ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARY
We proudly present our Annual Report for 2010
It is hard to believe it’s ‘that’ time of year again where, as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, I have the privilege of writing for this Annual Report.
Our aim in 2010 was to create a change in public awareness of kidney disease and of Kidney Health Australia. This was designed to attract increased investment from the Australian community, corporate, philanthropic and government sectors, and to move closer to our vision ‘to save lives and reduce the need for dialysis’.
At Kidney Health Australia, we have a long and proud history of funding cutting-edge research into finding a cure for this most debilitating of diseases and delivering support programs and educational services aligned to our organisation’s mission. With a major focus on early detection and prevention, our strategic direction is well placed to benefit from new Australian Government initiatives in chronic disease prevention and management, which are due for implementation in years to come.
Despite significant inroads having been made in awareness of our organisation and our cause over the past 10 years, kidney disease still continues to fly under the radar of the Australian community and our politicians.
It is astounding that seven people die of breast cancer each day, eight people die of prostate cancer each day yet, tragically, 50 Australians die with kidney related disease each day (Source: Causes of Death, Australia 2008 - 3303.0 **Note 5.1 Selected multiple causes of death (a)-2008 (b) (c) (d) All Causes - pg 44 published 31 March 2010.
That’s three times more than deaths from the other conditions combined. Still, awareness remains low and government investment continues to be noted largely for its absence, other than through provision of dialysis for those in end stage.
Our ongoing challenge is to turn the tide. In the current economic climate, this means reaching out to new target audiences, identifying new revenue streams and retaining existing ones for sustainability, and introducing technological enhancements for greater efficiency, cost reduction and improved customer service. Above all, our responsibility is to ensure the voices of those with kidney disease, their families, carers, clinicians and healthcare providers are heard and can be distinguished from the other worthy voices in the charity marketplace
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer's Report
The 2010 year will go down as one where, despite our best efforts, our financial results were disappointing. This impacted on our ability to fulfill all our program objectives. Despite these results, we maintained our commitment to fund research into finding a cure and delivered highly successful programs supporting children, families, those newly diagnosed with kidney disease and our targeted screening program Kidney Evaluation for You. Our GP education program, Kidney Check Australia Taskforce, also continued to deliver GP education on kidney disease across the country.
Our work on the international scene is vital in setting the scene and context for policy change in Australia. This occurs through our membership of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations and the international Kidney Detection Prevention Network (KDPN), among other professional society affiliations.
Our work would not be possible without our corporate partners, philanthropic trusts, foundations, donors and supporters, and the generosity of the Australian community who support us in so many ways.
I wish to acknowledge the hard work of my small but very skilled national team whose commitment and loyalty to our organisation and the kidney cause is second to none. I thank you all for your support and hard work – each and every one of you is critical to the success of our organisation and delivery of our mission and vision.
We have a wonderful team of Patrons and Ambassadors led by our Patron in Chief Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of Australia. To Ms Bryce, who was such a gracious host at Admiralty House for Kidney Health Week 2010, Patrons Sir Jack and Lady Margaret Brabham, and Mr Normie Rowe, our Global Ambassador - Mr Bob Pritchard, Children’s Ambassador - Ms Lindi Jane, Ambassadors - Mr Mathew Brabham, Mr Robert De Castella, Mr Cody Crocker and Mr Tim Mathieson, and all our wonderful volunteers from all over Australia – thank you for giving your time and resources. We greatly value your support.
Finally, governance of the organisation is overseen by the Board of Kidney Health Australia led by Chairman, Mr Vin Harink. Our thanks are extended to former Chair Ms Angela Reddy who stepped down in 2010, at which time we welcomed Mr David Parker and Prof Allan Collins to the Board – both of whom bring their significant kidney expertise to our work. My sincere thanks are extended to all directors who give their time to Kidney Health Australia and the kidney cause so generously. Their strategic leadership, direction, loyalty and support enable us all to strive to make a difference each and every day on behalf of all kidney stakeholders in Australia.
Click here to view the Kidney Health Australia 2010 Annual Report.
July 1 2011 Update - Donor Fatigue Hits Kidney Body
The impact of the global financial crisis together with that of natural disasters and increasing competition for the charitable dollar has meant that many charitable non-government organisations including Kidney Health Australia have been hit by hard times.
The article ‘Donor fatigue hits kidney body’ highlights some of the difficulties experienced by Kidney Health Australia in recent years by drawing on financial information contained in the organisations’ Statutory Accounts that are audited annually by KPMG with full detail readily available in the public domain via the Kidney Health Australia website.
Kidney Health Australia is a national organisation with core health and medical staff in each state committed to saving lives and reducing the need for dialysis. As the only national peak organisation we represent both clinicians and the needs of people with or at risk of developing kidney disease, their families and carers, Kidney Health Australia receives no government funding.
The work of Kidney Health Australia would not be possible without the generous and loyal support of our donors, benefactors, supporters of events, our commercial and business partners, philanthropic trusts and foundations and profits from our business ventures and marketing activities. The delivery of programs as:
Training for General Practitioners and allied health professionals on early detection, prevention and management of kidney disease in general practice.
- National Kidney Kids Programs such as our Camp and school holiday programs.
- Targeted screening of the community and workplaces to identify those with chronic kidney disease.
- Advocacy for Living Organ Donor expense reimbursement; mobile dialysis units; greater access and equity in the provision of home dialysis; the need for screening for CKD in general practice; changes to health policy from the kidney perspective.
- Funding of kidney research – would not occur without the generosity of the Australian community to whom Kidney Health Australia is indebted.
Governed by one national eight person Board comprised of experienced independent directors, Board members are not paid for their time. Our directors are drawn from a range of business and scientific disciplines aligned to the key pillars of our business structure. The organisation has a lean infrastructure that operates on a national business unit model requiring our senior management, health and medical staff to travel regularly to deliver the services we provide and advocate on behalf of our stakeholder group.
In late 2009 Kidney Health Australia embarked on a national kidney health awareness advertising program designed to raise much needed awareness of the disease and our organisation and attract investment. Through the assistance of our media partners, the campaign which is part of a 5 year strategy required a modest up front outlay that secured valuable TV, radio and media coverage with a commercial value in excess of $1.7 million.
With a proud 43 year history, Kidney Health Australia’s commitment to work on behalf of all kidney stakeholders is unwavering even in challenging financial times. We thank every donor, partner and supporter of our work for your loyalty and ongoing support of our work.
UPDATED 15 NOVEMBER 2011
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