As we continue to celebrate the impact of your generosity through the Foundation’s 40th anniversary year, it has been uplifting to reflect on the many achievements at St Vincent’s Hospitals throughout our history made possible by philanthropy.
In doing so, we always remember that the tradition of philanthropy at St Vincent’s began with community support for the Sisters of Charity, whose vision still inspires us today. Marking this legacy, we commemorated the 40th anniversary of the opening of Ward 17 South – the first HIV/AIDS Ward in Australia, and we were honoured to welcome the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, for the occasion.
At the same time, we have been deeply saddened by the passing of some of the closest members of our St Vincent’s family including Amelia Symond, David Polson AM, Prof Allan Glanville, and Prof Monique Malouf. As we reflect on the tremendous contributions they made to our mission, I extend my deepest condolences to their family, friends, and our colleagues across St Vincent’s.
Looking forward, we are delighted by the momentum being created through the American Australian Association St Vincent’s Clinical Exchange program with the interchange of scholars between leading US institutions and St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.
We are also grateful for the growing support from our donor community for St Vincent’s domestic and family violence programs managed by St Vincent’s Open Support.
As we know, unfortunately this is an area of growing need, as our community grapples with the best ways to address the serious impact on so many women and children, in particular. It is hard to believe five years have passed since the redevelopment of St Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney, made possible with the support of Foundation donors and Friends of St Vincent’s Hospital. In a challenging economic climate for private hospitals, the Foundation remains focused on keeping St Vincent’s at the forefront of care, with a new goal of raising $25 million for priority programs.
As always, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your ongoing engagement and support in addressing the many areas of need across our hospitals.
Shanthini Naidoo
CEO, St Vincent’s Curran Foundation
Read the full 2025 Autumn Highlights Newsletter