Passionate aviator, former RAAF and Qantas pilot, Lawrence Penn is one of Australia’s oldest bowel cancer survivors, having turned 95 last December.
When Lawrence learned he had bowel cancer in 1985, he was one of 8,000 Australians diagnosed that year.
This year, an estimated 16,600 Australians will be told they have bowel cancer.
Yet the only way to discover a cure for Australia’s second deadliest cancer is through research.
Founded in 2000, Bowel Cancer Australia has grown significantly in the scope of its activities. It is now the leading community-funded charity dedicated to prevention, early diagnosis, research, quality treatment and the best care for everyone affected by bowel cancer.
But throughout the years one thing has not changed, the charity’s unwavering vision to have an everlasting impact on our health future – one where no Australian dies from bowel cancer.
Which is why we are pleased to announce, the establishment of the Lawrence Penn Chair and the inaugural Professor of Bowel Cancer Research, Professor Mark Molloy PhD.
The Lawrence Penn Chair of Bowel Cancer Research is the culmination of many years of support from dedicated donors, enthusiastic fundraisers and corporate partners.
Thanks to your support, the significant $6.4 million investment will be dedicated to leading-edge bowel cancer discoveries, sustainably funding research well into the future.
Most of the drugs used to treat cancer interact with proteins, so cancer proteomics is an important new frontier in cancer research.
We also now know not all bowel cancers are the same and cutting edge new research could assist in the move away from a one size fits all treatment approach towards more personalised medicine.
Some of the challenging questions Professor Molloy and his team will be looking to answer include –
- Why do only some polyps develop into bowel cancer?
- How do we stop some cancers spreading to other parts of the body?
- What role does gut bacteria play in relation to disease and prevention?
- Can drug treatments be further optimised for individual bowel cancer patients?
While Professor Molloy and his team will be researching the causes, prevention and treatment of bowel cancer to benefit us all in the future, Bowel Cancer Australia will continue to be here today - supporting, informing and caring for people affected by the disease.
Proudly 100% community funded, Bowel Cancer Australia relies solely on donations and bequests.
Help us raise $70,000 by 30 June 2018 - allowing Mark and his to team to analyse the proteomes of
50 cancer tumours, and get a head start at finding a cure for bowel cancer.
