Tour de Cure

April 2011 Raising money to help fight cancer

 ON THE ROAD TO FIGHT CANCER





 

Malcolm Heath, Director of Communique Australasia joined the fourth annual Tour De Cure cycle to raise money to fight cancer. Departing from Sydney on Friday 7 May, Malcolm and 72 other riders, with a support crew of 15 people, cycled the next ten days meeting communities, cancer survivors and sufferers, via the New England region and the far North Coast of NSW and South East Queensland to Mooloolaba, covering 1,400km and over 12,500m in elevation.  Tour de Cure supports men, women and children with cancer. Specific projects receiving funding this year are: 'Helping shoppers to make healthier food choices' project An estimated one-third of cancers are related to an unhealthy lifestyle – smoking, being overweight, being physically inactive, having a poor diet and drinking alcohol. This means about 35,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia each year could be prevented by simple lifestyle changes.  Food labelling has the potential to be a vehicle to assist shoppers to make healthier food choices, and as a means of encouraging the food industry to innovate and develop healthier food products.  Currently food labelling can be very confusing when trying to shop for healthy family foods. Cancer Council NSW has conducted research which showed that consumers using the traffic light system on the front of food labels were five times more likely to correctly identify the healthier food products compared to the percentage daily intake scheme, which the food industry favours.  In addition, people from the lowest socio-economic group were six times less likely to identify healthier food products using the percentage daily intake system than people from higher socio-economic groups.  With funding support from Tour De Cure, Cancer Council will conduct further consumer research to better understand how food labelling and in particular traffic light labels, can assist shoppers to make more healthy food choices.  We are particularly interested in how consumers can better understand which foods are high in energy, and should only be eaten occasionally. Research grant into new treatments for Gastrointestinal cancer Tracy Putoczki A one year research grant for Tracy Putoczki.  Tracy’s research will explore the potential of inhibiting a cytokine, Interleukin-11, for intervention in inflammation-associated gastrointestinal cancer.  The desired result? New treatments – an ability to take what she does on the bench and move it to the clinic.   Brain Cancer Cure for Life was established in 2003 by world renowned neurosurgeon, Dr Chares Teo, to help fund advancements in the treatment of brain cancer, with a view to one day finding a cure.  Not many people know that brain tumours are the most common life threatening tumours in children.  Tour de Cure's 2010 funds will support Dr Charles Teo's latest brain cancer clinical trials. Wave Bioreactor Medical Equipment Supporting cell and gene therapy research that will one day lead to finding cures for genetically-inherited diseases, emphasizing cancer.  Cell and gene therapy is a frontier field of medical research in cancer. The TDC funding will go towards the SYSTEM200 Wave Bioreactor medical equipment for clinical anti-cancer cell therapies. This essential set of equipment is required to perform cutting-edge clinical trials in cancer, including prostate and multiple myeloma.   Towards more effective radiotherapy treatment of breast cancer: a Monte Carlo study We will use an advanced computational method, known as Monte Carlo modelling, to simulate the interactions of radiation with breast tissue. This will provide us with accurate calculations of the radiation dose delivered during a typical external beam radiation therapy treatment for breast cancer. We will compare these high-precision dose calculations against doses computed by the clinical treatment planning system in order to identify sources of inaccuracies in the planning system. The overall aim is to reduce uncertainties in dose delivered during breast radiotherapy and thus reduce the risk of secondary, radiation induced adverse effects. Post-operative radiotherapy treatment has been proven to significantly reduce local recurrence of breast cancer. A major drawback of radiotherapy, however, is that many patients suffer adverse skin reactions and there is a risk of radiation damage to healthy tissue in vital organs such as the heart and lungs. These unfavourable clinical outcomes can be attributed to uncertainties in the radiation dose delivered to the patient. One component of this uncertainty is the limitation of the treatment planning system in calculating the dose to be delivered, particularly close to the skin surface and in the inhomogeneous region of the lungs. Currently, the most accurate method of validating dose calculations is by computer simulations using the so-called Monte Carlo technique of modelling the physics of multiple radiation interactions with matter. While there exists significant literature on Monte Carlo studies of external beam radiotherapy, relatively little research has been done on applications to breast cancer treatment. This pilot study aims to determine the extent to which Monte Carlo simulations can be used to improve the accuracy of delivered radiation dose to the breast and hence, improve the overall effectiveness of radiotherapy treatment of breast cancer.   Leukaemia Foundation Patient Conference Funding will go towards a Leukaemia patient conference in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in 2010 held by The Leukaemia Foundation. These conferences will bring together expert haematologists, medical researchers and other health professionals, specialising in the various blood cancers, with patients and their loved ones. These conferences will allow people to learn more about their disease and how to live well with the disease.   Camp Quality New High School Program 2010 Raising awareness in children, The Teenage Alchemist is a play set in cyberspace that explores the personal conflicts and inner crisis that emerge as a result of cancer diagnosis. Josh and Xanthe are living with cancer, yet both deal with their situation in very different ways. When Joshua meets Xanthe online he becomes an inspiration to her, an example of how to face adversity with courage and optimism. Joshua teaches Xanthe to be a true existentialist, to savour life and to take actions that can change the world.                                                                                       Developed in conjunction with Australian Theatre for Young People, the themes of the play are broad reaching, including self image, negativity, fear, hope and most importantly, courage. The Teenage Alchemist is a practical way to facilitate conversation in your High School. It provides an opportunity to encourage teenagers to put things into perspective and make positive life choices.   Cancer does not discriminate. One in three men and one in four women will be directly affected by Cancer before the age of 75, and even our children are not immune. This year alone, 88,000 new cases of Cancer will be diagnosed and 36,000 people will die from Cancer in Australia. Funding is vital for hope, research, support, improved treatment options and ultimately finding a cure for this disease, which despite developments, is still the leading cause of death in the country. Corporate support as well as individual support is actively sought for the 2010 ride. All donations above $2 are fully tax deductible. To help fight cancer, support Tour de Cure and Malcolm's ride click here

2010 Tour de Cure Route