Southern Cross University has received a generous donation of $10 million from the Blackmore Foundation to further develop research and education in naturopathic medicine.
This is the second major donation to Southern Cross University from the Blackmore Family Foundation, the private charity of Marcus Blackmore and his wife Caroline Furlong. A $10 million donation in 2018 helped establish the university’s National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM).
Since its inception in 2020, NCNM has developed six accredited degrees, mentored 280 undergraduate and graduate students, and supervised 18 advanced research degree students.
NCNM has also developed the largest clinical trials unit in regional Australia and has conducted a number of clinical trials into the use of natural and integrative medicines, including world-first trials into the use of medical cannabis in the treatment of brain tumours and the use of natural therapies in the treatment of dizziness, urinary tract infections and diabetes.
“This is an incredibly generous gift from the Blackmore Family Foundation – not just for its generosity, but also for the transformative vision it aims to achieve. The University very much shares this vision and we are excited about the work that will be done and the enormous societal benefit that will result from the Foundation’s investment,” said Southern Cross University Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Carlin.
The Blackmore Family Foundation donation was made possible by the wish of the late Maurice Blackmore, father of Marcus Blackmore, who founded Blackmore’s, which began as a small pharmacy in Queensland and has grown to become Australia’s leading brand of vitamins and nutritional supplements.
“When my father passed away in 1977 he was saddened that naturopathic medicine was not recognised as a true profession, but public perception is changing and I think that’s the result of good research, good education and support at all levels,” Blackmore said.
“NCNM has done an outstanding job in a short amount of time, and we are pleased to be able to fund this work well into the future.”
Caroline Furlong, co-director of the Blackmore Foundation, said: “We’re really proud of what that first donation has achieved since 2018, and we’re fortunate to be in a position to do so again. We believe this funding will be put to really good use at the centre, where they have taken it to the next level with world-class research and teaching.”
NCNM Foundation Director Professor John Wardle said the donation from the Blackmore Foundation would future-proof the centre’s work.
“It’s clear that integrative medicine can offer significant benefits to the entire healthcare system. Our world-class, innovative research and education programs in this field are constantly breaking new ground, and this generous donation will enable us to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.”
Southern Cross University has been a leader in higher education in integrative and complementary health since the university was founded 30 years ago. Mr Blackmore has a long association with the university, having been awarded an honorary doctorate in 2006 and is a Trustee of the Southern Cross University Foundation.
“My vision for the future is for naturopaths to be the first person people turn to when they’re unwell and for naturopaths to be key first line defenders in primary health care,” Mr Blackmore said.
For more information about the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, visit www.scu.edu.au/ncnm
