Celebrating Bowen
It was a rare combination of events that bought the Oliver family to SAHMRI.
David and Christina welcomed Bowen into the world in 1993, a brother to Michael and Christopher. By age four, developmental delays prompted a lengthy series of medical investigations. A specialist clinic in their home city Sydney eventually diagnosed MPS VI, a rare, inherited genetic condition for which there were no treatments available.
“When I was told he was missing an enzyme, I just assumed there would be a tablet he could get that would fix it,” said Christina. “I thought there would be an answer and there wasn’t.”
Through a family support group, the Olivers were contacted by a research team in Adelaide led by Professor John Hopwood, who played a major role in establishing the research agenda on which SAHMRI would be founded.
When Bowen was nine he was enrolled in a Phase 2 trial of the novel drug Naglazyme, starting a long and personal involvement between the Oliver family and the Adelaide team.
“It gave us a much deeper appreciation of the research work and dedication involved in the development of therapies, which are so critical to the lives of people like Bowen,” said David.
Bowen received weekly infusions of Naglazyme for the next 11 years. The family frequently travelled to Adelaide and enjoyed visiting the Botanic Gardens, the Adelaide Zoo and Haigh’s Chocolates, where Bowen was spoiled with tastings from the generous staff.
This therapy restored much of Bowen’s health, enabling him to complete high school, obtain his driver’s licence and start a Bachelor of Arts.
He travelled, developed a keen interest in politics and social justice, and gave back to the Westmead Children’s Hospital through peer support.
“Our family’s connection with the Adelaide team continued to deepen over all this time. The success of his treatment was a beacon of light for families like ours, struggling with a diagnosis of a rare disease,” said Christina.
Bowen tragically died from an unexpected seizure at the age of 20.
To celebrate his memory, the annual Bowen Oliver Oration at SAHMRI was established.
“The oration was born out of our understanding of how critical communication of ideas is, both among researchers, and to government and the public,” said David.
After a decade of inspiring presentations by eminent Australians including researchers, journalists, science communicators and business leaders, the family evolved their support into The Bowen Oliver Communicator Award.
“Bowen had a voracious appetite for learning and, most importantly, sharing knowledge. We think it’s fitting that an award named in his honour will help young scientists at SAHMRI with their quest to communicate their work to the world.”
The Award recognises scientists who are developing their skills to communicate their ideas, enabling them to continue their valuable work.
The inaugural 2025 recipient of the award was Dr Ilaria Pagini, a passionate science communicator with an international reputation for her research into chronic myeloid leukaemia.
“We’re happy to do whatever we can do to help,” said David. “Research can be a very thankless area but we’re so grateful for what it did for Bowen. The treatment gave him a good life.”
“There is a huge majority of people who somewhere in their lives have brushed up against the work that SAHMRI does, and it has changed their lives for the better.”
If you'd like to learn more about giving in memory of a loved one please contact Alex Bassett at alexandra.bassett@sahmri.com
Read more stories like this in our 2025 Impact Report
Take me there
SAHMRI is located on Kaurna Country. We pay respects to the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are committed to embracing knowledge and culture as we continue our working journey to incorporate Aboriginal health research across all of our themes and further reconciliation.
Read more"Tirki nguta tappa tangka marninithi"
(Learning and knowledge are the pathway to alter the mind)
- Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O’Brien, Kaurna Elder
