The story of the Lyons Family, their philanthropic foundation, and the lives changed through their vision for dermatology at Royal North Shore Hospital.
For Tom and Carolyn Lyons, philanthropy is close to home. It’s hands-on. It’s about standing beside the people who make change happen and ensuring those changes endure.
“As is generally accepted, there is often an emotional catalyst which triggers one to act – and so it was with our family,” says Carolyn Lyons OAM.
Their son, Michael, suffered from severe eczema for most of his life. The disease was more than uncomfortable – it shaped how he could live, work, and socialise. After years of “searching and useless medications,” they finally found help at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) with Associate Professor Stephen Shumack.
“With his commitment and dedication, he was able to place Michael into a clinical trial,” Carolyn recalls. “He is still being medicated after several years, but his condition is now under control.”
That experience changed everything. For the first time, Michael’s eczema didn’t define his day. And for the first time, the Lyons family saw clearly what access to cutting-edge dermatological care could mean not just for their son, but for thousands of people hoping for real relief.
They also saw inequity. “Professor Shumack made us aware of the number of young children who were suffering this terrible disease and of the parents who could not afford a private dermatologist,” says Carolyn.
And so, the Lyons family decided to act.
When Generosity Meets Purpose
In 2017, the Lyons Foundation provided seed funding to establish a full-time Clinical Trials and Research Registrar at RNSH – a role that would go on to drive clinical trials and research in the dermatology department.
“It’s been incredible to witness the progress our giving has made possible. It means our family can share not just the impact, but the story of that progress with others,” says Tom Lyons. “We have made it our goal to know. That’s the way you pass on information and knowledge of progress to others.”
Within three years, the position became self-sustaining through industry-sponsored trials. In their clinical role, the registrar now sees over 1,000 patients a year – more than 10,000 since inception. Multiple doctors have passed through the role, gained specialist training, and returned to serve in public hospitals across Australia.
The Lyons Foundation then provided support to create a Clinical Trials Coordinator role, which also became self-sustaining within three years, increasing clinical trial capacity and delivering improved patient quality of life through early access to new targeted therapeutics.
Thanks to another donor, funding was provided to train a Nurse Practitioner for five years. Erin Mewton, who was appointed to the role, now leads multiple dermatology clinics alongside Haley Young a Dermatology Clinical Nurse Consultant, with both running nurse-led dermatology clinics.
“According to the nurses, administrative staff and doctors, the introduction of these clinical trials and a new nurse practitioner position at RNSH in the Dermatology Department, has made a significant difference to them and to the overall output of the hospital,” says Carolyn.
“As head of the Dermatology Department here at Royal North Shore Hospital, it is especially satisfying and rewarding to witness the tangible impact of donations from generous sponsors, which contribute significantly to the ongoing growth and development of the dermatology service at the hospital. These contributions support the delivery of comprehensive medical and surgical care to our patients, the advancement of research and clinical trials – including access to cutting-edge treatments not yet available to the wider public – the training and mentorship of junior doctors, and the success of a Nurse Practitioner position which aids nurse-led initiatives that enhance and complement the overall care we provide,” says Esther Hong, Head of Dermatology at Royal North Shore Hospital
Bringing Comfort and Confidence Back
Dr Geoffrey Lee, Dermatologist and Clinician Scientist at RNSH, sees the impact every day.
“The most direct improvement is that patients receive early access to more effective and safer therapies, and as a result, their quality of life can drastically improve,” he says. “It can revolutionise their life. They can go from not being able to go outside, being scared of interacting with people, constantly being itchy, bleeding, weeping, waking up with blood on the pillow – to actually having a normal life.”
One story has stayed with him: “My most memorable case was a young girl who started on one of these medications, and about a month later, her dad came in and said, ‘I feel like I’ve got my daughter back. She is really engaging with me again. We have conversations again. For years, she was just silent in her room.’ It can change the whole family dynamic.”
Beyond the City, Into the Future
“Quite simply – if we have the ability to share, we should share,” says Tom Lyons. Over the years, the Lyons family has modelled what meaningful philanthropy can look like, providing visionary funding designed to become self-sustaining, built on trust, accountability and genuine connection.
Dr Geoffrey Lee reflects, “Dermatology often doesn’t receive much public research funding because many conditions don’t carry high mortality rates, yet the quality-of-life impact is enormous. Philanthropic support has enabled major advances over the last decade, after 30 to 50 years of little progress, and it has advanced programs to help not only metropolitan patients but also those in country Australia.”
“It has given us great fulfilment to know that we have been able to make a small difference to those who have not been as fortunate,” says Carolyn. “We truly believe that it is in giving that you receive.”
Their generosity has created sustainable clinical roles, accelerated access to life-changing therapies in dermatology, trained future generations of dermatologists and seeded vital services in regional Australia. Most of all, it has restored comfort, dignity and hope to thousands of patients – just as it once did for their own son, Michael.
To make a donation to the Dermatology Department please CLICK HERE.
