Childhood Cancer Support Hearts of Gold Gala 2026

Representing the Premier of Queensland, Member for Redcliffe, Ms KerriAnne Dooley MP; Assistant Minister to the Premier for Cabinet and South West Queensland, Member for Toowoomba North, Mr Trevor Watts MP; Member for Mackay, Mr Nigel Dalton MP; Childhood Cancer Support President, Mr Stuart Love, General Manager, Ms Helen Crew and Committee Members past and present; Ambassadors, staff, volunteers, supporters and corporate partners; distinguished guests.

I acknowledge the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbul and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this evening.

Good evening, everyone — thank you for such a warm welcome.

As Patron, I was delighted to be the guest of Childhood Cancer Support at last year’s Hearts of Gold Gala and to hear subsequently that the event raised a total of $610,000.

That is an exceptional achievement, and I take the opportunity at the outset to congratulate Childhood Cancer Support on this result and to thank donors, supporters and sponsors for their kindness, generosity and compassion.

I know many of those who experienced that unforgettable evening last year have joined us again tonight and I thank them for their ongoing support of this extraordinary organisation which has now been providing care and comfort to families confronted by the heartbreak of childhood cancer for half a century.

Fifty years is a milestone to be celebrated, but the 21^st century is proving to be a challenging era for charities. The open cheque book no longer exists; the quest for funds is increasingly competitive; costs have increased; and constant crisis messaging has exacerbated ‘donor fatigue’.

However, it is in this environment that Childhood Cancer Support comes into its own. As a small, tightly managed charity, it’s agile and flexible, and has committee members, staff and volunteers who are not only passionate and committed, but willing to embrace change and find innovative, creative solutions.

They’re more than just a team; they’re a family, and they have set a very high bar for other charities, being selected as a winner in the National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising in 2023 and as a finalist this year.

This event tonight, with its tantalising range of ‘one of a kind’ items for auction, is a superb example of what this team does and I commend the Central Committee of Management and Governance, the sub-committees, the staff, ambassadors, consultants, and volunteers, on all that they do, every year, to make this event such a success.

This Gala is just one of many ways this team raises funds. There are the golf days, the hugely popular Long Lunch, the Family Christmas Party, wonderful third-party fundraisers like Ride for Love and the Postie Bike Safari, the community events all over the State, and my all-time favourite, the swash-buckling ‘Talk Like a Pirate’ Day.

The playfulness of that special day, every September, gives the families of children with cancer a brief respite from the daily burden of care to share joy and laughter.

It’s such a fitting tribute to the resilience of those families and to the compassion and care of the communities that support them.

Tonight’s Gala is just the first of many events planned to mark the 50^th anniversary of Childhood Cancer Support and, as Patron, I wish everyone well for a year in which we all hope to see delivery of the long-planned accommodation facilities on Brisbane’s southside.

I know that five houses have already been purchased, construction of 15 accommodation units has been approved, and the capital campaign is on track to deliver this transformational project.

On behalf of Queenslanders, I thank you all for your support this marvellous charity.

Enjoy your evening!