Spotlight on Brain Matters
The Australian Federal Government announces new focus on paediatric brain cancer.
We are so excited! Yesterday was one of the biggest milestones in our charity’s history.
Not only did the Turnbull Government officially announce its pledge to co-fund the AIM BRAIN Project, it also pledged to put brain cancer on the map and drastically improve survival rates.
Yesterday our Executive Director Liz Dawes was part of the massive announcement that secured funding for AIM and took part in the Brain Cancer Research Roundtable hosted by Health Minister, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP.
The roundtable brought together the best minds in Australia and the world including Liz and world-leading expert on paediatric brain cancer, and our AIM Brain German partner from DFKZ, Stefan Pfister.
RCD was a leading voice at the milestone event, which helped identify the top priorities for government investment to rapidly improve survival rates of childhood brain cancer.
The Hon. Greg Hunt MP also announced a $13 million Medical Research Future Fund, for competitive research grants to boost clinical trial and registry activity with priority given to under-researched health priorities, such as brain cancer.
Mr. Hunt said clinical trials benefit patients, improve health outcomes and advance medical knowledge.
“Brain cancer research is critical to improving survival rates and outcomes for those kids and adults suffering from brain cancer, their carers, families and communities”.
Liz said she was thrilled to have been part of such a landmark event in the fight against brain cancer and can’t wait to see the future of brain cancer research drastically improve with these resources.
“It really is going to take a group of people coming together to try to fight something that is so cruel to families. We’re off to a good start and I hope it is just the beginning of very good things to come.’
What does it all mean?
• AIM BRAIN is now officially, fully funded! Meaning better diagnosis and tailored treatments.
• $13 million is now available for under-researched health priorities, such as brain cancer to fund critical research and clinical trials.
• The Federal Government will make further investments on a multi-year basis to fund paediatric brain cancer research.
• Brain Matters matter – brain cancer survival rates have remained low and relatively unchanged over the past 20 years, now, with this new funding, research and focus on stopping this awful disease we can change the statistics.
At yesterday’s funding announcement – Helen Zorbas (CEO Cancer Australia), Dr. Jordan Hansford (AIM BRAIN Co-Chair), Dr Nick Gottardo (AIM BRAIN Study Chair), Liz and The Hon. Greg Hunt MP