In July 2019, at just two years old, Lucy lost her fight against flu.
The effects of the disease on her tiny body were rapid and unrelenting. Within 48 hours of developing a fever, she was in an induced coma in intensive care.
Three days later, her heartbroken parents were saying their last goodbyes to their youngest daughter. Their close-knit Wheatbelt community of Narembeen was shattered.
2019 was one of the deadliest influenza seasons ever for Western Australia, with over 3000 people hospitalised and 80 people dying from flu and its complications.
While current flu vaccines are our best weapon, they are not good enough. Each year, we all need a new flu vaccine, and even then, it doesn’t provide full protection.
Now, The Kids Research Institute Australia is at the forefront of ground-breaking international research that will transform the way we understand the immune system and unlock the potential to revolutionise vaccines.
As the lead paediatric partner of the global Human Vaccines Project, the Institute is aiming to develop single shot vaccines that will protect against all strains of an infection, for life.
Researchers know that the first time someone gets the flu, it permanently alters their response to all subsequent influenza exposures. With your support, we will conduct a world-first, intensive study of young children unexposed to influenza, who will receive the current flu vaccine. By studying the immune system hour-by-hour, day-by-day, before and after flu vaccination, we will be able to compare the exact characteristics of the immune response.
The vital information we receive from this study will mean that new influenza vaccines being developed will not only work against all strains, but be effective for life, and protect even our very youngest children.
The work we do here can save countless lives around the world. Importantly, it will protect our families, our loved ones – and children like Lucy.
With your generous help, we can finally beat flu.