Uncategorized | Chromosomes and Cancer

http://www.pozible.com/project/20784

Paper Thin.

It’s getting harder to find research funding these days – it’s also a big time sink. I’m exploring different ways to raise awareness of this leukaemia research project and funds to keep it going.

Shouldn’t the government fund research? The Australian government is the largest funder of Australian medical research through the NHMRC. But there’s not enough money to fund all the worthwhile projects. Researchers spent over 500 working years making applications to just one of the NHMRC’s funding schemes last year, at a cost of $66 million (British Medical Journal report). Only one in five of the applications was funded – that’s 400 years spent writing unsuccessful grant applications, 400 years of research that was foregone to write those grants.

This project is rare in that it is addressing a very severe type of leukaemia from a different angle to the projects that are attracting large amounts of grant funding.

Have a look at the About page for more information on the project.

One consequence of funding cutbacks is that once a project is halted, the researchers move on to something else and the momentum is lost – the project is not likely to get up again and the knowledge and expertise are lost. This project is very specialised, and is supported with very little manpower (just me really) in a diagnostic laboratory.

Elizabeth Duong is a young amateur film maker based in Melbourne. With the help of some very talented friends, actors and dancers, she’s making a film to support this research project. There’s an original film score by Daniel Hernandez, to be recorded by Essendon Symphony Orchestra. They are all donating their time. The film will help raise awareness of leukaemia and leukaemia research.

With the help of our very generous donors we have raised the modest funds that we need to make the film. Thank-you to all including Caroline, Sarah, Nicholas, John and our anonymous donors.

I’ll post more information on the film as it progresses but there are good details and some photos of the first filming session through the Pozible link. Also some examples of Elizabeth’s previous work. Have a look.

This is going to be a blog about research and cancer, but I wanted to set the scene with a little insight into my workplace. Cancer can make people think about questions of life and spirituality.

Today I was talking with two people who both lost their spouses to cancer a few years ago. Both had been treated at St Vincent’s Hospital, where I work. These people commented that it’s a special hospital. The staff really care, and there’s a spiritual dimension which really made a difference.

The hospital was founded by the Sisters of Charity to serve the poor of Melbourne. It still looks out for the poor and disadvantaged, including patients of modest means. It makes an effort to reach out to the homeless, the outcasts and the mentally ill. It also provides excellent care, being a teaching hospital and part of the University of Melbourne and the Australian Catholic University, and excelling in many areas of clinical research.

One thing I like about working at St Vincent’s is “Five Minutes on Friday” – a weekly inspirational message from the Director of Mission. I thought I should share part of this week’s timely offering from Lisa McDonald.

“One of the curious quirks of having a job with the word ‘Mission’ in the title is that it is not unusual for people to expect you would have such things as:

1. A reasonable knowledge of Catholic heritage

2. The capacity to quote a scripture or two… or three

3. The phone number of the Sister’s convent on speed dial

and, here’s a curious one… a favourite Church season!

Highly convenient of me to have mentioned it because (aside from Christmas obviously), we’re about to start mine. Pentecost…. “

Which is a weekly reminder that the people we are trying to help, whether they have a faith or not, are more than just flesh and blood.

Cancer research is all about the patients