Whorouly Inner Wheel is inviting community members to join them to celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday, 13 March with a special dinner event at Whorouly restaurant REMEL 185.

Guest speakers will be Dr Tegan White, who was a recipient of Inner Wheel Australia’s Foundation Trust Research Grant 2025 for cord blood research, as well as Whorouly teenager Taleah Elkington who will speak about her lived experience with cancer.

Dr White is an early career postdoctoral researcher within the neurodevelopment and neuroprotection group at The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University.

After completing her PhD in 2024, she has focused her research on understanding how complications during pregnancy affect a baby’s brain development.

Her work centres on fetal growth restriction (FGR), a condition that affects up to one in 10 pregnancies and can have lifelong impacts on children.

Dr White is also leading new research supported by the Inner Wheel grant to investigate prematurity using advanced neuronal cell culture techniques.

Using innovative preclinical models, she is exploring new therapies, including umbilical cord blood stem cells, to protect and repair the developing brain.

Her research is paving the way for new treatments that may one day change clinical care worldwide.

Whorouly Inner Wheel secretary Karen Kneebone said all proceeds from the evening will be donated to Inner Wheel's national project of cord blood research.

Ms Kneebone said 16-year-old Taleah Elkington, who is currently at Marian College and is the eldest daughter of Ben and Kristie Elkington of Whorouly, was diagnosed with cancer in primary school that resulted in her lower leg being amputated.

"Taleah will expand on her cancer journey including her treatment and her goals for the future," she said.

The evening will commence at 6:30pm for a 7pm start, with the $50 cost per person inclusive of antipasto, smorgasboard, dessert and tea and coffee, as well as lucky door price and raffle.

It is BYO drinks.

Bookings can be made to Sue Nicoll on 0428 271 215 with RSVP and payment by 4 March.

Payment to confirm your booking can be made at BankWAW.