The Children’s Brain Cancer Research Fundraising Black Tie Gala Dinner took place on Saturday 7 February, in the halls of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, promoted by the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta and organized by Sam Restifa in memory of his wife, the late Dame Teresa Todaro Restifa.
About 300 people took part in the event, bringing together members of the Italian-Australian community, representatives of the associative world and supporters of scientific research around a specific goal: to raise funds to support research on childhood brain cancer, one of the most complex and devastating oncological diseases in children.
During the evening, the values and purposes of the Order, which has always been committed to serving the most vulnerable, were presented, together with the research project that received the funds raised. Thanks to the generosity of the participants, the amount raised is around $85,000, which will be donated to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s program for the early detection, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer. The funds will contribute in particular to the purchase of instrumentation for the management and storage of biological samples, a crucial step to accelerate research and develop increasingly targeted and personalized therapies
A central moment of the evening was dedicated to the memory of Teresa Todaro Restifa, whose commitment to supporting the community and humanitarian causes was remembered with deep participation. A presence that continues to live through initiatives capable of transforming private pain into a collective gesture of responsibility and hope.
“This evening was born from the desire to give concrete meaning to Teresa’s memory,” explained Sam Restifa. “Supporting research means offering hope to children and families who face this disease every day. It is a commitment that I feel deeply, as a husband and as a member of the community.” Restifa then wanted to underline the great commitment of the organizing committee: “I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the committee formed by Angela Panzerino, Filippa Indovino, Jennifer Rose, Natalie Gueris, Norma Jackson-Snow, and Celeste Jackson-Snow, whose work has been fundamental and of inestimable value.”
The gala dinner was accompanied by a fundraiser through raffles and special prizes, as well as entertainment, which contributed significantly to the final result. But beyond the numbers, what emerged strongly was the sense of unity and participation: the awareness that scientific research needs everyone’s support, also through moments of meeting, memory and sharing.
