Fighting for world-class cancer research
This Christmas, the Australian Cancer Research Foundation interviewed four generous supporters about their experience with cancer. We’d like to thank them for their openness and honesty at a time that can be so difficult for many Australians. Their words have helped us to remember what we’re fighting for.
Marelle Payne is fighting for her husband, who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer. Douglas Strachan is fighting for those who didn’t give themselves the time they needed to detect and defeat bowel cancer. Tim Jones is fighting for his high school sweetheart Jess, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was only 18. Dee Handyside is fighting for the women in her family, so they might not experience the same battle with breast cancer.
At the ACRF, we’re fighting for effective treatments, better screening methods, and preventative measures. We’re also fighting for quality of life and increased options for cancer patients and their families.
We invite you to read the inspiring stories of these four ACRF supporters – four of thousands of Australians who are fighting cancer alongside ACRF – or please click here to donate to our work, as every dollar of every donation we receive goes to research that has the power to beat cancer.
When Eastern Suburbs model Marelle Payne met Narrabeen surf lifesaver Ian Turner on a cruise in the 1950s, neither knew they would have to wait 30 years before sharing a life together.
It was Christmas and the two were on the same holiday cruise.
Needless to say, sparks flew and throughout the following year, they only had eyes for each other. But when Marelle moved house, she lost Ian’s card and they went their separate ways.
“Years later, Ian told me that he found my new phone number and he called it most Christmases,” Marelle told us. “But when I picked up the phone he was too frightened to speak. He assumed I was married, so lost his nerve and hung up.”
After her father died, Marelle and her mother sold the family home and moved to the Northern Beaches. Realising the number for Marelle wasn’t connecting, Ian went to the library and pored over the electrol roll, finding hope when he identified Marelle – still with her maiden name.
The two finally made contact, and six months later, in April of 1988, they were married.
It was on the last holiday they would spend with each other that Ian experienced his first symptoms. He was very ill, and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“We spent Christmas 2007 in Manly Waters Hospital, he was in good enough spirits, watching the cricket on TV.
“The nurses set up a sofa bed for me and I stayed with him, feeding him and keeping his spirits up.”
Ian passed away in January 2008. Shortly after, Marelle pledged a gift in her Will to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, in the hope that future generations will live through this terrible disease.
Click here to read about ACRF-funded pancreatic cancer research.
It’s not every day you hear that a family history with 
cancer has saved a man’s life.
“Had I been living in anyone else’s shoes, maybe I wouldn’t have checked it out. But my grandmother had bowel cancer at the same age so of course the alarm bells went off.”
Douglas Strachan received his diagnosis just weeks before his 40th birthday party.
“We’d been planning the party for such a long time so we decided not to tell anyone just yet – to let our guests enjoy themselves. It was really difficult to put on a brave face knowing I’d be in surgery in a matter of weeks.”
“At first I just had some polyps removed. But then they found one of them was cancerous and scans showed the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes.
“It was a pretty trying time. As soon as you hear the word ‘cancer’ everybody expects the worst.”
Douglas had an operation that removed about 50 centimetres of his bowel. He went back for numerous colonoscopies and tests to ensure the cancer was gone. Even now, seven years later, Douglas goes to the doctor every two years to make sure he’s still in remission.
Bowel cancer is the second largest cause of cancer death in Australia, but thanks to research, we now know that 90% of these deaths can be prevented through early detection.
Tim Jones asked for Jess’ number at the local school dance when they were just 14. They were high school sweethearts. Then they were best mates.
Jess was beautiful, funny, caring and loved by all. Her battle with cancer began just as she was leaving school.
With so much ahead of her, it took Jess a long time to come to terms with her diagnosis. She complained of terrible headaches and eventually went to the GP. Further tests revealed the devastating news: Jess had a brain tumour. She was given 11 months to live.
“Jess had a great sense of humour and a loving family who were her driving force and inspiration. She was always underestimating the severity of the condition to her closest friends, and overstating the effectiveness of the treatments,” Tim told us.
Despite her initial diagnosis, Jess fought her cancer for three years. She passed away in October 2010 at just 21 years old.
Shortly after Jess passed away Tim started fundraising. In memory of Jess, he wanted to fulfil a promise he’d made to himself – to reach the “roof of Africa”, the summit at Mt Kilimanjaro. The support of his family, community and workplace was overwhelming, and even before he’d left Australia Tim had raised $8,000 for the ACRF.
“To this point in my life, climbing Mt Kilimanjaro was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Being up there, watching the sun rising over the Kenyan Plains, I felt the closest I have felt to Jess since she passed.”
Researchers at the ACRF-funded Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia (CCIA) are currently testing the capabilities of nanotechnology to deliver therapeutic drugs directly to brain cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, which is unable to clearly differentiate between cancerous and healthy tissues, this technique has the potential to minimise toxic side effects as well as any damage to untargeted organs.
XXX Dee Handyside was living her dream life as a Ranger on Fraser Island when she found her family history quickly catching up with her.
“My mum died from breast cancer in 1993 having survived it several times. Then when I was diagnosed in 2007, telling my sister and father was the hardest phone call I’ve ever had to make.”
Dee’s news acted as a warning for the women of her family. Within months Dee’s sister and cousin back in England had both been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I felt a sense of guilt for scaring them, but it was mixed with immense relief that they were diagnosed quickly enough for treatments to be effective.
The real low point for Dee came right at the end of her treatment.
“I had made it through, and I had worked so hard on composing and recording a new album about overcoming cancer when I was diagnosed with a Cholesteatoma growth in my ear which necessitated urgent surgery and hearing loss.
“For me this was the cruellest thing. Everything was put on hold, my album release, my life moving forward. I lost hope and I lost ‘me’ for a long while.
“It was my music and the love of friends and family – who didn’t give up on me when I had given up on myself – that got me through.”
Click here to read about ACRF-funded breast cancer research.
Donate to the ACRF today to fund cancer research this Christmas. We thank you for your support and wish you a happy and safe holiday season.
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