‘Devastating': Trump's Harvard funding freeze hits local research
Donald Trump's gutting of Harvard University's funding is set to have a ripple effect on Australia's research into multiple sclerosis at a critical time for studies into the debilitating disease that impacts tens of thousands of Australians.
The US president last month cancelled federal funding for the university's school of public health as part of his war on the Ivy League institution, halting progress towards medical breakthroughs on a range of diseases.
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Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Family's new devastating blow after three relatives battle cancer
A Sydney family dealt three health blows in recent years is preparing for another cancer fight. Ross Taylor, 35, will start chemotherapy this week after he was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin lymphoma. His diagnosis comes shortly after his cousin overcame the same rare cancer. It also follows the sad death of his father-in-law to brain cancer five years ago, while his mother-in-law is in remission following her battle with stage four follicular lymphoma. 'All I could think (when I was diagnosed) was about the future, my family, my business,' Ross, a dad to twin toddler boys and the owner of a plumbing operation that he launched, told 'You're always trying to climb and climb, but nothing can prepare you for this. 'I'm lucky to have amazing people around me.' One of his rocks, he says, is his wife Kayla, who was front and centre to the cruelty of cancer while a caregiver to her parents just a few years ago. 'She's been all over everything (in terms of planning),' Ross said. 'She looked into medications, booking appointments, on top of being a great mum and doing her work as well. 'I couldn't do it without her.' Ross Taylor, pictured with wife Kayla and their twin sons, will begin treatment on Tuesday. Credit: Taylor family The active dad first noticed something was wrong after a cross-fit competition six months ago. Credit: Ross Taylor Taylor first noticed something was wrong six months ago after pulling up from a cross-fit competition with a sore back. Scans showed a fracture in his lower spine and two bulging disks, but he was expected to have healed in about six weeks with rest. When he was still in pain and essentially 'stuck', he went back to his doctor. 'It got to the point I couldn't walk,' Taylor said. Further scans identified a 10cm-round tumour on top of his heart, with cancer also in his spine, lungs, stomach and hips. Doctors confirmed he had Hodgkin lymphoma, a disease 800 Australians are diagnosed with every year. The average age at diagnosis is 44. Kayla said it was another cruel blow so soon after other members of their family had fallen sick. 'It's really hard — you think, 'he's too young for this',' she said. 'There's a lot of stress involved, especially with the business. 'I just want him to rest up so he can get better.' Ross will begin chemotherapy — a new treatment called BrECADD — on Tuesday. '(BrECADD) has shown some promising results in clinical trials, being better tolerated and more effective than the eBEACOPP regimen in first-line treatment for adult patients with advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma,' the Leukaemia Foundation told 'Results suggest some patients on BrECADD had fewer side effects and better progression-free survival rates.' The foundation said that while most patients with Hodgkin lymphoma can be treated, 'some face poor prognoses and long-term side effects from treatment, including secondary malignancies, cardiovascular disease and infertility'. 'Hodgkin lymphoma patients who often experience poorer outcomes are those who don't respond well to treatment or relapse,' the foundation said. 'Current treatments include ABVD and eBEACOPP, with eBEACOPP being more intensive and effective but having higher toxicity. 'It is not yet clear to us if BrECADD compares favourably with ABVD, which can be the preferred treatment over eBEACOPP for many patients. 'The Leukaemia Foundation welcomes research into safer and more effective treatments for blood cancer, including lymphoma.' Ross Taylor, pictured with his two children, will begin treatment this week. Credit: Ross Taylor Each of Ross' six cycles will cost $15,000, a financial burden he thought he would have to shoulder himself because it is not currently covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) or Medicare. But loved ones and strangers alike have come together to cover almost all of that $90,000 cost via a GoFundMe. 'We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and generosity shown to our family during the hardest time of our lives,' Ross said. 'Your support has not only eased the financial burden to help pay for my treatment, but it has lifted our spirts in ways words can't fully express. Thank you for standing with us, your kind words mean everything.' The active father, who is used to rising early to hit the gym before heading to work, spending time with his kids and then powering through late night emails, said it would be incredibly hard to take a step back. He said he would be off work for at least six months, and feared for the future of his business. 'I want to keep working through but the specialists basically said, 'nope, you will need some time to rest and recover',' he said. The Leukaemia Foundation said it would support BrECADD being listed on the PBS if the 'clinical data is strong enough'.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Seven in 10 Aussies admit to faking sickie in past year
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
One act most Aussies admit to faking
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. About 4 per cent of Australians had a day off last year because it was raining or too hot. NewsWire / Monique Harmer Credit: News Corp Australia The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. About 4.6 per cent of Australian workers took a sick day in the past year to attend an event when they did not book annual leave. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
