The much anticipated annual Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) Christmas Fair is all set to be another highly successful event with almost 100 market stalls coming to display their wears at the Wagga Wagga Race Course next Friday and Saturday, 21 and 22 October, 2016, come rain, hail or shine.
Each year the Christmas Fair continues to grow the number of stalls, visitors and, most importantly, the donation it generates for CMRI, according to the President Wagga Committee CMRI, Fiona Hamilton.
“Over the past 33 years the Wagga Fundraising Committee of CMRI has generated and donated over $1.5 million to the Institute,” she said.
"A portion of every dollar spent at the Christmas Fair goes toward CMRI and the incredible team of world leading scientists and researchers developing diagnoses, cures and now tailored treatments for children within the Riverina and around Australia suffering cancer, epilepsy, childhood diseases and genetic disorders."
Mrs Hamilton said one child in 20 born in Australia suffers a genetic disorder at birth.
“That's one child in every classroom, a statistic which seems alarmingly high in this day and age,” she said.
“From a vision and belief that "prevention is better than a cure and that research holds the key", researcher and paediatrician Sir Lorimer Dodds and his friend Dr. John Fulton, in 1958 formed what is now called Children's Medical Research Institute.”
Mrs Hamilton noted form the time the initial humble concept was established almost 60 years ago with funds raised by Australia's first telethon, CMRI has always been funded primarily by the generosity of everyday Australian's, including those living in the Riverina, and focused on achieving real results and making a significant difference to the health and wellbeing of children everywhere.
“Within such a relatively short period of time, the Institute can proudly boast having developed the first research unit for premature babies which significantly increased survival rates, the first heart and lung life support machines for children, pioneering microsurgery techniques for children, research into cystic fibrosis, the development of vaccines to prevent childhood diseases such as rubella, the discovery of new fields of treatment for cancers, epilepsy and other diseases including kidney disease therapy, the development of a centre to accelerate therapeutic drug discovery and most significantly over the past couple of years have been significant understanding and discoveries into the behaviour of cancer cells and the recent 2016 opening of ProCan, a world-first research centre leading an innovative approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment,” Mrs Hamilton said.
"With so many brilliant minds from around the world working within or collaborating with CMRI, it is exciting and rewarding to know that no matter how far removed geographically or scientifically we in Wagga are from this mind blowing research going on at Westmead in Sydney, that ordinary mums, dads and children like you and I can play a part in helping to fund and create these results. It's not always just up to governments and big business to make a difference.
"So to help us play our part and be sure to support the Fair this Friday or Saturday, and maybe begin getting your head around the fact that Christmas is only ten weeks away so the Fair is the perfect opportunity to collect some presents for the "hard-to-buy-for" people on your lists".
Visitors can expect to find beautiful artworks, jewellery, children's toys and clothing, high quality casual clothing, shoes and millinery, Christmas decorations, wrapping and homewares as well as a superb range of locally produced food items, garden art and gift ideas.
- Entry is $5 for adults and children under 14 are free. Gates open from 10am to 5pm Friday and 9am til 4pm Saturday. Free parking, home baked goods, tea, coffee and lunch options available throughout both days.
- Contact:
- Fiona Hamilton
- President Wagga Committee CMRI
- 0428 245 446
- fee_hamilton@icloud.com