This year marks a remarkable milestone for the Women and Infants Research Foundation (WIRF) – 50 years of advancing the health and wellbeing of women, babies, and families in Western Australia and beyond.
To celebrate this achievement, WIRF has released its 50-Year Impact Report, showcasing five decades of pioneering research, innovation, collaboration, and community support that have transformed care and improved lives.
The report highlights many of WIRF’s most significant achievements, from leading world-first research and programs to prevent preterm birth and developing the artificial placenta project, to advancing antenatal steroid therapy and improving care for babies born too soon.
It also features pioneering work to advance extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) – a form of life support that temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs – with WIRF researchers working to make this lifesaving technology available for babies weighing less than 2kg. The report also highlights advances in risk screening technologies and WIRF’s longstanding contribution to the internationally recognised Raine Study.
As WIRF looks to the future, the report reflects the Foundation’s expanding commitment to addressing critical gaps in women’s health – an area that has historically been under-researched despite its profound impact on the lives of women and their families.
The report also highlights WIRF’s investment in the next generation of researchers. Through scholarships, fellowships, research funding, and mentorship, WIRF is helping to develop future scientific leaders who will continue translating research discoveries into better healthcare outcomes.
Beyond research, WIRF has proudly supported families at King Edward Memorial Hospital for decades through practical initiatives such as its Baby Bundles and Women’s Care Packages programs. These programs have provided comfort, dignity, and essential support to thousands of women and families during some of life’s most challenging moments.
Above all, the 50-Year Impact Report celebrates the people, partnerships, and shared vision that have shaped WIRF’s first 50 years. It is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, generosity, and a commitment to improving the lives of women, babies, and families.
