Ron Bathis was known by those around him as a private but deeply kind person.
He built lasting friendships across Australia and around the world, and quietly cared about the wellbeing of others — especially children and families facing difficult circumstances.Although Ron was not personally known to Children's Cancer Institute during his lifetime, he made a remarkable and generous decision. When he passed away in 2025, he chose to leave a gift to the Institute in his Will — joining a community of extraordinary people who have decided that their legacy will help give children with cancer a chance at a long and healthy life.
A gift in Will costs nothing during a person's lifetime, yet its impact can be profound and lasting. For Children's Cancer Institute, gifts like Ron's are among the most meaningful support we receive — helping to fund the research that is discovering better treatments and bringing us closer to curing childhood cancer.
Today, cancer still takes more children's lives in Australia than any other disease. Every week, three precious young lives are lost. Children's Cancer Institute is the only independent medical research institute in Australia wholly dedicated to childhood cancer. Our focus on translational research aims to move research discoveries from the lab bench to hospital bedsides as quickly as possible.
We are deeply grateful for Ron's extraordinary gift, which will have a profound and lasting impact on our mission to find safer, more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for every child with cancer.
Ron may have been a quiet man, but his legacy speaks loudly. It is a powerful reminder that one life, lived with kindness and compassion, can help change the future for children with cancer.
