brutal side effects and possible isolation in some hospital in Brisbane without support. Majority of the patients didn’t even survive the ordeal. For the regional and rural families that had to travelled to Brisbane for the needed treatment, accommodation was expensive and scarce.

Patients got isolated from their own families for fear of infection. The parents were not even permitted to care and comfort their children, and the patients plus their families were generally left to battle the psychological treatment challenges on their own. The medical staff did their best in delivering quality care under very difficult circumstances.

Facilities for bone marrow transplant were then only accessible in Melbourne and Sydney. Patients from Queensland sufficiently strong to undergo the bone marrow transplant, had to travel south, and the families had to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements as well as covering the expenses. The Southern states in addition had other available types of medical equipment like blood separator machines, then not yet available in Queensland.

Medical care, patient support, education and research

Bothered by the lack and shortage of medical support and treatment facilities, Dr Trevor Olsen, Brisbane’s only clinical haematologist, resolved to raise the funds himself to buy medical equipment that would be contributed to the Mater Hospital. The initial buy, with the assistance of Kurilpa Lions Club, became a lamina flow bed that protected the occupier from germs.

During this time, Olsen was managing and treating a young lad whose dad happened to be the Holland Park Lions Club secretary. Bernie Stevenson had watched his very young son succumb to leukaemia, and firsthand, he knew the trauma linked to the disease and its management. Bernie Stevenson then introduced Trevor Olsen to the Holland Park Lions Club and from there the Lions Leukaemia Foundation was established in October of 1975.

The Foundation set up 4 goals to offer medical care, patient support, education and research for the patients, their own families and for the nursing staff. It is from these very humble beginnings, that the organization is now providing world-class support to Queensland patients in their hundreds each year who are distressed by leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma, and other related blood disorders. The Lions Leukaemia Foundation invests dollars in their millions towards cutting edge medical research having the ultimate objective of getting a cure for these destructive diseases.

Mission and Vision

We’re conquering blood cancers through tears, sweat and love. The Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland is the only charity devoted to the improvement of the lives of patients having all kinds of cancers of the blood such as leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma in Queensland. The Foundation desires that more people get to survive their blood cancer diagnosis and proceed go to live a life that is full.

The Foundation is committed towards investing in worthy medical research projects that focus on enhancing patient outcomes and offering free support programs that purpose to lessen the emotional effect of a diagnosis of blood cancer.

The Foundation is not getting direct government funding and totally relies on the community generosity in supporting the vision of curing cancers of the blood and in supporting patients when they require it most.

Volunteering

The Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland volunteers have been assisting to beat blood cancers from the time of establishing the charity in 1975.

Their support is priceless since the Foundation does not receive any continuing government funding and so relies entirely on the bigheartedness of organizations, individuals and communities to help in providing patient support and in investing in research.

The untiring work of the volunteers is very important in helping in supporting and caring for patients and families that are affected by cancers of the blood. When you volunteer with the Foundation you’ll be making your positive difference into the lives of patients having cancer of the blood, as well as to the research going towards finding improved treatments.

Your skills, time and technical knowledge are greatly valued and could become of huge benefit to the community. To volunteer also means that you’ll be meeting new people, gaining experience and have more fun!

Making a Donation

Donations coming from individuals, community group and corporate partners make a genuine difference to the lives of people. Your donation helps towards improving quality of life for those having blood cancers, through funding research and supporting free services that support them as well as their families.