Sydney’s Adrian William has concluded its Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative, raising $31,729 for Chris O’Brien Lifehouse after rolling out 61 pink signboards across Inner Sydney throughout October.
The agency pledged $500 for every new signboard installed over the month, turning one of real estate’s most visible assets into a community-driven fundraising effort.
Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, located just minutes from Adrian William’s Newtown headquarters, supports nearly 60,000 patients each year.
As a not-for-profit hospital, every donated dollar goes directly to patient care, reducing the financial pressure on families navigating treatment.
“I’m deeply grateful for Adrian William’s generosity,” says Gail O’Brien AO, who had substantial involvement in the construction of Chris O‘Brien Lifehouse which Chris had envisioned and for which he achieved government approval and funding before he died.
“I want this hospital to be the very best it can be to serve people the way Chris wanted. Community support makes that possible.”
The initiative turned the agency’s marketing infrastructure into a fundraising platform.
Each pink signboard featured a QR code that linked passersby to the donation page, converting high-traffic property positions into accessible points for community giving.
As Sydney’s fastest-growing agency, Adrian William maintains a significant signboard presence across the Inner City and Inner West.
“We’ve always designed our signboards to be premium and considered,” explains Phoenix Naman, Head of Marketing at Adrian William.
“With the pink boards, we wanted to elevate that same standard while making them impossible to miss.”
The approach paid off. Hundreds of residents scanned QR codes throughout the month, extending the campaign’s reach far beyond the agency’s direct contribution.
The campaign reflected the agency’s philosophy on community presence.
“Adrian William has always believed visibility comes with responsibility,” Phoenix explains.
“We have signboards across inner Sydney. That presence isn’t just about selling properties. It’s about contributing to a community where cancer touches nearly every family.”
Phoenix spent a day with Gail O’Brien interviewing her for the agency’s ‘Focus On’ series. “I’ve done a lot of these interviews, and it’s usually my job to make people comfortable,” he admits.
“But with Gail, she’s the one who settles you. There’s this calm she emanates that just puts you at ease.”
It’s quite remarkable, given what she’s lived through: losing Chris, then their eldest son shortly after, then her daughter’s serious diagnosis.
“She’s turned that grief into purpose,” Phoenix notes.
“She advocates for patients day in, day out, lobbies for policy change across the country, and remains central to the hospital itself.”
Everyone they encountered – young staff, senior doctors – held her in deep respect. “She told me, ‘This is not a job, it’s a life’s mission, and I’ll do this till the day I die,'” Phoenix recalls.
“You don’t forget meeting someone like that.”
The $31,729 result exceeded the team’s expectations and reinforced their belief in leveraging their platform for community impact.
Principal Adrian Tsavalas credits the outcome to collective effort.
“We’re proud to support the Lifehouse and grateful for the trust and cooperation from our community, our clientele and our team. The campaign’s success came from everyone showing up when it mattered.”
The pink signboards may be gone for now, but their visibility – and the $31,729 raised – has the agency reconsidering what’s possible when purpose and property intersect.
Watch this space.
