FORMALITIES following this year's record breaking Shearing For Liz Pink Shearing Fundraiser are now complete with $38,400 donated to breast cancer research last week.
Tom and Lucy Reed, Jumbuk Shearing, Perth, who started the fundraiser in memory of their friend Liz Roberts who passed away in 2014 following a long battle with Metastatic breast cancer, and event co-ordinator and host Quentin Davies, Cardiff stud, Yorkrakine, visited the Breast Cancer Research Centre-WA (BCRC-WA) at Hollywood Private Hospital, Nedlands, to handover a cheque for $33,400 to BCRC-WA.
The balance of the total raised was donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Now into its sixth year, the Shearing For Liz community fundraiser has gone from strength to strength and hasraised more than $118,000 for breast cancer research.
The event is now co-ordinated by Quentin and Dianne Davies and daughters Felicity, Keisha and Jordy who have hosted the shearing day since 2015 in their now pink-themed Cardiff stud shearing shed which attracts overwhelming community support every year.
BCRC-WA chief executive officer Carmelo Arto thanked everyone for their support at the shearing fundraiser and said their efforts would make a significant difference to patient outcomes.
"It is most timely as we move into our new integrated world class centre in May/June 2020 where research, treatment, and support for patients and their families will be all under the one roof lessening the stress on our families," Mr Arto said.
"The fantastic Shearing for Liz initiative has generated great interest here and a number of us will head out to next year's event to say hello and discuss the wonderful things that are happening at BCRC-WA.
"We are all very much looking forward to it."
The BCRC-WA was founded in 2000 by medical oncologist, professor Arlene Chan, as a clinician-driven practice, specialising in providing high quality breast cancer treatment while concurrently undertaking cutting edge research.
The not for profit organisation has since forged a reputation as a global leader in breast cancer advancements in new treatment and care for breast cancer patients following more than 100 trials and involving more than 1200 WA patients.
The organisation's pending move to their new world-class integrated treatment, research and patient support service centre is set to better meet patients' requirements from the essential cancer diagnosis and treatment to the full range of support services for patients and their families such as physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers.
Professor Chan said the integrated facility would take the work of BCRC-WA to a new level by giving breast cancer patients improved service delivery and accessibility.
"There is currently no facility offering this degree of advanced, integrated care to breast cancer patients in WA or indeed Australia, where they can receive both medical treatment and the ongoing support services required," professor Chan said.
"The approach will be to place each patient with a care co-ordinator, who will help manage their treatment journey, linking each patient with their individually required support services.
"This will allow the patient to concentrate on the treatment process and maintaining good health.
"The perception that women and men need to go overseas for life-saving treatments couldn't be further from the mark when it comes to breast cancer.
"They're looking to Perth and what we're accomplishing at our trials unit here.
"BCRC-WA is regarded as a centre conducting high quality breast cancer research and treatment trials, ensuring our patients get access to new or advanced treatments ahead of the rest."
Mr Arto said research revenue covered operating costs and all donations go to directly benefit patients, maximising the impact donations have.
"The fact is BCRC-WA is a not-for-profit organisation, which receives no government funding," Mr Arto said.
"There is so much more that can be achieved but it will only be made possible with increased philanthropic support."