Kate Lundy, Labor Senator for the ACT today signed up to become an official ‘Genie’ for this year’s Jeans for Genes Day on Friday 7 August 2009.
“Jeans for Genes Day is a major fundraiser for the Children’s Medical Research Institute, a not for profit independent organisation working to find cures and preventions for childhood medical diseases,” Senator Lundy said.
“One in 20 children is born with some kind of genetic illness such as leukemia, birth defects and epilepsy. The scientists at the Children’s Medical Research Institute are working to try to prevent these diseases before they occur in our children, or where that is not possible, to develop better treatments.”
On Jeans for Genes Day the community is encouraged to leave the suit or school uniform at home and wear their favourite pair of jeans in support for the Children’s Medical Research Institute in exchange for a gold coin donation.
“We’ve all have a pair of jeans so it’s an easy and fun way to support this very worthy cause,” Senator Lundy said.
“Of course for those people who cannot wear jeans to work or school on Friday 7 August 2009 there are other ways to show our support.
“Jeans for Genes badges, wristbands and jean jewels will be available in my electorate office. I encourage everyone in our local community to pop in from today to Friday 7 August 2009 and buy a badge.”
Jeans for Genes Day was established in 1994 and has raised more than AU$46 million for the Children’s Medical Research Institute.
“I encourage anyone in our community who may be interested in supporting Jeans for Genes Day to visit http://www.jeansforgenes.org.au and explore ways that every workplace and school can get involved.”
About the Children’s Medical Research Institute
The Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is an independent organisation committed to unlocking the mysteries of disease through investigation of conditions such as birth defects, cancer, and epilepsy. Its philosophy is that major advances in prevention and treatment come from research into the fundamental processes of life.
One in twenty children born in Australia suffers from some kind of chronic disease or congenital abnormality like cleft palate, epilepsy and cancer. The CMRI conducts fundamental genetic research to understand the genes important for health and development, and the underlying causes of diseases such as these.
Shortly following its foundation in 1958, the CMRI established Australia’s first research unit for newborns, dramatically improving the survival rate for premature babies, and helped test and develop rubella vaccination programs in NSW. It also improved the survival of infants following organ transplantation through its work in pioneering microsurgery techniques in the 1970s.
In 1995, the CMRI jointly established Australia’s first Gene Therapy research group with clinical partner The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Today, the CMRI’s dedicated team of people continues to contribute to a greater understanding treatments and diagnostic tools for cancer, congenital disorders and diseases.
Media contact: Annika Hutchins 0407 458 882
