Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre

WA Health Minister Hon Roger Cook MLA officially launched the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre this week - a powerhouse partnership between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital.

Though the respiratory work of research and clinical teams has been taking place across the Institute and hospital for many years, the Centre unites all respiratory-focused projects to drive a new research agenda for childhood lung health.

The Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre is focused on a life-long approach to respiratory health. Identification and intervention in early life will prevent life-long problems and lung damage and this approach underpins all of the research taking place.

The unique name for the Centre was developed in consultation with the Telethon Kids’ Kulunga team and Aboriginal elders, acknowledging the Noongar land on which the Centre and hospital stands. The full name, Wal-yan Warlang-up Respiratory Research Centre, was chosen, to be more commonly referred to as the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre.

Wal-yan Warlang-up means ‘Place of Healthy Lungs’ in Noongar language. ‘Wal-yan’ means lungs and ‘Warlang-up’ means healthy place. We would like to acknowledge Walter Jnr McGuire and Elder May McGuire for the Noongar name of place with English translation.

Visit the new Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre website to learn more about the Centre, its vision and centrepiece projects that are being developed.

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation has committed to collaborating with Telethon Kids Institute in a five-year fundraising strategy for the world-class Centre, and Perth Children’s Hospital is engaged with the Centre from a clinical perspective.