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Charity founder quits after discovering how much donation money is spent on admin

Top Australian neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has quit the brain cancer charity he set up, over the huge amount of money spent on administration.

The 60-year-old professor established the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation in 2003.

Eight weeks ago he began planning to launch a low cost rival when he discovered about 65 per cent of donations went towards administrative costs.

Globally renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo was furious to learn about 65 per cent of donations went towards administrative costs. Picture: AAP
Globally renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo was furious to learn about 65 per cent of donations went towards administrative costs. Picture: AAP

The globally renowned surgeon is pledging to ensure all but 10 to 15 per cent of funds raised at the new charity will go towards research and patient care.

Yesterday, Dr Teo explained he wanted to ensure that most of the donated monies were "spent directly on research and patient care, while taking different strategic directions in the ongoing search for a cure for brain cancer”.

"It was unacceptable and I gave them an ultimatum to improve it,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

The Australian neurosurgeon is setting up a new charity after quitting his recent brain cancer foundation. Picture: 7 News
The Australian neurosurgeon is setting up a new charity after quitting his recent brain cancer foundation. Picture: 7 News

“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.

“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.”

The Cure Brain Cancer Foundation has invested more than $13 million into ­research into the disease over the past five years alone, the charity's chief executive Michelle Stewart said.

Dr Charlie Teo wanted to ensure most of the donated funds were
Dr Charlie Teo wanted to ensure most of the donated funds were

Teo’s new fund, The Charlie Teo Foundation, has applied for charitable status in hopes of launching in March next year.

The low-cost charity aims to raise $100 million a year to boost the fight against brain cancer and slash the percentage of donations spent on overhead costs to just 10-15 per cent.