Last month’s event saw Euroz Hartleys donate 100% of brokerage generated for one day, with clients deliberately timing their trades to maximise fundraising. Now in its eighth year, Commission for a Cause has raised more than $2 million since launching in 2019.
This year's event also coincides with a major milestone for the Euroz Hartleys Foundation, which is celebrating 20 years of community investment. For PCHF, the impact of Commission for a Cause extends well beyond this year's fundraising total.
Funds raised through the initiative in 2023 helped deliver advanced electromagnetic (EM) navigation technology at Perth Children's Hospital (PCH), providing real-time guidance during complex neurosurgery procedures on infants and young children.
Used in procedures including tumour removal, shunt insertion and epilepsy surgery, the technology improves surgical precision while helping reduce complications and the need for repeat operations. For some of PCH’s smallest and most vulnerable patients, it has proven life changing.
PCH Neurosurgeon Dr Snigdha Saha said the software’s advanced face-mapping technology significantly improved surgical accuracy.
Dr Saha added: “Having access to this technology was critical. The margin for error during cranial neurosurgical procedures is very small. It not only improves accuracy but also helps prevent complications and reduces the likelihood of repeat surgery."
One of the first kids to benefit was Otis, who underwent surgery at just five months old to treat hydrocephalus, a condition caused by a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, which can be life-threatening.
Surgeons used the EM navigation technology to accurately place a shunt – a small tube designed to drain excess fluid from the brain – to relieve the dangerous pressure.
His mother, Jessie, said that following surgery, the change was almost immediate.
"Although his hydrocephalus will need to be managed for life, his recovery was incredible,” Jessie said. “He was back home in less than 24 hours and started to completely turn around."
Now three years old, Otis is walking, running and thriving, with a love of the outdoors and dressing up as Buzz Lightyear.
“Seeing him go through surgery at just five months old was terrifying,” Jessie said. “Looking back, it’s been life changing. I wish we had done it sooner. He would have been sleeping better, feeling better and developing better.”
The technology also helped Jenson (3), who suffered a brain bleed at just 10 months old after a fall. Following emergency surgery, Jenson endured multiple brain operations, including a craniectomy (where part of the skull is removed), and a shunt surgery to manage ongoing complications caused by fluid on his brain.
Despite now undergoing close to ten surgeries, Jenson's recovery has exceeded expectations.
"If you met him, you wouldn't even know what he's gone through," said Jenson’s mum, Ellianne. "He's shown no sign of development delays and has gone from a worst-case scenario to the best outcome.
“I can’t even put how grateful we are into words. To know that surgeons have access to equipment like this, which makes these operations even more accurate, it’s a huge relief and reassurance."
Euroz Hartleys Executive Chairman Andrew McKenzie said the ongoing success of the initiative reflected both the generosity of clients and the Foundation's long-standing commitment to supporting the community.
"Reaching our 20th year as a Foundation is a significant milestone, and the energy around Commission for a Cause has never been stronger. Our clients don't just support this event – they plan for it. That says everything about the community we're fortunate to be part of," he said.
Each year, charities are selected through a comprehensive review process, with funding directed towards projects capable of delivering significant, long-term community impact.
This year's contribution to PCHF will support the Foundation’s Pump Program, helping provide life-changing insulin pumps for kids and teens living with Type 1 diabetes across WA.
PCHF CEO Carrick Robinson said the program exists to ensure every WA child has access to the best possible care, regardless of their family’s financial situation.
"Insulin pump therapy provides best-practice management for children living with Type 1 diabetes, helping reduce uncertainty and stress for kids and their families," he said. "No family should miss out because of cost.
"The impact of Commission for a Cause is measured not only in dollars raised, but in the children whose lives are changed because they have access to world-class care and life-saving technology.”
To fund more life-saving technology like this, visit pchf.org.au/donate
By Hearts and Minds
