The Good Friday Appeal supports the research capability and output of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH).  

MCRI is Australia’s leading child health research organisation and ranks among the top three children’s medical research institutes globally. MCRI aims to improve the prediction, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of rare, complex diseases and common conditions affecting children and young people.  

MCRI’s mission is for all children to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Their vital research is making a life-changing difference to children not just in Australia, but around the world. From developing new treatments for inherited and chronic kidney disease to bioengineering prosthetic heart valves, the MCRI is transforming the health and lives of a generation of children and their families. 

More than 1,900 MCRI researchers are working to find answers to rare and common childhood conditions. This research allows cures, new treatments and medications to be developed for the biggest health problems facing children.

“The support we receive through the Good Friday Appeal helps us achieve great things at MCRI. With your help, we can continue to find cures and prevent illnesses and disease in babies, children and adolescents so they can live long, healthy and fulfilling lives”

– MCRI Director, Professor Kathryn North AM

Thanks to the Good Friday Appeal, MCRI can undertake significant research projects and access cutting-edge technology.

For example, the MCRI runs life-changing clinical trials to improve childhood cancer survival rates and reduce the risk of scabies in countries like Fiji and more.

Additionally, the MCRI is developing new treatments for inherited and chronic kidney disease using stem cells and bioengineering prosthetic heart valves.

The MCRI’s commitment to improving the lives of children by shaping government policy, developing clinical guidelines for diagnosing and treating children, and informing best practice is helping children live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Sharing a campus with The Royal Children’s Hospital means patients have ready access to clinical trials and research, helping to quickly translate research into great care. Many MCRI researchers are also clinicians, which allows them to use their research to solve problems they see in their daily work with children and families.