A world-first bone marrow research centre will be created in Victoria with help from a $2.1 million state government grant.
The Centre for Research Excellence In Bone Marrow Biology will be established in honour of Maddie Riewoldt, sister of former St Kilda AFL captain Nick Riewoldt.
Ms Riewoldt died of aplastic anaemia, a bone marrow disease, in 2015.
"It's been a period of trying to accept what we lost, but also do something about it," Mr Riewoldt told reporters.
"For the first time today, really, I stand here with my family and the Maddie's Vision (fundraising) team and I see a genuine and legitimate ray of light for bone marrow failure sufferers."
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The state funding will be included in the 2018/19 budget, Premier Daniel Andrews announced at St Kilda Football Club on Thursday.
The government will also provide another $305,000 to the Victorian Cancer Agency for a fellowship to research links between bone marrow failure syndromes and cancer biology.
"This is a huge step to establish something of global significance, benefiting Victorian patients, Australian patients, and indeed patients the world over," Mr Andrews told reporters.
"Work will start very soon."
The research centre will be based at Parkville but its exact location is yet to be decided.
