Hunter researchers make major step forward in melanoma treatment

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Researchers at the Hunter Medical Research Institute and University of Newcastle have made a breakthrough in treating late-stage melanoma.

Using a combination of two existing drug treatments, they've managed to significantly improve survival times for patients.

Professor Nikola Bowden says the results are exciting. 

"This clinical trial was people with melanoma who are resistant to all our current treatments," she said.

"What we did was take really old chemotherapy drugs and repurpose them to treat the patients and then to put them back on their previous immunotherapy treatment."

"The combination has worked really well."

The team says it was able to re-sensitise cancer cells to immunotherapy, through the combination of Azacitidine and Carboplatin.

It's been investigating their potential since 2015, with 20 people taking part in the trial between 2017 and 2021.

The patients survived an average of 47 weeks, and four of the patients are still alive today.

A second stage of trials is now underway using updated immunotherapy drugs, and initial results suggest it could be even more promising. 

"This group of patients have no other treatment options and have a very short prognosis usually," Prof Bowden said.

"It's an option for them, when all the other drugs have stopped working, and there's potential that it will work in other cancers as well."

Image credit: Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Hunter Melanoma Foundation Offering Father's Day Gift Packs for Local Dads

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter Melanoma Foundation says those who might have forgotten to grab their dad a gift this Sunday shouldn't worry - the charity is working with local businesses to offer Father's Day gift packs and raise money for melanoma education and prevention.

The gift packs contain a range of treats, including golf umbrellas, canvas hats, and a local bottle of either Moscato, Reserve Chardonnay or Merlot from Gemelli Estate.

Executive officer Claudia Tolhurst says she hopes the Father's Day gift packs would be a similar hit to HMF's successful Mother's Day gift packs earlier this year.

"When COVID hit we had to look at some new ways of fundraising, so we decided to put some Mother's Day packs together and they were quite successful," Ms Tolhurst said.

"We decided we'd put some Father's Day packs together so that we could provide some options for people with free delivery where they could support a local charity and spoil their dad all at once."

Ms Tolhurst says fundraising effort and donations to the HMF were just as important as ever - the deadly disease doesn't stop for a pandemic.

"The money that we raise from the Father's Day packs goes towards our education programs," said Ms Tolhurst. "We go out into the community, into the schools in various community groups and teach people about the importance of the prevention of melanoma and also the importance of early detection."

You can grab a gift pack for your dad with free delivery all Friday at https://shop.hmf.org.au/.

Image credit: https://shop.hmf.org.au/

Mark Hughes Foundation Joins Forces with Hunter Researchers to Trial Brain Cancer Support Forum

BY TAHLIA HALE

Mental health researchers at the Hunter Medical Research Institute and the University of Newcastle have developed a new online forum to help brain cancer patients and their families and friends find support.

With a grant from the Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF), the MHF Breathing Space app offers cancer patients, friends, and family members a safe space to access support from mental health professionals and people with lived experience of brain cancer.

MHF co-founder Mark Hughes says while his family were a big support when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, he still wondered, "Who was there for them?"

"This app will provide access to a vital online community that families and friends who are going through the brain cancer journey also need," Mr Hughes said.

The trial for MHF Breathing Space is looking to recruit 100 people to join and experience the app so it can be refined ahead of its launch to a wider audience.

The app is just one part of a larger research project from a team of mental health professionals which will help develop an online program to offer support and strategies for coping with the broader affects of brain cancer.

MHF co-founder Kirralee Hughes wants the MHF Breathing Space app to provide a safe and supportive online space for the family and friends of people with brain cancer.

"It's a really lonely place when someone's first diagnosed or when they do pass away from brain cancer," Mr Hughes said.

"You sometimes think you're the only person in the world that it going through what you're going through."

Breathing Space has already been trialed over the past month with people of the brain cancer community, some who have lost someone and some who are carers of those recently diagnosed.

"It's a space where carers can go on, like social media, but its a private site - you have to be a carer for or a family friend of someone diagnosed - where you can just talk about anything," Ms Hughes said.

"You can get on [the forum] and share your feelings, ask questions, and, because its other people who have gone through or are going through the same emotions that you're going through, a lot of people are finding that it helps that they're not the only one going through it."

Breathing Space is available to eligible users via the Apple Store and Google Play.

MHF Co-Founder Mark Hughes. 

Local Businesses Team Up With Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation for Pamper Pack Fundraiser

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A number of local businesses have partnered with the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation to raise funds for the charity by selling luxury pamper packs.

While traditional fundraising has put on hold by COVID-19 and social distancing measures, the charity's efforts in raising cash to support local families affected by breast cancer hasn't stopped.

HBCF General Manager Ellie Weeks says the demand for support services has only doubled.

"Breast cancer doesn't stop for a pandemic," said Ms Weeks. "So we've had to try and readjust and innovate our services to offer them safely throughout COVID-19."

All of the foundation's fundraising events were cancelled for the next twelve months, but local businesses came to the rescue - boutique stores including Scrubba Body, Eunoia Soul Rituals, Coco Love Chocolates and Tamburlaine Wine offered up supplies and products to lend a helping hand.

The pamper packs come in a variety of sizes and contain a range of Australian-made, locally-sourced, and eco-friendly gifts, such as chocolate, wine, candles, bath milk and body scrub.

Fortunately for children everywhere, the fundraiser has arrived just in time for Mother's Day.

But Novocastrians shouldn't worry if they don't have anyone specific in mind for a gift - the foundation have also offered the option of sponsoring a package for a local healthcare worker instead.

Ms Weeks says the efforts of the community in supporting the initiative will go a long way to help out both cancer patients and local businesses as well.

"At this time we could all use a bit of extra self-care and pampering, so why not give back to our local community at the same time?"

Gift packs can be purchased on the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation website here.

Image credit: Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation

Firefighter Cancer Compensation to be Simpler: Labor

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

NSW firefighters diagnosed with cancer will no longer need to prove they contracted the disease as a direct result of their work, under a plan by the state opposition.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp and Charlestown MP Jodie Harrison visited Cooks Hill Fire Station to make the announcement today, vowing to slash red tape for firefighters seeking compensation.

The Fire Brigade Employees Union and the Rural Fire Services Association have long been campaigning for presumptive cancer legislation, with numerous studies concluding firefighters are at a greater risk of developing certain types of cancers than those in other professions, due to their frequent exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Labor will introduce a Bill to NSW Parliament, which, if passed, will see cancer diagnoses presumed to be caused by occupational hazards - as long as the sick firefighter has been in the profession for a minimum period.

Those periods differ by variation of the disease, for example, Leukaemia and Brain Cancer 5 years; Testicular Cancer 10 years; Non Hodkin's Lymphoma 15 years and Oesophageal Cancer 25 years.

Sub Branch Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, Jason Morgan believes the legislation will make a real difference for local firies, saying about 1 in 5 Newcastle firefighters have been touched by some form of cancer in their lives.

Tim Crakanthorp said it's about time the scheme was introduced.

"NSW Labor has worked for over a year consulting with stakeholders on this legislation," he explained, "we're the last state to do it after the Federal Government announced legislation to allow it in 2011."

Jodie Harrison agreed the current system must be overhauled.

"Our firefighters put their lives at risk with every fire that they fight...it's important we don't put their lives further at risk by making them jump through hoops for workers compensation."