The Fight Cancer Foundation was established in 1989 as the Bone Marrow Donor Institute. A concerned group of parents who had experienced first hand the devastation and helplessness of having a child with leukaemia, vowed to ensure that no other families would suffer the way they had suffered. Their mission was to establish a bone marrow donor registry in Australia, for patients with leukaemia and other blood cancers, who could not find a match within their own family. At the time, the only option was to search overseas registries, which was extremely expensive and there were often lengthy delays.

The Fight Cancer Foundation now provides care, treatment and support for people with leukaemia, other blood-related disorders and cancer, and funds research into better treatment methods, early detection tests and to find a cure for leukaemia and other cancers.

  • 1990 – Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry was established.
  • 1991 – BMDI Leukaemia Family Support Group was established to provide non-medical advice and support for patients, families and carers.
  • 1994 – Funded the building of the Rotary Bone Marrow Research Centre which was, gifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
  • 1994 - Bone Marrow Research Laboratory was established to find a cure for leukaemia and other cancers .
  • 1995 – BMDI Breast Cancer Support Group was formed to provide information and support for women with breast cancer.
  • 1996 – Established the BMDI Cord Blood Bank in partnership with the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Murdoch Research Institute.
  • 2001 – Established the BMDI Bone Marrow Transplant Support Group to provide support for transplant patients and their families.
  • 2003 – BMDI Rotary House, a home away from home, was opened in North Melbourne for patients and their families, whilst in critical care at major treating hospitals in the CBD of Melbourne.
  • 2004 – Fight Cancer Back On Track Program was launched in Melbourne.
  • 2007 – Fight Cancer Back on Track Program was launched in Sydney.
  • 2008 – Fight Cancer Foundation John Opie House – Hobart was opened to provide afforable and comfortable accomodation for patients, their carers and family members accessing Hobart’s hospitals.
  • 2008 – Fight Cancer Foundation committed to supporting research into ovarian cancer, and to find an early detection testfor ovarian cancer.
  • 2009 – Fight Cancer Back To Work Pilot Program was launched in Melbourne.
  • 2010 – Fight Cancer Foundation Albury Accommodation Centre Project receives government support.
  • 2011 – Fight Cancer Foundation Albury Accommodation Centre Project breaks ground.
  • 2012 – Albury Wodonga Carer Accommodation Centre building commences.
  • 2013 – Hilltop – Albury Wodonga Carer Accommodation Centre – opened to provide affordable and comfortable accomodation for patients, their carers and family members accessing the Albury/Wodonga hospitals.