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Established 1959
Nearly 50 years ago, young expecting mother Dorothy Bailey from Gerringong on the South Coast of NSW, contracted Rubella. After an anxious pregnancy Dorothy’s child was born with congenital heart problems and as a result they had to endure constant visits to The Children’s Hospital in Camperdown. Dorothy was treated by the best paediatrician of the time, Sir Lorimer Dods (founder and father of the Children’s Medical Research Institute). At this time Sir Lorimer had just begun a major campaign in towns and communities all over NSW in an effort to set up a paediatric research foundation with the support of community fundraising groups.
Dorothy Bailey was asked to establish a fundraising committee, one of our first fundraising committees ever, and an instrumental step toward creating and sustaining the CMRI.
Now, forty-seven years later, the committee is renowned throughout the region for their catering prowess and the famous ‘Gerringong Quilt Show’, having now provided, in total, over $1 million for the work of the Children’s Medical Research Institute.
Testament to the absolute commitment and enthusiasm of the Gerringong Committee is that in 2005 Dorothy was named Kiama’s Citizen of the year, in recognition of her commitment to volunteer and charity work; while another dedicated committee member Margaret Weir was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2004.
Ita Buttrose and Committee member at the Gerringong Committee Luncheon in May 2005
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