The Andrews Labor Government is giving Victoria’s next generation of world-leading researchers the help they need to continue the fight against cancer.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy announced $1.5 million in grants for five of Victoria’s best and brightest minds to continue working on their ground-breaking discoveries and medical breakthroughs.
The Victorian Cancer Agency’s Cancer Health Services Research grants arm our best medical research experts with the tools and resources they need to develop new ways to treat cancer – and work towards finding a cure.
This year’s recipients are all women, and will be supported to study the prevention of cancer-associated blood clots, reduce medication errors, develop guidelines for treating cancer-related fatigue and reduce complications from childhood cancer treatment.
Ms Hennessy today met Maddison Bullen, a three-year-old cancer patient who can now receive treatment at home for Febrile Neutropenia – an infection common in children with leukaemia – rather than being frequently admitted to hospital, thanks to the work of grant recipient Dr Gabrielle Haeusler.
In addition to the grants, the Labor Government is also sending three leading Victorian cancer researchers to the USA to train with the world’s best at the prestigious National Cancer Institute.
Dr Anna Ugalde, Dr Wee Loon Ong and Dr Catherine Huggins have been awarded $10,000 scholarships from the Victorian Cancer Agency to visit the United States’ principal agency for cancer research and training – and bring their newfound skills and expertise home to Victoria.
More people are surviving cancer than ever before. The five-year survival rate for Victorians diagnosed with cancer has increased from 48 per cent in 1986 to 68 per cent in 2016 thanks to major advances in cancer prevention, treatment and research.
The Labor Government’s Victorian Cancer Action Plan 2016-20 has set an ambitious target of saving 10,000 lives from cancer in the next 10 years.
Since it was established by the former Labor Government in 2006, the Victorian Cancer Agency has invested more than $190 million towards cancer research.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“Victoria is home to some of the world’s brightest medical minds. I’m so proud that we’re giving the next generation the tools and resources they need to continue the fight against cancer and fast-track life-changing treatment and care.”
“Every day our medical research experts are making more discoveries, finding better treatments and new advancements that will help us one day find a cure for cancer.”
“I’m even prouder that all of this year’s grant recipients are women – they are not only saving the lives of many Victorians with cancer, but paving the way for women in science and medicine.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020