Stories

Meet Bala Patel

In the lead up to our CMRF major fundraising event Wine & Art, we are excited to introduce you to the generous individuals, businesses and organisations helping us raise funds for vital health research in Canterbury. 

Bala is a New Zealander of Indian origin. She was born in East Africa where she lived in Nairobi and has also lived in India and England. She settled in New Zealand as a medical specialist in 1973 and has been painting since 1978. She retired from medical practice in 1999 to paint full time.

Bala Patel

Her paintings have featured at our fundraising auction for many years to the delight of avid bidders and art collectors.

Bala says: 
“I was introduced to CMRF and their fundraising in about 2006 by long-time volunteer and loyal supporter Julie Hutton. 
It was very encouraging  when Julie kept in touch with me after the very first auction I donated to, and I felt great excitement at the amount of money my paintings raised for medical research. In fact, I felt so strongly about the cause that in 2009 I started a collection of  paintings which will belong to CMRF through my will.
There are 311 paintings in the collection at present and increasing. 
Now I paint for CMRF and knowing I’m creating a legacy through CMRF gives me a reason to get going and paint.” 

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“CMRF supports very important research projects and the funds raised support some brilliant minds who wish to do research and improve our health and wellbeing. I am so very pleased to have this opportunity  to have an input in this and move forward towards better health. “- Bala Patel 

We are very grateful to Bala for her continuing generosity in supporting the work of the Foundation, and look forward to seeing her latest artworks up close and in person in October.

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