Join the celebrations at the annual Otago Medical Research Foundation fundraising Gala. (Photo courtesy of Chris Sullivan/Seen in Dunedin)

There are lives to save. Treatments to improve. Suffering to reduce. Every medical breakthrough in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment starts with an idea. But even the most promising ideas need funding to become discoveries that can improve lives.

Since 1967, the Otago Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) has provided more than $12.5 million in research grants and student scholarships. Its funding helps Otago researchers get innovative, early-stage projects off the ground, generating findings that can lead to larger investigations, attract further investment, and ultimately improve health outcomes around the world.

With no Government funding, the OMRF relies entirely on community and corporate support through donations, grants, gifts in wills, and fundraising events.

As the Foundation prepares to celebrate 60 years of supporting medical research in Otago in 2027, it is inviting the community to join the celebrations at its annual fundraising Gala.

The event will be held at Dunedin Town Hall on Friday, March 12, 2027, with TVNZ 1News co-anchor Wendy Petrie as MC and celebrated New Zealand Paralympian Adam Hall MNZM as headline speaker.

Tables of 10 are available for $2,500 including GST, for bookings paid by 30 November, increasing to $2,650 including GST from December. Individual seats are also available, with guests attending separately grouped together.

OMRF Engagement Manager, Tracey Fleet, noted that over half the tables have already been sold, with strong interest following the announcement of the speakers.

The evening will feature a three-course meal, drinks, live music, and live and silent auctions offering prizes including experiences, artwork, memorabilia, and plenty more. All donations on the night will also go into a prize draw.

“Our supporters are life changers,” Mrs Fleet said. “The evening is already shaping up to be a special one. With a great line-up of entertainment, excellent food and wine, and the opportunity to support medical research, it promises to be a fantastic night out with colleagues, clients, friends and whānau.”

Paralympic skier Adam Hall will explore his remarkable sporting journey. (Photo: Supplied)

A highlight of the Gala evening will be a Q&A between MC Wendy Petrie and Adam Hall, exploring his remarkable sporting journey and the determination, resilience, and achievement behind his achievements.

Raised in Outram on the Taieri Plains, Mr Hall has represented New Zealand at a record six Winter Paralympic Games, winning six medals. His achievements include gold in the men's standing slalom at Vancouver in 2010 and Pyeongchang in 2018, followed by silver at Milano Cortina in 2026. He is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and a former Halberg Para Athlete of the Year. Ms Petrie is a familiar face on New Zealand television and radio, as well as a children's advocate, charity trustee and accomplished marathon runner and ocean swimmer.

While the Gala is a celebration, its purpose is firmly focused on the future of medical research in Otago.

Wendy Petrie will be the MC for the evening. (Photo: Supplied)

“We fund highly novel and scientifically worthy projects that are often too early-stage to attract larger funding bodies,” Mrs Fleet said.

“We also fund summer research scholarships for University of Otago students, which can be a deciding factor in their choice to pursue a research career.”

Many OMRF-funded researchers have gone on to become leaders in their fields, with their early discoveries opening doors to further research and major funding.

“Securing funding for medical research is extremely challenging, so community support is needed more than ever. Our funding helps researchers to pursue new ideas that have the potential to improve quality of life through earlier diagnosis and better treatments.”

The OMRF funds research across a broad range of health areas, from cancer and heart disease to diabetes, dementia and Parkinson’s disease – the list goes on. Its work supports discoveries that have the potential to benefit people in Otago, throughout Aotearoa and around the world.

The OMRF is also seeking Gala sponsors at all levels, with Major and Gold Sponsorship packages including complimentary tables. Sponsors will be acknowledged before, during and after the event.

“Everyone benefits from medical research. We all have a connection to it, whether through our own experiences or those of family, friends and colleagues,” Mrs Fleet said. “Join us as we celebrate 60 years of supporting vital medical research in Otago.”

To register for the Gala, contact Tracey Fleet on 021 030 4900 or manager@omrf.org.nz. For more information, visit https://omrf.org.nz/events/