LITTLE Katelyn Lambert can suffer up to 1400 seizures a day and medicinal cannabis could save her life.

Her grandparents, Barry and Joy Lambert, today made the biggest-ever donation to research at the University of Sydney to investigate the future use of medicinal cannabis in treating childhood epilepsy and other serious illnesses.

Mr Lambert said he and his wife made the $33.7 million gift after seeing his granddaughter respond to cannabis treatments for her debilitating condition.

“Our vision is to make Australia a world-leader in researching how to realise the powerful medicinal potential of the cannabis plant,” Mr Lambert said.

media_camera Michael Lambert with his daughter Katelyn, and the illegal medicinal marijuana products he has used to effectively control her seizures. Picture: Troy Snook

“The experience of our granddaughter, who suffers debilitating epilepsy, has opened our eyes to the extraordinary possibility of cannabinoids treating not only her condition but a range of chronic illnesses that often don’t respond to conventional treatments.

“We believe this investment in the future of Australian science and medicine will provide the much-needed evidence to rapidly advance the use of medicinal cannabinoids in the treatment of childhood epilepsy and other serious illnesses.”

University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Dr Michael Spence said the donation would put Australia ahead of all other countries in researching the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant.

“The Lamberts’ unprecedented gift holds the promise of achieving innovative and effective new medicines to alleviate the suffering of countless numbers of people,” Dr Spence said.

media_camera Katelyn Lambert with mum Nui, Cole and father Micheal.

“It enables research across a broad range of applications from addiction, cancer, obesity, childhood epilepsy and chronic pain to dementia and mental health disorders. Their generosity recognises the University’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research that can achieve life-changing outcomes. It is our privilege and responsibility to respond.”

NSW Premier Mike Baird thanked the Lamberts for the donation and said he hoped it would result in cannabis-based medicines being readily available.

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“NSW is breaking new ground in terms of medical cannabis research and this major investment confirms our state's leadership in this area,” Mr Baird said.

“The Lamberts' investment gives our cause enormous momentum and my hope is it dramatically increases the cross-sector knowledge sharing required to ultimately produce cannabinoid-based medicines that are safe, reliable and affordable.”

Last year, Mr Baird announced the government would run clinical trials on the use of medicinal cannabis to treat epilepsy, chemotherapy-related nausea and chronic pain of the terminally ill.

He became an unlikely champion of medical marijuana after meeting cancer sufferer Dan Haslam, who died in February.