Annual Report Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24)
A message from our CEO
However, despite this donor growth, FY24 revenue has been impacted by a reduction in bequests from the estates of our most generous supporters, set against a challenging fundraising environment. Whilst donations are growing, the donation value is getting smaller, understandably, as interest rates increase. Despite this financial headwind, we stay committed in our support for groundbreaking cancer research. We made a strategic decision to continue supporting critical research by drawing on our accumulated funds, ensuring that innovative scientific work continues without interruption. FY24 saw us fund $800,000 more research than FY23. This approach reflects our long-term vision and our promise to the researchers and patients who depend on our support.
This year's panel discussions have been pivotal in bringing our community closer to the heart of cancer research. At the Researcher Symposium, researchers shared their groundbreaking work with each other, offering insights into their latest discoveries. These sessions of knowledge-sharing continued through our Lunch & Learn events, where supporters had the unique opportunity to engage directly with researchers. These conversations do more than inform—they build a bridge of understanding, allowing our supporters to see firsthand how their contributions translate into real scientific progress and hope.
We've expanded our research footprint across five states in our FY24 grant round: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. And before the fiscal year closed, our grants program received an astounding 170 applications—a clear signal of the critical need to support groundbreaking research across Australia.
We're equally grateful to our incredible fundraisers who went above and beyond—those who did head shaves, swim for a cure events, bake sales, and trivia nights. Their collective efforts raised an additional $200,000, enough to fund two years of groundbreaking research.
Our BarbeCURE® initiative raised an impressive $178,000 this financial year, directly supporting Dr Ben Wylie’s pioneering research into childhood sarcoma. Dr Wylie and his team have developed an innovative immunotherapy gel made from natural materials that naturally dissolve in the body over time. This groundbreaking gel is designed to activate the immune system when applied to the surgical area, targeting and eliminating any remaining cancer cells. Since 2016, BarbeCURE® has raised an incredible $1.5 million, enabling transformative projects like Dr Wylie’s that advance treatment options and improve outcomes for children with cancer and their families.
As we look towards FY25, we do so with renewed vigour. The growth we've seen—in donors, in research funding, in community engagement—is more than encouraging. It's a clear signal that together, we are building a powerful movement towards understanding and addressing cancer.
Your support doesn't just fund research. It brings hope. It drives understanding. And most importantly, it brings us closer to meaningful advances in cancer research.
Thank you for standing with us, today and always.
Nikki Kinloch
Cure Cancer CEO
What your support means
In FY24, Cure Cancer's Appeals raised an incredible $145,000, thanks to the generosity of our donors and the incredible courage of two remarkable individuals who bravely shared their stories. We are deeply grateful to Clint and Harriet, who stepped forward not just to share their personal cancer journeys, but to shine a light on the critical importance of cancer research. Clint's story of surviving testicular cancer at 29 and now being a father to three daughters, and Harriet's experience navigating melanoma, powerfully demonstrate how research can transform lives.
Our donors' support directly fuels the work of exceptional researchers across various cancer types. Dr Eric Kusnadi's promising new drug for castration-resistant prostate cancer and Professor Nikola Bowden's innovative approach to treating advanced melanoma are just two examples of the groundbreaking research we support. Since its inception, Cure Cancer has funded innovative research projects spanning multiple cancer types, from skin and reproductive ones to other critical areas of cancer research, empowering emerging scientists to tackle some of the most challenging diseases.
Dr Eric Kusnadi
Prostate Cancer Researcher
Cure Cancer grant recipient
Harriet
Melanoma survivor
The numbers tell a compelling story: Australia faces significant cancer challenges, with 2 in 3 Australians diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70, and male reproductive cancers ranking as a leading concern for young men. But with every donation, we're getting closer to understanding, treating, and ultimately preventing these diseases. Clint and Harriet's stories are living proof that research saves lives – turning what could be devastating diagnoses into stories of survival and hope.
By supporting Cure Cancer, our donors are doing more than just giving money. They're giving researchers the tools to dig deeper, understand more, and develop treatments that can change – and save – lives. From early detection to groundbreaking treatments, every dollar brings us one step closer to a future where cancer doesn't have the last word.
The achievements you have made possible in FY24
Note: Following a change in accounting policy in FY24, the total and fundraising revenue reflected here now excludes the majority of donations in-kind of media and advertising space, auction items for events and promotional gifts from many generous supporters mainly relating to fundraising activities.
Total fundraising revenue and donations
Revenue by campaign FY24
A snapshot of some of the projects you have helped fund
The institutes we work with
We partner with the best research institutions in the country to ensure our researchers are given the greatest opportunity for success.
Number of projects funded by state
Cancer types funded since 1967
Grants to public institutions
Note: We’ve updated our tally to focus on the total number of research projects funded, highlighting the direct impact of your generosity. This count excludes grants for equipment, further education, and career development, ensuring a clearer reflection of the groundbreaking research you’ve helped make possible.
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