The Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) and Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO), will each receive $2.5 million to improve access, and raise participation in, local and international trials.
This funding will enable ANZCHOG to open five high quality, international brain cancer clinical trials, with a target of 90 per cent of eligible children with brain cancer enrolling in these trials.
COGNO will begin the start-up of international trials in Australia and increase recruitment by up to 25 per cent in these trials for adults with brain cancer.
The grant was a key measure under the Mission, and an important step in progressing national efforts to combat a cancer that is the sixth leading cause of cancer burden in Australia.
We want to give Australians with brain cancer access to new treatments, whether they are discovered here or abroad, and this funding will be primarily dedicated to that goal.
The Australian Brain Cancer Mission – coordinated by Cancer Australia – aims to double survival rates and improve the quality of life of people living with brain cancer over the next 10 years, with the longer term aim of defeating brain cancer.
The Mission is a true partnership between the Australian Government, philanthropists, researchers and clinicians, patients and their families.
I am also pleased to announce that the Kids' Cancer Project and the Mark Hughes Foundation have boosted our Government's Australian Brain Cancer Mission by a combined $3.15 million.
The Kids' Cancer Project, a national charity supporting childhood cancer research today announced a $2.65 million investment over eight years. Through this investment the Kids' Cancer Project aims to increase the number of patients participating in clinical trials.
The Mark Hughes Foundation increased their original investment of $2.5 million by a further $500,000. This increase was due to the overwhelming success of the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer fundraising efforts.
Today's announcement from The Kids' Cancer Project, and the Mark Hughes Foundation brings the total investment in the Mission to $107.65 million.
This includes $55 million from the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund and significant donations from Cure Brain Cancer Foundation ($20m), the Children's Hospital Foundation Queensland ($10m), Minderoo Foundation's Eliminate Cancer Initiative ($10m), Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer ($5m), and the State of Victoria ($2m).
The Liberal National Government is driving a coordinated effort, bringing together philanthropy, industry, governments and the private sector, to work towards the long-term goal of defeating this terrible disease
