Ladies Charity Luncheon The annual Ladies Charity Luncheon returned once again to Tattersall’s Club and closed the Art Prize Week celebrations on Friday 4 September. Held in the Grand Ballroom, 160 ladies congregated for a luncheon of fine dining, high end art and the charity auction fundraiser. Supporting Ovarian Cancer Research at The Mater Foundation, the event raised $6,250, which included proceeds from the raffle and a Club donation. Ladies were able to bid on fantastic items including artwork, Chanel and L’Occitane beauty packs, David Jones vouchers, a baroque pearl necklace, Advancements of the Mater Foundation The Mater Foundation continues to advance its medical research of ovarian cancer thanks to continued donations. These significant and exciting advancements include: Early detection and screening test Ovarian cancer has no clear symptoms, screening test or affordable diagnosis options, which transpires to poor survival rates upon diagnoses. However, through the research conducted by the Mater team a gene market has been identified that could lead to an early diagnostic tool or screening test. Development of an antibody drug that attacks cancerous ovarian cells and limits the serious side-effects of traditional treatments 12 Tattler Summer 2015 Associate Professor John Hooper leads this research. His team has shown that a specific protein is produced by cancerous ovarian cells and these could be targeted by the new drug. The new antibody has been very effective at killing ovarian cancer cells in preclinical models. “One of the really interesting things is that while normal ovaries do not produce this protein, the tumours of about 90 per cent of patients do,” Professor Hooper says. “This means we can attack the cancerous cells while having little impact on the normal ovarian cells, and that reduces the side-effects, which is obviously of great interest to patients.” Unfortunately it will be several years before human trials begin, but it is still a monumental milestone in the research of ovarian cancer. The next phase of this study has received funding from the Cancer Council Queensland to continue and includes utilising patient samples in the study. Live better, longer Live better, longer is a cross-campus collaboration called The Mater Ovarian Cancer Research Collaborative and is one of the first of its kind. Started in early 2012, it draws on the expertise of researchers and clinical staff to identify better diagnostics, therapies and eventually vaccines. The team, who is led by Associate Professor John Hooper and Dr Jim Coward, is made up of specialists in anatomical pathology, oncology, palliative care, cancer biology and genomics. Their three-point plan of investing in innovative research, integrating all aspects of research and increasing public awareness will help patients receive more effective treatment, which will in turn enable them to live longer, healthier lives. To continue to assist The Mater Foundation with their ovarian cancer research you can donate to www.materfoundation.org.au/how-you- can-help/donate-now/form.aspx. accommodation and event vouchers, S&P serveware, wines and hampers. A Travel Associates accommodation prize was also awarded to one lucky lady. Special guest speakers included Associate Professor John Hooper from The Mater Foundation and Katherine Brown, an ovarian cancer survivor who celebrated six years’ cancer free this year. Associate Professor John Hooper leads the Cancer Biology Laboratory and his research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanism underlying late stage cancer. John has a particular interest in the aggressive malignancies of the ovary, colon and prostate, with an emphasis on the role of cell surface receptor systems in cancer and whether drugs that block these receptors can be used to treat patients. His work is ongoing and every donation to The Mater Foundation continues to support this incredibly important research. Katherine Brown was diagnosed with a very rare form of ovarian cancer in 2009. In 2015 she is now in remission and celebrating six years’ cancer free. Katherine is a strong advocate for educating women of all ages on the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Tattler Summer 2015
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