Associate Professor Andrew Kornberg recently dropped into Bairnsdale Airport for a two-day rest as part of his around Australia flight fundraising for The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) foundation and the Live Life foundation.
Andrew had just travelled from Merimbula in pretty untidy weather for the US-made single engine Cirrus SR22 aeroplane he is flying.
He said after two days rest, depending on weather, he hopes to pop over to Hobart and back to Moorabbin completing his around Australia fundraising flight which began on July 2.
So far he has raised $2.1 million dollars and has a good feeling about reaching his target of $4 million plus.
This initiative will ensure that children and their families have access to the highest quality care, expertise, and support when they need it most.
This will be Andrew’s second solo flight, following a similar journey in 2017 where he covered 16,000 km in 25 days raising awareness and funds for children’s health.
This time, his journey takes on even greater significance as he aims to transform the lives of children suffering from neuromuscular conditions, including spinal muscular
atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. On this trip around Australia, Andrew will visit patients that have benefited from life-changing treatment at the RCH, some of whom are his former patients.
This will demonstrate the real-life impacts of this innovative technology and reinforce the importance of investing in a healthier tomorrow.
“It’s an incredible privilege to be able to do what I can for my patients. Every day presents a challenge for so many of these children and their families, and this journey is my way of doing everything I can to bring hope and a brighter future,” Andrew said.
Andrew is a paediatric neurologist at RCH. Working at the RCH for more than 35 years, Andrew currently holds the appointment of Senior Neurologist and was previously the Director of Neurology for 15 years before stepping down from that position in 2015. He completed his Paediatric Neurology and Neuromuscular Fellowships in the United States working in St Louis, USA.
The RCH Neuromuscular Clinic sees over 600 children annually, with neuromuscular conditions accounting for one-third of all paediatric neurology referrals. Without treatment, SMA remains the leading genetic cause of death in babies under the age of two. Gene therapy offers hope, providing a revolutionary approach to medicine by replacing defective or missing genes with healthy ones.
Currently, Australia lacks a dedicated facility to administer these advanced therapies. By establishing a dedicated space for advanced therapies, the RCH will pave the way for improved treatment access, transforming outcomes for children in Victoria and beyond.
To bring this vision to life, the RCH Foundation has partnered with the Live Life Foundation, a passionate supporter of neurology initiatives since 2014. Together, they are working to ensure these life-changing resources become a reality, bringing hope to countless families.
Andrew said he has two passions – his family and flying – although he felt his family may be of the view he spends so much time at work they may not be first!
So far Andrew has clocked up more than 52 flying hours. All his costs with his aircraft, accommodation, etc are all met by him, absolutely no fundraising money goes to his endeavours – quite a noble position.
