- Dr Charlie Teo has quit the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation after 14 years
- He started the charity in 2003 in hopes of increasing patients survival rate
- But the charity was spending 65 percent of funds on administration work
- Dr Teo has decided to start another charity to focus on his long-term goal
- This charity will only spend between 10 and 15 percent of funds on paperwork
A top Australian neurosurgeon has sensationally quit his own charity after discovering that a large percentage of donations are spent on administrative costs.
After establishing the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation in 2003, Dr Charlie Teo set about improving the long-term prognosis for those diagnosed with a brain tumour.
He hoped to increase the five-year rate of survival from the current 20 percent to 50 percent by 2023.
After establishing the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation in 2003, Dr Charlie Teo (pictured) set about improving the long-term prognosis for those diagnosed with a brain tumour
But eight weeks ago, Dr Teo discovered approximately 65 per cent of the money pledged to the charity was spent on paperwork, and so he gave the other board members an ‘ultimatum’.
‘It was unacceptable and I gave them an ultimatum to improve it,’ Dr Teo told the Daily Telegraph.
‘But it did not improve and I spat the dummy and said I would walk unless they brought them [expenses] down — the board let me go but it was my decision to go.’
‘It was unacceptable and I gave them an ultimatum to improve it,’ Dr Teo told the Daily Telegraph
Instead of giving up on his dreams to improve the survival rate of patients, Dr Teo has decided to set up a rival company that will only spend 10 to 15 percent of funds raised on administrative work.
‘The whole charity field needs to be disrupted and I want to take a lead in that so people donating have an assurance the majority of their money is going to the cause and not to the running of the charity,’ he said.
The new charity, which is aptly named The Charlie Teo Foundation, aims to raise $100 million a year in order to cut overhead costs down.
He has long campaigned for risky surgeries to be up to the family to decide on, rather than the hospital itself (pictured alongside his wife Nicola)
The world renowned doctor has been liked to a ‘miracle worker’ in the past for his ability to treat patients with brain tumours in very compromising places.
He has long campaigned for risky surgeries to be up to the family to decide on, rather than the hospital itself.
Other doctors have said this gives patients ‘false hope’ that they might be cured.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation for comment.