President's Report 2007

14 November 2008

Annual General Meeting

Conversion to Company

Conversion of Arrow from an Incorporated Association to a company limited by guarantee delivers some primary advantages to Arrow:

• The Foundation's name will be protected by way of registration.
• Members and officers of the new company will have limited liability (although officers may face the potential for personal liability for certain breaches of the Corporations Act).

In contrast with the position for companies (which enjoy national registration and uniform regulation), doubt has been expressed about the efficacy of the limitation of liability provisions for directors contained in state legislation governing incorporated associations for activities which those bodies corporate undertake outside the state in which they are established.

The new structure will allow Arrow to expand its operations nationally and support patients and research anywhere in Australia.

Registration of the Foundation is nationally effective and provides publicly accessible information and certainty of status (including an Australian Company Number) to third parties in their dealings with the Foundation.

Arrow

For twenty one years Arrow has funded research into adult stem cell therapy leading to positive results in the treatment of blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma and a number of non-malignant disorders. As part of this AGM we will be seeking to broaden the application of our funding for research by way of a minor amendment to Rule 2 of the Foundation's constitution.

As the reach and application of different streams of research continue to merge, the broadening application of stem cell transplant therapies to treat many diseases has impacted the funding of important research projects and focused the Foundation's attention on how it can best support researchers for the most constructive outcomes.

Also, the establishment of the Research Precinct on the St Vincent's Campus, is influencing how different research groups interact and share information. In this environment, the Board has agreed in the medium term to focus its research support on projects associated with the St Vincent's Campus.

Each year, a staggering 7300 Australians are diagnosed with leukaemias, lymphomas or myeloma and a bone marrow transplant offers the best prospect for recovery in many cases.

Arrow will continue to provide nursing scholarships, patient facilities, education and other support over a board range of hospitals.

Hawkesbury Canoe Classic

The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic (HCC) celebrated its 31st year in 2008, and has continued a long and rewarding association with Arrow.

In the last 13 years, the HCC has raised in excess of $1.9 million.

In October 2007, the HCC surpassed all expectations and donated $200,000 to the Foundation.

On the 1st weekend in November this year, Mark O'Hara, our Vice President, paddled in the Classic. My wife and I were land crew for three paddlers. Brent and Heidi Fisse were Race Officials, and committee members. Arrow members, PhD scholarship recipients and supporters turned up at the start to help with registrations, raffle ticket sales, manning stores, scrutineering, marshalling and generally looking good in very bright pink t-shirts.

The Count Foundation from Armidale, in association with The Armidale School (TAS) and its community, presented a cheque to the HCC in support of Arrow for $20,000. An outstanding effort considering the tough economic times. From a discussion I had with Pip Warrick, the Director of Enrolments at TAS, it has become apparent that the HCC has become a "Rite of Passage" for students at the school and very much a tradition with the headmaster and teachers joining in the paddle each year.

The Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation could not exist without the continued support of the HCC, its executive committee, volunteers and the paddlers and we thank you.

Light the Night

Matthew Rennie lost his 4 year battle with leukaemia on the last Saturday in October 2007, yet Matthew inspired his family and friends to create "Light the Night" - an incredible organisation born out of their love for Matthew. Toni, Col, Sean and Adam Rennie together with their close friends, Monica and Greg Smith, have created an institution that raised over $55,000 last year to support Arrow and has initiated the Light the Night Resources Grant which this year was awarded to St Vincent's Hospital (Sydney) Blood Diseases and Cancer Research unit in support of a stem cell transplant project.

Dave "Coke" Wards Surfing Carnival

I attended part of the Saturday competition of the Dave "Coke" Wards Surfing Carnival on the Central Coast on the 25th October, and while the participants where having fun in the surf and sun; organisers were hard at work raising funds, selling raffle tickets, drinks and gathering donations. These loyal friends of Dave "Coke" Wards, have preserved his memory and raised in excess of $109,000 to support the activities of Arrow.

Annual Charity Ball - An Evening of Elegance

Each year, the Annual Arrow Charity Ball highlights the Foundation's activities and celebrates its achievements. Mark O'Hara, and his ball sub-committee, Karen Nunn, Helen Psarakis, Leonie Pierce (all sisters of Sandra Mason who suffered and succumbed to leukaemia), and Gloria Vincent did an incredible job to bring together An Evening of Elegance.

Simon Westaway, the star of the Australian television series 'Underbelly', donated his services as MC and helped make the evening run smoothly. Rob Ward, Principal at L.J. Hooker Wahroonga, acted as our auctioneer and did a magnificent job, upping the anti on all auction bids.

The Ball delivered over $35,000 profit and while under the 2007 result, is still an outstanding effort considering substantially increased costs and current financial conditions. This would never have happened without the leadership, energy and enthusiasm of Mark O'Hara and we really appreciate his efforts.

Tracy Scone Wig Library

Wigs from the Tracey Scone Wig Library support cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy across 19 hospitals in NSW. Arrow is constantly buying new wigs valued at around $300 a piece and needs your continued support as stocks run low. The rate of return of loaned wigs is poor and this necessitates a constant resupply.

