Amy Shark headlines Adelaide fundraiser for SA’s first Youth Cancer Centre

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One of Australia’s biggest music stars is taking centre stage at Adelaide Oval, but this performance is about much more than music.

Amy Shark is headlining a major fundraising event to help bring South Australia’s first dedicated Youth Cancer Centre to life, transforming the way young people receive cancer care.

The multi-ARIA Award-winning singer will headline Sony Foundation’s third annual Adelaide4Ward event on Thursday, October 29, bringing together some of the state’s biggest names in entertainment, business, media and government for an important cause.

Joining Amy Shark on the entertainment line-up is rising Australian singer-songwriter Fletcher Kent, who previously supported Lewis Capaldi on his sold-out 2025 Australian tour.

But behind the star-studded performances is a much bigger mission: creating a dedicated space at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where young South Australians battling cancer can receive treatment, connect with people their own age and feel supported through one of life’s toughest experiences.

The event has already made significant progress towards that goal, with Adelaide4Ward raising an impressive $940,000 across its 2024 and 2025 events, including $100,000 in contributions from the South Australian Government.

The proposed facility will become the sixth in Sony Foundation’s national network of You Can Youth Cancer Centres, and the first of its kind in South Australia.

Unlike traditional hospital environments, the new centre will be designed specifically for adolescents and young adults, combining specialised healthcare with allied health services, survivorship programs and social support.

It will also feature gaming, music and theatre spaces, giving young patients opportunities to relax, express themselves and connect with others who understand what they’re going through.

For 25-year-old South Australian cancer survivor Liana Galic, the project is particularly personal.

Diagnosed at just 22 with a rare Stage 4 head and neck cancer, Liana underwent intensive treatment after months of chronic pain.

Her experience navigating cancer care in predominantly adult clinical environments highlighted the need for spaces designed specifically for young patients.

Now in remission, Liana chairs the South Australian Youth Advisory Group and is helping shape the new centre alongside other young people with lived experience of cancer.

Their involvement ensures the facility will reflect the needs of the people who will ultimately use it.

Sony Foundation CEO Sophie Ryan-McPhee said the new centre would make an enormous difference for young South Australians.

“The Youth Cancer Centre in the Royal Adelaide Hospital will provide a dedicated youth space in the hospital where young people can access specialised support, connect with peers who understand what they’re going through and feel less alone during treatment.”

“For the third year running, Adelaide4Ward is bringing our community together to help make that vision a reality. Every dollar raised will support the development of South Australia’s first dedicated Youth Cancer Centre and help ensure more young South Australians can access the care and support they deserve.”

Today’s event, held in partnership with The Advertiser Foundation Kids’ Appeal, will feature fundraising activities, entertainment and a Community Leaders Fireside Chat.

The discussion will feature Grant Kelley, Melanie Cooper AM and Suzi Evans, moderated by Rebecca Morse, while NOVA Entertainment’s Jodie Oddy and Andrew ‘Hayesy’ Hayes will share hosting duties with Seven’s Rosanna Mangiarelli.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Health Minister Blair Boyer are also expected to attend.

With around 1,200 young Australians diagnosed with cancer each year, and one in three living in regional areas, access to specialised, age-appropriate care remains an important issue.

For South Australian patients and their families, the new centre represents more than a hospital upgrade. It’s an opportunity to make a difficult journey a little less isolating, while keeping young people connected to their lives beyond treatment.