Improving outcomes in childhood cancer
Worldwide, about 300,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in children and adolescents. In Australia, more than 1000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year.
Our research has and continues to advance medicine and transform the outlook for children with cancer. Our mission is to provide a holistic approach to fighting childhood cancer. Through our cancer research network, we are looking to improve outcomes in childhood cancer, as well as in reducing treatment-related toxicity, to support the quality of life for all children diagnosed with cancer.
Your support would enable Dr Marion Mateos and her team to continue making life-changing discoveries and help us find a cure for Children like Natalia who bravely fought brain cancer. Natalia was diagnosed with a Type 3 Medulloblastoma brain tumour in April of 2021. Due to her group 3 diagnosis and discovery of a Gene mutation within her tumour, children in her situation have been given a poor prognosis from the beginning. Natalia endured an aggressive brain tumour resection leaving her unable to move, talk or walk. But she fought her way back to walking and talking to go on to have her treatment protocol of 30 rounds of radiation and gruelling 6-month chemotherapy treatment.
Unfortunately, the aggressive nature of her group 3 medulloblastoma saw the return of her brain tumour again, despite experimental medication that may have helped to keep her tumour suppressed. Natalia sadly passed away after putting up a brave fight with the aggressive brain tumour on 15th July 2022 5 years of age. More needs to be known about group 3 Medulloblastoma, with a current survival rate of 50% and no cure if the tumour is to reoccur.
So many people are unaware that brain tumours kill more of our children in Australia than any other disease. Funding is desperately required to develop new therapies for relapsed/refractory brain cancers in children, from testing new drugs in the lab through to the development of early phase clinical trials. Through your support, we will be able to identify drugs that hold promise for children like Natalia and accelerate these through to early phase clinical trials. In this way, your support will help the Paediatric Oncology Research team to advance their work and establish a dedicated research program, focused on finding better treatments for children diagnosed with high-risk medulloblastoma.
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