Every year for the past 30 years, Ms Susan Alberti AO has hosted the Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation Signature Ball – a glamorous black tie event dedicated to raising crucial funds for diabetes research. In that time, the Signature Ball has raised well over $5 million in support of diabetes research.

Ms Alberti lost her daughter, Danielle, to complications arising from type 1 diabetes and says this has fired her passion for driving medical research.

“All of the philanthropic work I do, all of the awareness-raising around type 1 diabetes – it’s all to make sure that Danielle didn’t die in vain. No family should lose a beloved child to this disease,” Ms Alberti said.

Professor Len Harrison, who leads the institute’s diabetes research program, acknowledged Ms Alberti’s remarkable contribution to medical research.

“When Sue decided to support type 1 diabetes research 30 years ago, she threw herself into the challenge with all her might. She’s a passionate and vocal supporter of medical research and her generosity has helped us take real strides in finding better ways to prevent and treat type 1 diabetes,” said Professor Harrison.

A collaborative affair

The funds raised this year will support diabetes research at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research and Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.