QLD Businessman Donates Millions to Medical Research
9 August 2013 at 4:58 pm
Toowoomba businessman and philanthropist Clive Berghofer will donate $50.1 million to the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR).
QIMR Director Professor Frank Gannon said the funds provided a platform of security to support current and future research and invest in the latest technologies.
“The funds will be used to enable us to continue our cutting edge research,” he said.
“They will enable us to expand our recruitment program, provide strong support for students, and ensure our staff have state-of-the-art equipment.”
Gannon said he hoped Clive’s actions would inspire other Australians to invest in medical research.
“Simply put, Clive Berghofer is a truly great Australian,” he said.
“He has single-handedly transformed medical research in Australia and we will all benefit from his generosity.
“Clive Berghofer has recognised that QIMR is a world-leader across cancer, infectious diseases and mental health and complex disorders. Our research can only go from strength to strength with financial backing on this scale.
“This is a remarkable vote of confidence in our work, and a mark of the man.”
Gannon said as a sign of gratitude, and in recognition of Berghofer’s long history of support, QIMR would now be known as the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
“We don’t change our name lightly, but cannot possibly continue our world-class research without recognising the important contribution of one man,” he said.
Berghofer has previously donated more than $10 million to QIMR, which named its Cancer Research Centre in his honour in 2001.
Berghofer is a Toowoomba based property developer and philanthropist. Despite leaving school at 13 with few prospects, he went on to be listed as one of the top 200 richest people in Australia.
In 2006 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the community through philanthropic support of medical research, sporting and educational organisations.
One of the QIMR Berghofer’s Medical Research Institute’s three buildings is the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, a state of the art research facility named in his honour in 2001.
Berghofer has also made sizeable contributions to Careflight, Red Cross, St Vincent’s Hospital, Toowoomba Hospice and the University of Southern Queensland.
This donation follows high profile businessman and philanthropist Harold Mitchell AC who put his name, and a major donation of $12.5m over five years to Victoria University, to establish a new national public policy think-tank in May.
