Grants provide asthma, PMH research boost

The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia have reported the outlay of funding worth more than $6.5 million.

The PMH Foundation grants paid to the hospital of that name totalled about $6.4 million for the 2013-14 financial year, with just less than $2.9 million going towards scholarships and sponsorships.

Meanwhile, the Asthma Foundation has just announced $125,000 worth of grants it has committed to five research projects as part of its funding to improve asthma management.

The five recipients are focused on respiratory research, with four of the five undertaking their studies at the University of Western Australia.

They include studies on electronic cigarettes as a trigger for asthma and the relationship between maternal obesity and asthma.

The fifth research project, being undertaken at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, is investigating the relationship between smoking and asthma.

The $125,000 grant pool takes the Asthma Foundation of WA’s total investment in respiratory research projects to more than $5 million since 1975.

The PMH Foundation said its ability to pay out $6.4 million in grants during the past financial year was a result of more than 80,000 donations received during the year.

Just less than $1.6 million was used to fund medical equipment, $1 million for research grants, $436,000 for capital works, and $224,000 to assist family members of children staying at the hospital.

The total amount paid out in grants represented a 39 per cent increase on the FY2012-13 figure of $4.6 million.

During that year, 39 per cent was allocated to medical equipment, 20 per cent to research, 29 per cent to education and training, and 12 per cent to complementary services.

The foundation relies heavily on fundraising, with 22 per cent of its 2012-13 revenue coming from direct fundraising sources, amounting to $2.2 million.

According to BNIQ data, PMH Foundation’s $10.3 million for the 2013 financial year ranks it as number 18 on the list of WA charitable organisations.