PERSONALISED MEDICINE: THE FUTURE OF CHILDHOOD CANCER TREATMENT
We have proudly contributed to the forefront of childhood cancer research and treatment. Personalised medicine is a new way to treat patients, tailored to their individual genetic make-up. We jumped at the opportunity to support this program, starting with a donation of $25 000 to the Children’s Cancer Institute in Sydney.
A one size fits all approach to treating children with cancer doesn’t work, as young people undergoing current treatments are left with a high risk of long-term side effects such as learning disorders, hearing impairment, and future cancers.
The Children’s Cancer Institutes is ideally positioned to accelerate its Personalised Medicine Program, with resources and funds coming in from the academic, health, and federal sectors.
“This is a quantum leap that will substantially enhance the childhood cancer research environment and will ultimately impact the way children are treated for this terrible disease,” said Professor Michelle Haber AM, Executive Director, Children’s Cancer Institute.
“Most people don’t realise that childhood cancer is different from adult cancer – it has different causes, occurs in different tissues and behaves differently, and therefore requires differently tailored treatments.
“Personalised medicine is the key to improving survival rates for children with cancer and giving them the best possible quality of life.”