Fiona Stanley receives a public 'thank you'

Professor Fiona Stanley AC has been honoured by her peers for her tireless efforts to make health and medical research a higher national priority.

Prof Stanley, founding director of Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, was awarded the Bupa Australia Leadership and Innovation Award at Research Australia's "Thank You" Day Awards last night. She was nominated for the award by The University of Western Australia.

Rebecca James, CEO of Research Australia, said the award recognised Professor Stanley's role as a champion of research as the foundation for evidence-based government health policy.

"Professor Stanley has clearly demonstrated the link between medical research and improved child health," Ms James said. "She was instrumental in the mandatory fortification of flour to prevent birth defects, and continues to lead Australia in developing strategies to enhance health and wellbeing."

Prof Stanley said the challenges in health were "huge" and that ‘Thank You' Day highlighted the crucial role of researchers in addressing emerging issues.

"It is so important that we, as the current leaders, value and encourage our up-and-coming researchers," Prof Stanley said. "We need to ensure that we can offer them interesting and rewarding career paths if we are to keep them in science, or we risk losing them to more financially attractive industries," she said.

Dr Christine Bennett, Chief Medical Officer for Bupa Australia and paediatrician, said Professor Stanley epitomised the leadership and innovation that Australian researchers were known for around the world, and which the Bupa Australia award sought to recognise.

"Professor Stanley's work has significantly raised awareness amongst researchers, health professionals, community leaders and the wider public of the importance of early childhood development and its relationship to lifetime health and wellbeing," Dr Bennett said.

The ‘Thank You' Day Awards are the culmination of Research Australia's ‘Thank You' Day campaign to raise awareness of health and medical research in the community.

‘Thank You' Day on November 29, 2008 is an opportunity for Australians to send messages of thanks to researchers working in different fields. The messages show the strength of community support for Australian health and medical research, and underline the importance of continued funding for medical research.

Messages are being collected until the end of the year online at www.thankyouday.org and via SMS 0428THANKS.

Research Australia is a unique national not-for-profit alliance of more than 190 member and donor organisations with a common mission to make health and medical research a higher national priority. Bupa Australia is a leading Australian health and care company, caring for more than 3 million customers under the brands HBA, Mutual Community, MBF and Clearview.