These wigs can change the whole treatment experience for patients helping them feel better about themselves and less self-conscious about the effects of total hair loss. This year we spent $10,000 on wigs and promoting the library to hospitals.

Research & Grants

Researchers at St Vincent's Hospital (Sydney) Blood Diseases and Cancer Research Unit have received $115,000 from Arrow during the financial year. This includes the Arrow-HCC Senior Research Scientist (Mark Lutherborrow) and the Light The Night Resources Grant for resources and consumables.

ABMTRR

The Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry, received a $51,000 grant in 2007/8 to support the collection of data and the printing of the Annual Data Summary. The Registry is unique in Australia as it is the only robust data source for Bone Marrow Transplants in the country and links all Australian States and Territories, and New Zealand. Doctors from all over Australia and New Zealand regularly contact Registry staff for information to help with their patients' treatments. Many special data collections conducted through the Registry have resulted in significant changes to treatments, vastly improving life expectancies and providing cures.

The Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation has been part funding this vital research and information source for over 20 years.

Arrow-HCC PhD Scholarships

The following individuals are recipients of research scholarships and each receives $10,000 per annum for 3 years to support their work.

Megha Rajasekhar has completed undergraduate studies at the University of Sydney and was awarded the Bachelor of Science (Molecular Biology) Honours. Her work on 'MicroRNAs aims to address important questions that are of great importance to our understanding of blood cell development and disease.

Dr Adam Bryant served as Haematology Registrar at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney from 2005 – 2008. Dr Bryant is working on a new tool to help provide a superior means of defining prognosis in AML.

Amanda Smith is a first year PhD Student at the University of Newcastle. She is working on a test to determine the efficiency of a new anticancer treatment associated with AML.

Other Grants & Scholarships

The Foundation provided $5600 in travel and accommodation grants for transplant patients and their carers under severe financial stress.

Nurses' education scholarships totalled $18,566. The recipients of these scholarships apply their new found knowledge to the practical care and support of transplant patients and provide an immediate tangible benefit to those patients.

The transplant ward at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, received part funding for the establishment of a patients' gym. Eight DVD players were installed in the ward and forty DVD's supplied.

Arrow also supports four patient information seminars at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney and provides sixty patient information packs for new patients on the ward. The Blood Diseases and Cancer Research Unit also received a $40,000 grant to support stem cell therapy research for Severe Degenerative Intervertebral Disc Disease.

Retirements

The committee has undergone some changes during the year. Patricia Lloyd who works with the ABMTRR has retired from the Board.

We wish to acknowledge the important volunteer contribution Trish has made to Arrow. Her community spirit, selflessness, passion and commitment are the attributes that make the work that Arrow does possible.

Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan, presented at last year's AGM, has formed the guideline for the Board's considerations of projects and marketing activities.

The prime thrust of the strategy is to develop a capital fund which will eventually fund ongoing research projects independently from our annual fund raising activities. This is a long term plan and we continue to progress towards that goal.

Appointments

All these events have left some gaps in the sub-committees and we are now actively seeking support for members to join the various sub-committees.

We have one new nominee for the Board; Darren Williams, a transplant recipient who recently paddled in the HCC and is keen to support the Foundation.

Arrow's Officers

Robyn Flood, Executive Officer, has been instrumental in the restructure, organisation and development of Arrow. She has been the mainstay of the organisation, attending functions, keeping the Board on its toes and driving events and functions.

Gloria Vincent, who joined the team two years ago, has been a great support for Arrow. Gloria's excellent writing skills have been well demonstrated in the newsletter and on the website.

Supporters/Sponsors

Members and supporters donated $8,000 through a direct mail campaign to support transplant patients having transplants for diseases other than cancer and this is an area of support that slips through the cracks of most fundraising.

Michelle Hilton-Vernon and John Vernon have made a significant contribution to Arrow over the last few years and this year they donated a $6,000 for Arrow to purchase a heatsealer for use in the transplant process at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.

The friends and family of Katherine Robertson raised over $11,000 during the financial year and are regular volunteers at the HCC and other Arrow events.

Vaughan Parkinson supports all our events and is responsible for the preparation of our annual accounts prior to their audit.

Greg Corrigan, CEO of Tankstream Systems, is our web site designer and facilitator. His contributions in a hectic business life are really appreciated and he has enabled Arrow to present a professional image to the world.

Zigi Blau and Mason Yates (son of the late Ian Yates, an Arrow Board member) ran in the City To Surf this August raising $10,000 for Arrow - an outstanding effort form these young people.

Final Thoughts

In the new world of financial turmoil that we now face, there is more pressure on charities to perform and support important projects as budgets are cut and the philanthropic enterprises of corporations are diminished.

The supporters of Arrow work beyond these circumstances and the individuals who are touched by leukaemia and other cancers find Arrow is a vehicle which helps them make a difference. We are, after all, a team of volunteers whose only reward is the satisfaction gained from the knowledge that the work we do makes a difference.

The work and contribution of the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic Association, its huge volunteer team and the hundreds of participating paddlers is a vital part of Arrow's operation and we are always mindful of the importance of this longstanding relationship.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Executive Committee and their Sub-Committees for the incredible work they do. Without them the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation wouldn't exist.

David C Nomchong
President
Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation Inc.