Professor Lyn Beazley, Patron of the BrightSpark Foundation, was an enthusiastic speaker and guest at the presentation of the 2011 BrightSpark Fellowships on Thursday 24th Feb 2011. She spoke passionately about her research beginnings and inspired guests including past recipients of the Fellowship, members of the business community and the Board of BrightSpark.

Our 2011 recipients, Dr Shelley Gorman and Dr Louise Naylor, gratefully recieved floral bouquets, whilst our 2009 recipients Dr Andrew Currie and Dr Sarra Jamieson spoke vibrantly about their research projects.

 The recipients of the 2011 BrightSpark Foundation Fellowships are Dr Shelley Gorman (l) and Dr Louise Naylor (r). They are seen here receiving flowers from Professor Lyn Beazley at our Foundation Cocktail Party.

In late 2009 the Board of the Child Health Research Foundation of WA (Inc.) enthusiastically adopted our new name- BrightSpark Foundation Inc. We love BrightSpark as it is full of vitality and life.  A spark has unlimited potential.  With the right encouragement, it can grow from a tiny flicker to a mightly flame.  Who knows what exciting things our innovative BrightSpark scientists might achieve?

It is with great excitement that we announce that the BrightSpark Foundation has been chosen as the charity of choice by the Wild West Comedy Festival organisers. We are extremely grateful for their recognition and support.

Well done to  the BrightSpark netball team who won their division of the Revolution Sports netball league in a nail-biting final on Tuesday night.

Every year, the Western Australian Medical Students' Society (WAMSS) holds a fundraiser called Scrubbers Day where UWA medical students assemble in various wild costumes at 5am to rattle tins for charity. This year they were out in force on the streets of Perth collecting on behalf of BrightSpark.  We are very grateful for their support and for the astounding $6028 they raised.  Thanks to all at WAMS

 One of our great success stories is UFPA.  Speaking to its founder, Ernie Bridge, recently he said that the first cheque they ever received was $12,000 from BrightSpark Foundation back in 2002. This was at a time when no other funding was available.  Ernie passionately believed that diabetes in the Aboriginal community was rife and growing at an alarming rate.

A dedicated director of the Child Health Research Foundation of WA (Inc.) for over 17 years. Diana's strength of character, ethics and devotion to the job in hand made a significant contribution to the work of the Foundation.  She passed away on the 18 April 2010 and will be sorely missed.

Andrew Roche, a motivated Scotch College student, recently completed a long hike along the gorgeous Perth coast in support of child health.