7 days ago
'New highly-targeted drugs': beanies for brain cancer to fund big project
The $3.5 million raised through the NRL Beanies for Brain Cancer Round will be used to develop a "big, bold project".
Former Newcastle Knights star Mark Hughes, a brain cancer survivor, said it was "time to fund big research projects that have the potential to make a real difference".
The Beanie Round has been running for nine years. This year's event in June sold about 130,000 beanies.
Mr Hughes considers every beanie to be a symbol of hope.
He said the money raised would "give patients the chance to get involved in clinical trials".
The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research will partner with industry and researchers in Queensland to develop "new highly-targeted drugs".
The drugs will be "delivered directly to the site of the brain tumour via theranostics".
This treatment, which can be used for a range of cancers, involves a PET scanner looking for specific targets on tumour cells.
If the targets are present, a radioactive form of the drug is given as an injection.
The drug targets the tumour cells while "avoiding healthy areas".
Mark Hughes Foundation centre director Mike Fay said "we know radiation works for brain tumours, we just need to make it work better".
"Patients want us to be brave and develop and trial new treatments," said Professor Fay, a radiation oncologist.
He said the Newcastle-based research centre was "uniquely placed to do novel drug development" and trials in "a small number of patients".
Effective drugs could be scaled up "in partnership with pharmaceutical companies".
Professor Fay sees patients in the clinic every week who "want and deserve better treatments for brain cancer".
If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country.
The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years.
It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10.
In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people.
Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis.
Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013.
He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates.
The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation.
This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania.
Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne.
At the time, Mr Hughes said a "one-team mentality" was crucial in the fight against brain cancer.
His experience in sport inspired his approach to tackling brain cancer.
"Playing team sport - you get injured, you get up, go to the physio and get yourself ready to go again next week," he said last year.
"I think I've got a bit of that mentality in me. When I got injured, I would get it fixed and tackle life from there."
The $3.5 million raised through the NRL Beanies for Brain Cancer Round will be used to develop a "big, bold project".
Former Newcastle Knights star Mark Hughes, a brain cancer survivor, said it was "time to fund big research projects that have the potential to make a real difference".
The Beanie Round has been running for nine years. This year's event in June sold about 130,000 beanies.
Mr Hughes considers every beanie to be a symbol of hope.
He said the money raised would "give patients the chance to get involved in clinical trials".
The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research will partner with industry and researchers in Queensland to develop "new highly-targeted drugs".
The drugs will be "delivered directly to the site of the brain tumour via theranostics".
This treatment, which can be used for a range of cancers, involves a PET scanner looking for specific targets on tumour cells.
If the targets are present, a radioactive form of the drug is given as an injection.
The drug targets the tumour cells while "avoiding healthy areas".
Mark Hughes Foundation centre director Mike Fay said "we know radiation works for brain tumours, we just need to make it work better".
"Patients want us to be brave and develop and trial new treatments," said Professor Fay, a radiation oncologist.
He said the Newcastle-based research centre was "uniquely placed to do novel drug development" and trials in "a small number of patients".
Effective drugs could be scaled up "in partnership with pharmaceutical companies".
Professor Fay sees patients in the clinic every week who "want and deserve better treatments for brain cancer".
If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country.
The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years.
It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10.
In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people.
Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis.
Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013.
He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates.
The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation.
This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania.
Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne.
At the time, Mr Hughes said a "one-team mentality" was crucial in the fight against brain cancer.
His experience in sport inspired his approach to tackling brain cancer.
"Playing team sport - you get injured, you get up, go to the physio and get yourself ready to go again next week," he said last year.
"I think I've got a bit of that mentality in me. When I got injured, I would get it fixed and tackle life from there."
The $3.5 million raised through the NRL Beanies for Brain Cancer Round will be used to develop a "big, bold project".
Former Newcastle Knights star Mark Hughes, a brain cancer survivor, said it was "time to fund big research projects that have the potential to make a real difference".
The Beanie Round has been running for nine years. This year's event in June sold about 130,000 beanies.
Mr Hughes considers every beanie to be a symbol of hope.
He said the money raised would "give patients the chance to get involved in clinical trials".
The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research will partner with industry and researchers in Queensland to develop "new highly-targeted drugs".
The drugs will be "delivered directly to the site of the brain tumour via theranostics".
This treatment, which can be used for a range of cancers, involves a PET scanner looking for specific targets on tumour cells.
If the targets are present, a radioactive form of the drug is given as an injection.
The drug targets the tumour cells while "avoiding healthy areas".
Mark Hughes Foundation centre director Mike Fay said "we know radiation works for brain tumours, we just need to make it work better".
"Patients want us to be brave and develop and trial new treatments," said Professor Fay, a radiation oncologist.
He said the Newcastle-based research centre was "uniquely placed to do novel drug development" and trials in "a small number of patients".
Effective drugs could be scaled up "in partnership with pharmaceutical companies".
Professor Fay sees patients in the clinic every week who "want and deserve better treatments for brain cancer".
If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country.
The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years.
It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10.
In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people.
Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis.
Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013.
He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates.
The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation.
This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania.
Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne.
At the time, Mr Hughes said a "one-team mentality" was crucial in the fight against brain cancer.
His experience in sport inspired his approach to tackling brain cancer.
"Playing team sport - you get injured, you get up, go to the physio and get yourself ready to go again next week," he said last year.
"I think I've got a bit of that mentality in me. When I got injured, I would get it fixed and tackle life from there."
The $3.5 million raised through the NRL Beanies for Brain Cancer Round will be used to develop a "big, bold project".
Former Newcastle Knights star Mark Hughes, a brain cancer survivor, said it was "time to fund big research projects that have the potential to make a real difference".
The Beanie Round has been running for nine years. This year's event in June sold about 130,000 beanies.
Mr Hughes considers every beanie to be a symbol of hope.
He said the money raised would "give patients the chance to get involved in clinical trials".
The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research will partner with industry and researchers in Queensland to develop "new highly-targeted drugs".
The drugs will be "delivered directly to the site of the brain tumour via theranostics".
This treatment, which can be used for a range of cancers, involves a PET scanner looking for specific targets on tumour cells.
If the targets are present, a radioactive form of the drug is given as an injection.
The drug targets the tumour cells while "avoiding healthy areas".
Mark Hughes Foundation centre director Mike Fay said "we know radiation works for brain tumours, we just need to make it work better".
"Patients want us to be brave and develop and trial new treatments," said Professor Fay, a radiation oncologist.
He said the Newcastle-based research centre was "uniquely placed to do novel drug development" and trials in "a small number of patients".
Effective drugs could be scaled up "in partnership with pharmaceutical companies".
Professor Fay sees patients in the clinic every week who "want and deserve better treatments for brain cancer".
If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country.
The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years.
It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10.
In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people.
Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis.
Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013.
He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates.
The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation.
This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania.
Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne.
At the time, Mr Hughes said a "one-team mentality" was crucial in the fight against brain cancer.
His experience in sport inspired his approach to tackling brain cancer.
"Playing team sport - you get injured, you get up, go to the physio and get yourself ready to go again next week," he said last year.
"I think I've got a bit of that mentality in me. When I got injured, I would get it fixed and tackle life from there."
