Support life-saving cancer research

Some generous Peter Mac donors are in a position to purchase a piece of specialised equipment or a key resource in its entirety. A gift of this type will allow us to immediately improve patient care, or advance our cancer research capabilities.

Our Priority Needs are initiatives and equipment that are urgently needed. However, as they are not able to be funded through traditional means, there is a critical need for people like you to invest in the purchase of these important items. Priority Needs recently funded through generous donations include:

• A Kimberly-Clark Pain Management Radiofrequency Generator, which is a vital tool in alleviating the pain that cancer can bring, particularly in patients with advanced cancer. This purchase was funded by the passionate members of the Peter Mac Auxiliary.
• A NeoScope Scanning Electron Microscope, which now allows our researchers to magnify a single cell (which is about 10,000 times smaller than the head of a pin) to the size of a football field. This means cancer discoveries that would go unnoticed under a traditional microscope are immediately clear. We thank the Firefighters Charity Fund and the Miller Foundation for generously enabling this purchase.
• Specialised robotic surgery equipment for patients with cancers at the base of the tongue and tonsillar region, as well as cancers of the voice box, upper gullet, sinuses and nasopharynx. Robotic surgery significantly reduces the side effects of treatment for these cancers, which can be devastating. This purchase was funded by the Harry Secomb Fund.

Urgent Priority Needs

We urgently need your help to meet priority needs in a number of key Peter Mac programs, including:
 

Translational cancer research

Translational research takes new laboratory discoveries and transforms them into real treatments and diagnostic tests for patients. Researchers and clinicians work side-by-side at Peter Mac, sharing their knowledge and expertise to progress better cancer care, life-saving tests and treatments.
 

Minimally invasive therapy

Minimally invasive therapy focuses on reducing the negative impacts of treatment by using less invasive techniques. Keyhole surgery, which uses tiny incisions rather than open surgery, is a common example of minimally invasive therapy.
 

Supportive care

Many people with cancer experience challenging alterations to their quality of life. Common challenges include:

• Supporting patients to manage these changes is critical in helping them to get on with life during and after cancer.
• the physical effects that occur during or after treatment
• changes to mental and emotional well-being
• adjustments in relationships with family or carers
• practical challenges, such as employment, finance and life-planning.
   

Radiation oncology

About half of all patients with cancer undergo radiation therapy. This is the use of high-energy radiation beams to kill cancer cells. To reduce the side-effects of radiation therapy, the treatment needs to be as precise as possible. Improving accurate delivery is a primary goal for radiation oncologists at Peter Mac.
 

Clinical platforms and new technologies

Clinical platforms and new technologies are the foundation for all research at Peter Mac, including laboratory, clinical and translational research.

In Peter Mac’s research laboratories, new technologies allow the brightest minds in cancer research to accelerate the pace of discovery. In treatment, the clinical platforms enable crucial improvements to cancer care.

These cutting edge equipment and resources are critical to every new research discovery.
 

If you would like to discuss our Priority Projects in more detail, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 1800 111 440. Most projects and items require a gift of approximately $30,000 or above.