Close Search
 
MEDIA, JOBS & RESOURCES for the COMMON GOOD

Refugee Biography Delivers Unique Cancer Research Funding Model


28 July 2011 at 11:15 am
Lina Caneva
The success of comedian Anh Do’s biography, The Happiest Refugee, has delivered an unexpected and unique funding model for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

Lina Caneva | 28 July 2011 at 11:15 am


0 Comments


 Print
Refugee Biography Delivers Unique Cancer Research Funding Model
28 July 2011 at 11:15 am

 

The success of comedian Anh Do’s biography, The Happiest Refugee, has delivered an unexpected and unique funding model for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

The Foundation has revealed that Anh Do wrote a letter to the ACRF in July 2010 saying he wanted  to give 1% of the retail sale price of every book sold to them –  just 2 months before the The Happiest Refugee took the Australian book industry by storm.

Anh Do told the Foundation he anticipated that the funds raised for cancer research would be anywhere between $300 and $30,000 depending on how well the book went.

ACRF Chief Executive, David Brettell says that at the time that Mr Do made this generous offer, no one could have anticipated the success of his biography, or its incredible impact on so many Australian lives.

He says in hindsight it was a very humble understatement. With 1% of proceeds from The Happiest Refugee now being donated to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation in 6-month installments; the first installment was received in April, at over $17,800.

On top if the book’s initial success, The Happiest Refugee recently won ‘Book of the Year’, ‘Newcomer of the Year’ and ‘Biography of the Year’ (joint winner with Musician Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy) at the Australian Book Industry Awards in Melbourne.

Brettell says with the book’s success and talk of a film offer by Russell Crowe, ACRF is thrilled to be able to translate Anh’s continuing success into hope for cancer patients of the future.

Brettell says thanks to the unique funding model, every dollar of every donation ACRF receives goes to cutting edge cancer research projects around Australia.


Lina Caneva  |  Editor  |  @ProBonoNews

Lina Caneva has been a journalist for more than 35 years. She was the editor of Pro Bono Australia News from when it was founded in 2000 until 2018.


Get more stories like this

FREE SOCIAL
SECTOR NEWS


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

A new kind of corporate partnership

Ruby Kraner-Tucci

Tuesday, 7th March 2023 at 8:52 am

Impact films take aim at social sector

Ruby Kraner-Tucci

Wednesday, 1st March 2023 at 4:14 pm

Time for fundraising to evolve, says FIA chair

Danielle Kutchel

Wednesday, 1st March 2023 at 10:34 am

The rise and rise of op shops

Danielle Kutchel

Monday, 27th February 2023 at 4:50 pm

pba inverse logo
Subscribe Twitter Facebook
×