Healthy, HAPPY kids and teens
We support research into the prevention, treatment and management of some of the most burdensome diseases and conditions of childhood and the teenage years, so that our next generation has the brightest possible future ahead.
Childhood Cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of disease burden in childhood. Despite improvements in the treatment of some types of childhood cancer in recent decades, there is still much to be done to give children with cancer the best possible chance to both survive, and thrive.

Establishing the South Australian Paediatric Cancer Immunotherapy Centre
Immunotherapy treatment for cancer takes a patient’s own immune cells, and teaches them to attack and kill cancer cells. We are funding research which establishes the South Australian Paediatric Cancer Immunotherapy Centre, by bringing together three groups of experts in a new collaboration to develop, test and validate CAR-T for childhood brain cancer. These pre-clinical trials will help pave the way for clinical trials and a clinical delivery program in South Australia.
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Genomic predictors of brain cancer survival
Paediatric brain cancers are amongst the hardest cancers to treat. Conventional treatment can result in survivors experiencing significant and debilitating long-term complications. Professor Jordan Hansford is undertaking genomic analyses on brain tumour samples to better understand the mechanisms of childhood brain cancer, and factors associated with survival, so that we can predict the behaviour of tumours and determine the best way to treat them.
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Shedding light on the onset of type 1 diabetes in children
Young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) don’t often present with classical symptoms until the condition has progressed to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), resulting in hospitalisation. This can be very traumatic for children and their families. Research conducted by Dr Megan Penno used continuous glucose monitoring to better understand the changes that occur in glucose patterns before the clinical onset of T1D in young children at risk of developing the disease, so that children can be diagnosed earlier, reducing the risk of DKA.
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Eating disorders
Eating disorders have been on the rise since the turn of the century, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this rise has been most pronounced in children and young people. Prevention, treatment and management programs are urgently needed to reduce the burden these disorders place on children and young people, their families and the healthcare system.

Infectious Diseases
Infectious diseases such as gastroenteritis, influenza and COVID-19 are common in babies, children and adolescents, and are a significant cause of hospital visits. Underdeveloped immune systems coupled with close physical contact in children and adolescents means that diseases can easily spread, making it critical to find more effective ways to prevent these diseases and limit their spread.

Long-term effects of respiratory infections in kids and teens
We know a lot about the acute effects of COVID-19 and the flu, but the long-term effects are less understood, especially in children and adolescents. Dr Mark McMillan, a WCH Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, will explore the long-term effects of COVID and the flu in South Australian children, and how it may be impacting on their quality of life, school attendance and educational outcomes.

Non-surgical treatment for craniosynostosis

Respiratory Diseases
For many children, the simple task of breathing can be a challenge, and one that can lead to lengthy hospital stays. From asthma to cystic fibrosis, respiratory disease in childhood can place a significant burden on children and their families. Research plays an important role in helping children with respiratory diseases to breathe easy and lead a healthy and happy life.

Innovative research encouraging vaccinations

Rapid diagnosis of lung infection in rural and remote regions
Dr Tom Goddard of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network and his team, with the support of our Bloom Research Program, will develop a rapid diagnostic tool to allow clinicians to diagnose and treat lung infections in Aboriginal children living in rural and remote regions in a timely manner.
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