Pictured holding the cheque from left, Cure Cancer Australia’s CEO, Nikki Kinloch, Cancer Researcher, Dr Vivian Kahl and Can Too Foundation CEO, Peter McLean surrounded by Can Too’s ‘Inner West is Best’ training group.
The Can Too Foundation this morning presented a cheque for $665,310 to Cure Cancer, from their participants’ fundraising efforts in 2018, who ran, swam and trekked to raise funds to beat cancer.
The cheque was presented at the ‘Inner West is Best’ (IWIB) training group’s post run session at King George’s Park, Rozelle. The training group or ‘pod’ have been pounding the pavement together twice a week training for the 2019 SMH Half Marathon to raise funds for Can Too.
The IWIB group alone have raised over $260,000, since Can Too became a Foundation in October 2014, to fund researchers such as Dr Vivian Kahl. They have trained 226 people aged from 19 to 65, for half marathons, relays and 10km runs. Many of the group have lost family members to cancer including an aunt with two small children, a father, a sister and grandfather.
Can Too’s community fundraising has enabled investment in eleven cancer research projects so far this year including Dr Vivian Kahl, a research officer at the Children’s Medical Research Institute. Vivian is currently developing a new technique known as Telomere Fiber-FISH (TFF) to measure telomere lengths and what affects them, particularly in cancer cells.
Dr Kahl aims to validate TFF in a panel of cancer cells to help provide a screening platform for new cancer therapies. Her work has significant promise for prediction, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Originally from Brazil, Vivian appreciates the support of Can Too Foundation and Cure Cancer.
“It strikes me how much Australians care, encourage and are proud of the achievements made in science,” she says.
“Ultimately, countries that support and invest in research are the ones with the best life quality, as this represents health management, assistance and life support.
“As government funds are insufficient to allow medical researchers to keep seeking and finding solutions, donations and fundraisers are therefore vital.”
Can Tooer Tiffany Payton ‘Tip’, (pictured third from the left, next to Cure Cancer Australia’s CEO, Nikki Kinloch) was inspired to do Can Too for the people she’s lost to cancer.
“A lot of people in my family have had or passed away from cancer, even as recently as a couple of months ago, it’s close to home, so if I do it for them,” says Tiffany.
Official projections showed that more than 46,000 people in NSW were told they had cancer last year, which shows more than ever the importance for funding cancer research and prevention.
Can Too CEO Peter McLean says that it’s vital that our future government provides funding to support our best and brightest cancer researchers to better prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
“Cancer researchers are our most valuable assets for the fight against cancer, it’s important our leaders help to attract and retain our best medical researchers by developing sustainable and rewarding career pathways.”
Can Too Foundation has joined their voice with the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) election statement calling on all parties and candidates to show their commitment for Australia’s cancer research.
Can Too fully supports the AAMRI’s election statement including:
- The delivery of a fully-funded Medical Research Future Fund by 2020-21, so we can turn our amazing medical research discoveries into improved health outcomes more quickly and efficiently.
- Provide continued strong support for new discoveries through the National Health and Medical Research Council.
- Attract and retain our best medical researchers by developing sustainable and rewarding career pathways.
