Thanks to a group of generous supporters, all donations up to
$78,000 MATCHED
Thousands of Australians face the race of their life to beat heart disease
Today, your gift can go twice the distance to accelerate lifesaving heart research
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) affects one in 250 Australians like India (pictured). A leading cause of heart failure, DCM can cause significant, potentially deadly heart damage before any symptoms appear. India went from being a star athlete with olympic dreams at 17, to needing a heart transplant to survive by age 22.
Our researchers are working to develop precise genetic testing that can diagnose patients before symptoms appear – ensuring they receive lifesaving treatments before irreversible damage occurs.
For a limited time, thanks to a group of generous supporters, your gift can have DOUBLE the impact in helping our researchers stop this devastating disease in its tracks.
All donations up to $78,000 will be matched, dollar for dollar. There's never been a better time to donate and give research a head start on beating heart disease to save lives.
Gary Sly just donated $524- Vivienne Newman just donated $30
- Karen Colley just donated $27.81
- Anonymous just donated $54.12
- Belinda Downes just donated $17.16
- Graham Burgess just donated $524
- Manoj Dundigalla just donated $130.94
- Peter Cameron just donated $133.99
- Sue Ryerson just donated $263.75
- Trevor Lord just donated $116.40
- ANDY LEE just donated $66
- Anonymous just donated $33.15
- Charles Curran just donated $1,000
- Anonymous just donated $524
- MARK RINALDI just donated $54.12
- Josephine De Luca Cauchi just donated $133.99
- Anonymous just donated $133.99
- John Gurrieri just donated $50
- Lionel Tunnell-Jones just donated $80.25
- NEIL just donated $39.35
How your MATCHED gift today will help support crucial research
Your gift of
$66 = $132
providing double the essential lab materials and chemicals
Your gift of $127 = $254
doubling the number of heart disease patients our researchers can collect DNA samples from
Your gift of
$228 = $456
doubling the cutting-edge equipment to study genetic causes of heart disease
Your gift of
$504 = $1,008
doubling the number of Australians’ entire genetic makeup we can study using whole genome sequencing
The race of India's life was against heart disease
When India was 17 she had the world at her feet, with dreams of one day racing in the Olympics. But just five years later, she was suffering severe heart failure, and a heart transplant was the only hope of saving her life.
You might wonder how could this happen to someone so young, healthy and active? Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was silently destroying India’s heart by causing the main chamber in her heart to enlarge and weaken. By the time she collapsed, the damage was already done.
Stopping DCM in its tracks: The next phase of research is crucial
World-leading scientist Professor Diane Fatkin has dedicated over 20 years to helping families affected by heart disease. Her team is racing to provide answers for every patient affected by DCM.
Professor Fatkin’s goal is to develop precise genetic testing that can diagnose patients before symptoms appear and irreversible damage occurs – ensuring they receive treatments to stop DCM in its tracks. Her team is also investigating how lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption, obesity or exercise play a role in the progression of DCM.
It’s not just our scientists who are trying to beat DCM. A remarkable little helper called a zebrafish is helping to unlock its secrets. These tiny tropical wonders share similar genes with humans, allowing researchers to safely examine genetic and lifestyle factors.
With your support, we can turn research into lifesaving breakthroughs.
The devastating impact of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
DCM weakens the heart’s main chamber and can cause severe heart failure
DCM affects 1 in 250 Australians - that’s over 100,000 people nationwide, and 32 million globally
Every nine minutes, someone is admitted to hospital in Australia with heart failure
Many people with DCM remain undiagnosed until heart damage is irreversible
Together, we can beat heart disease
Thank you to our incredible community
Gary Sly
Vivienne Newman
Karen Colley
Anonymous
Belinda Downes
Graham Burgess
Manoj Dundigalla
Keep up the good work VC team....Thanks
In honour and memory of our son Stephen Gary Sly who died aged 46 while awaiting a double lung heart transplant due to acute cardiomyopathy. May he Rest in Peace.