The Story of the
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MIRANDA
FOUNDATION
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The Miranda Foundation was set up in 2016 as a registered charity with DGR status (meaning it can issue tax deductible receipts for donation). It is a charity set up specifically to raise funds and awareness for Monash Childrens Hospital.
Vanessa Miranda's children have a long history with Monash Hospital. Her daughter was born prematurely in 2008 and died there. Since then, Vanessa has raised thousands of dollars to improve the care given to bereaved families who lose their babies. Her eldest daughter was diagnosed with Leukaemia in 2014 and since then Vanessa has spent many days and nights in the childrens cancer centre there. The Miranda Foundation held the Biggest Playdate in May 2016, and annually ever since, raising over $90,000.
The major benefit of running this charity is that 100% of all proceeds go directly to the hospital, without admin and overhead costs being deducted. All the time spent and incidental costs of running this charity are covered by volunteers and sponsors.
Our philosophy is that we are all “IN IT TOGETHER”
It takes a community to build a hospital, and this foundation allows our community to directly support our new children's hospital.
Lets make a difference together
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UPCOMING fundraising events
THE BIGGEST PLAYDATE
Sunday 15th of March 2026!
A fun-filled carnival day for families to enjoy! Plenty of fun rides including a bungee trampolines, chair-o-plane, spinning tea-cups ... plus plenty of old school games like choc toss and lucky dip!
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Whether you fancy the classic snag, a hot coffee or sweet treats - we've got food and drinks available the whole day!
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Not only is this day a fun family outing, it is raising awareness for Monash Children's Hospital and the amazing work they do servicing our South-East children. All the money spent on the day will go to an important project benefiting children at Monash Children's Cancer Centre - whether it be funding for research or a Nurse Coordinator for patients!
We were thrilled to welcome the Miranda family to Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Centre recently, where they announced they had raised an incredible $60,000 in 2025 from their annual fundraising event, The Biggest Playdate
Taylah, who was diagnosed with leukemia at 14-years-old, and her mum, Vanessa, have been hosting the fun-filled carnival day for over a decade, raising awareness and important funds for care and research at the cancer centre.
Funds raised are making a real difference to patient care for adolescents and young adults (AYA) facing a cancer diagnosis, most recently helping to fund the role of an AYA Cancer Nurse Consultant.
This newly established position was designed to address the unique social, emotional, mental, physical and practical needs of people aged between 15 and 25 years old, with or after a cancer diagnosis, recognising that their needs differ from those of paediatric and adult patients.
An AYA cancer working group with passionate medical, nursing and allied health clinicians, from the Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Centre as well as the adult Haematology and Oncology teams, has been set up to address the clinical need to develop a specialised and integrative AYA cancer service at Monash Health.
‘At Monash Health we are in an ideal and unique position to provide excellence in AYA cancer care, with both paediatric and adult multidisciplinary cancer expertise under the same roof,’ said Dr Pasquale Fedele, adult haematologist and AYA clinical lead at Monash Health.
‘Having a dedicated AYA Cancer Nurse Consultant has been a huge support for our patients and simply would not have been possible without the dedication of the Miranda Foundation and their amazing fundraising efforts.’
‘Funding this role is a major step to growing our targeted AYA cancer care service, to improve experiences and outcomes for our patients.’
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Miranda family for their incredible support and continued commitment to making a positive impact on the care of young patients and families facing cancer.
2025 SUCCESS!
With Thanks - a note from Vanessa
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Last Sunday in the most terrible rainy day of the month our community came together and raised $60,000 for Monash Children’s Cancer Centre!
We never imagined we could have gathered this much that day but what it has shown us is what an amazing concept, an excellent system of execution, a wonderful mindset of volunteerism and fabulous groups of people within our community coming together to make a difference to our children’s hospital. Including our sponsors, helpers, contributors and every person that came along to The Biggest Play date!
Together we achieved what many thought was impossible and we can’t wait to bring you news of how the oncologists will spend this incredible amount!
Congratulations to everyone!!
Absolutely amazing xx
Thank you.
ANNUAL events
BSB: 013-472
ACC: 4057-43785
$324,525
raised so far!
Foundation Events
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14 October 2017: Sienna's Shopping Tour 2017
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Recognition
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