Medical Research Giving Day 2026

On Wednesday 9 September 2026, thousands of Australians came together for the very first Medical Research Giving Day, united by one shared belief: Medical research changes lives.

And because of people like you, the day was an incredible success.

We’d also like to acknowledge our incredible matched giving partners, Wen Giving, the Burrows Family Foundation, Fredon Group, and Lions Club of Dardanup Inc., whose generous contributions empowered you to double your impact.

Together, the Lions Eye Institute community achieved:

• $147,163 raised
• 569 generous donations

Thank you for believing in a future where everyone has the opportunity to see the moments that matter.

By supporting the Lions Eye Institute, you’re helping to fund world-leading research that protects sight, restores vision and brings hope to people living with eye disease.

Giving Day highlights

Lighting up the city

On the eve of Giving Day, we lit up the Matagarup Bridge in the Institute’s signature blue and white, and staged a photo shoot with Iris to raise awareness on the ground. From Mandurah to Port Headland, a total of eight bridges were lit up in our colours.

Iris, our mascot, in front of the Matagarup Bridge, illuminated in the Institute’s colours

A flash mob for a cause

Thank you to Ashanti and her team of dancers from the Dance Workshop in Perth, who graciously volunteered their time to rehearse and film this jaw-dropping flash mob performance promoting Medical Research Giving Day at the Lions Eye Institute.

The generosity of Ashanti and her dancers exemplifies the spirit of Giving Day: sharing what you have to help others in need. We’re so grateful for the time, energy, and creativity that went into this performance, and we are proud to share it with you today.

Key themes this Giving Day

This Giving Day, we highlight four areas of Lions Eye Institute research — each working to protect, preserve, or restore sight for Western Australians and beyond.

1. Visual snow syndrome A neurological condition where people see constant flickering or static across their whole field of vision — a little like the “snow” on an untuned TV. It can be relentless and distressing, and it’s still poorly understood. Led by Professor Allison McKendrick. Your gift helps us understand what causes it — and move towards the first real treatments.

2. Usher syndrome A rare, inherited condition that affects both hearing and sight. Children are usually born with hearing loss, then gradually lose their vision from their teens as retinitis pigmentosa sets in (a genetic breakdown of the light-sensing cells in the retina, causing night-blindness, shrinking side vision, and eventually blindness). Led by Associate Professor Fred Chen. Your gift helps develop gene therapies that could slow, stop, or one day reverse this vision loss.

3. Myopia (short-sightedness) When distant objects look blurry while close-up vision stays clear. It’s rising fast, especially in children — and severe short-sightedness raises the lifelong risk of serious, sight-threatening eye disease. Led by Professor David Mackey AO. Your gift helps us find simple, early ways to protect children’s sight for life.

4. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) A leading cause of vision loss in older Australians. It damages the macula — the central part of the retina — making it hard to see faces, read, or make out detail straight ahead. Led by Professor Chandra Balaratnasingam. Your gift helps develop better treatments to preserve central vision and independence.

About the Lions Eye Institute For more than 40 years, the Lions Eye Institute has been at the forefront of global vision research and innovation, transforming the lives of patients through pioneering treatments.

The Institute’s dedicated team of experts provides safe, effective and world-class eye care across Western Australia.

To date, the Lions Eye Institute has delivered more than one million consultations, supporting its mission to achieve better vision for all.

About the Medical Research National Giving Day On Wednesday, 9 September 2026, the Lions Eye Institute will be joining more than 30 medical research institutes across the country for Australia’s first-ever Medical Research Giving Day.

Coordinated by the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI), the day was a national celebration of the “everyday heroes” of medical research — the scientists, clinicians, students, and support teams whose work changes lives.

For one day, more than 30 of Australia’s leading medical research institutes came together, united by one shared goal: accelerating medical research through the generosity of their communities.

For the Lions Eye Institute, it was an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the sight-saving research and patient care that is changing lives every day and to invite our community to be part of it.