Susan's Story

Susan Alberti was co-founder of the Dansu building and construction group with her late husband Angelo.

Angelo’s tragic and premature death in an accident left Susan with the challenge of managing a major business in building and property development on which many contractors, employees and families relied.

Over a decade or so the business was brought under control and as Susan points out “many friends and business associates contributed untold hours of time and expertise in assisting me in resolving the challenges.”

Susan and Angelo’s daughter Danielle was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at only 12 years of age.

As Susan points out they were ill-prepared for the consequences and to discover that juvenile diabetes represented as it still does- one of the major unknowns of medical science.

Moreover with its incidence increasing as a demanding health issue that places significant pressures on all family members Susan began her personal campaign – now of almost 30 years duration - of working to raise the public knowledge of juvenile diabetes, supporting the research teams working in this area and assisting to raise the funding to support their work.

Danielle tragically passed away in 2001 at only 32 years of age in consequence of her lifelong battle with juvenile diabetes. Susan’s career now measures over two decades of support to the International Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with its headquarters in the USA.

Having attended all the consecutive Annual Conferences of the Foundation for over 25 years Susan was recognised in 2003 with the honour of ‘International Volunteer of the Year’.

Currently Susan is the President of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Australia and numerous complementary roles attaching to that appointment. Susan also is chair of the St Vincent’s Institute Foundation for Medical Research, an appointment current for the last six years, during which time her fellow Foundation members and supporters have raised many millions of dollars for a wide range of medical research projects.

Susan has also been awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia Award (AO) in recognition of her charitable and fund raising initiatives towards juvenile diabetes and medical research.

In 2006 Susan was also granted a Doctorate of Laws (Honoris Causa) by Monash University again in recognition of her community roles towards the search for a cure for juvenile diabetes in particular.