AMA Queensland Foundation 2024 Charity Gala and Awards

AMA Queensland President, Dr Nick Yim; Chair AMA Queensland Foundation, Dr Dilip Dhupelia, CEO AMA Queensland and Executive Director of the AMA Queensland Foundation, Dr Brett Dale; President of the Indian Medical Association of Queensland, Dr Cyril Fernandez; Co-Chair of the Queensland Government Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council and Chair of the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation, Ms Vanessa Fowler OAM; bursary and scholarship recipients; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I too, begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this evening.

I am delighted to join you at this wonderful event where the focus is squarely on ‘Doctors Doing Good’ and the magnificent work undertaken by AMA Queensland Foundation to improve medical conditions in areas of need.

It is indeed a broad scope – and I commend the AMA Qld Foundation for its work to support Queenslanders to access a range of medical services alongside some of our most basic human necessities such as food, shelter, safety and security.

The list of recipients of Foundation funding and support is extensive and stretches back to when the AMA Qld Foundation was established in 2000.

From supporting Townsville families affected by the floods in Far North Queensland; to helping children in remote Queensland access the Hear and Say Telepractice program; providing a new outreach van for Rosie’s in Cairns and purchasing muscular dystrophy equipment; alongside funding programs tackling mental health, obesity and cancer research – the pride-worthy achievements of the Foundation are many and varied. But, what they have in common, is that they have made a real difference to the community’s health by delivering vital services to Queenslanders in need.

Tonight, we will hear from Vanessa Fowler about the scurge of domestic and family violence – another area requiring ongoing focus to support those Queenslanders in its clutches – and funds raised at tonight’s gala will go directly towards supporting those organisations providing family violence and support services in our State.

It is heartwarming to see the corporate partners, groups and individuals who continue to financially support this valuable Foundation so that it can ‘pay it forward’.

Later in this evening’s program I will also have the very enjoyable task of presenting four deserving recipients with their GPTQ Research and Training Bursaries alongside Medical Student Scholarships to some of our most promising future doctors.

I am sure you will have a wonderful evening with friends and colleagues in celebrating the work of the AMA Queensland Foundation, and I wish you all the best for your future endeavours.