We are so excited and extremely lucky and grateful to have our emcee and guest star’s at our dinner and we wanted to share a little bit about them with you before the big night. Of course you’ll learn more about them on the night (be sure to secure your ticket by clicking here)
OUR EMCEE
None other than Patty Welsh!
Since joining Channel 7 News in Brisbane back in 1975, Pat Welsh has become one of Australia’s top sports journalists and commentators. Still with Channel 7 some 30 years later, Pat is currently the Sports Editor.
In between, Pat has travelled widely throughout Europe, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States for the network and covered several tours across a variety of codes.
His extensive experience includes Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, AFL, horse racing and golfing commentaries.
In fact, Pat Welsh has commentated at eight Olympic Games so far, one of the few people to have done so. He was part of the Seven team at the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games, introduced the bobsleigh and luge events at the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano in 1998 and Salt Lake City in 2002 and reported trackside at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In 2004 Pat was again poolside and trackside in Athens and in 2006, reported from the Winter Olympic Games in Turin, followed by the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Pat has also provided 25 years of golf telecasts, both in Australia & internationally, covering the US Open and British Open golf tournaments and the President’s Cup for Seven Sport. A familiar face at golfing tournaments, Pat has earned the nickname ‘Whispering’ Pat Welsh for his hushed, on-course style.
With these remarkable experiences behind him, Pat Welsh has a wealth of stories and insights from around the world to share with audiences.
GUEST RESEARCH SPEAKER
Dr David Pattison is a dual trained nuclear medicine physician and endocrinologist in the Department of Nuclear Medicine & Specialised PET Services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. He studied at the University of Melbourne and completed specialty training at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Austin Health and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He has a keen interest in both the molecular imaging and management of endocrine malignancies, including thyroid cancer and neuroendocrine tumours, and is actively involved in the peptide receptor radionuclide therapy program. Dr Pattison’s research interests are at the intersection of endocrinology and nuclear medicine, where he continues to build his research profile as a lead author on several publications and invited speaker at national and international meetings.
David will show us his research and explain to us in layman terms his successes and why research is theabsolute key to finding a cure for cancer.
SPORT STARS
Bradley ‘Brad’ Thorn is a rugby union coach, and former rugby league and rugby union player. Born in New Zealand, he represented Australia in rugby league, and New Zealand in rugby union over a very long career. He is currently an assistant coach for the Queensland Reds and the head coach of Queensland Country.
A lock, Thorn became one of the most successful rugby union players and was the first player to win a World Cup, a Super Rugby title and the Heineken Cup, despite only moving to the sport in his mid-twenties.
Before moving to union, he played rugby league for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League competition, for a total of ten seasons, and represented Queensland in the State of Origin series. His preferred position in rugby league was in the second-row, though he was equally effective as a prop. In 2000 Thorn was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia’s international standing in rugby league.
Brad has achieved all you could possibly achieve in his chosen sports and we can’t wait to hear his stories.
Melanie Roche is a softball pitcher best known for her angular velocity and her competitive nature with a passion 2nd to none. She has won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics, a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics along with a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Participating in 4 Olympic Games and winning 4 Olympic Medals is an Australian Olympic Record. Roche was a two-time First Team All-American at Oklahoma State University, where she played from 1990-1993. While in college, Roche tallied 774 strikeouts in 658-2/3 innings, a ratio that is tied for 28th all-time. She was inducted into the OSU Hall of Honor on September 2, 2011.
Melanie played many years in the professional Japanese league and currently is employed as a pitching coach by SG Holdings ‘Galaxy Stars’ dividing her time between Japan and Brisbane, where she now resides.