BY JARROD MELMETH
Brain cancer research will have a dedicated team at the University of Newcastle following a $7.5 million commitment from the Mark Hughes Foundation.
The announcement was made at the official launch of the 2021 NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round, and aims to dramatically intensify Australia's brain cancer research efforts.
The five-year philanthropic commitment to the University of Newcastle will support a dedicated brain cancer team to drive critical research, education and health care improvements at a national scale for brain cancer patients, their families and careers, and health professionals.
Mark Hughes, a former Newcastle Knights NRL player, said the establishment of the team will build on the work of others, including MHF partners at the Hunter Research medical Institute and the Brain Cancer Group, to take the research to the next level.
"This is a commitment to building a bigger team to bring help and hope to people with brain cancer and their families.
"By partnering with the University of Newcastle we are expanding the support team around every brain cancer patient, not just here, but everywhere around the world.
"We are not starting from scratch either. There’s no time. This is about taking brain cancer research to the next level and quickly," Mr Hughes said.
Each year around 1,600 Australians are diagnosed with brain cancer and around 1,200 die. Formed in 2014 by Mark and Kirralee Hughes, after Mark was diagnosed with a high-grade brain cancer, MHF has played a significant part in addressing chronic underfunding of brain cancer.
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Alex Zelinsky says the University is honoured to be given the opportunity to advance brain cancer research and education in the name of the Mark Hughes Foundation and is committed to the urgent pursuit of a cure.
“Working with the Mark Hughes Foundation is a reminder of how deeply personal and urgent this fight is.
“By establishing the Foundation, Mark has drawn attention to how prevalent brain cancer is in our region alone. We’re deeply committed to improving health outcomes in our region but we know that our discoveries and efforts don’t stop with us. What we achieve will have national and global impact," Mr Zelinsky said.
The University of Newcastle brain cancer team will cover the breadth of prevention, early detection, recovery and rehabilitation, and treatments and models of care for all stages of brain cancer.
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| Pictured: Mark Hughes. Source: Supplies by UON. |
