Adelaide teen inspires funding for new, cutting edge kids’ cancer research at SAHMRI in Adelaide

When their little girl was diagnosed with cancer, this family swung into action - and threw a party. Eight years later, they’ve raised an incredible $168,000 for new research.

Groundbreaking Adelaide research into new, more personalised treatments for kids with cancer is being financed by the fundraising efforts of the family of a local teenager who survived leukaemia.

South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) postdoctoral research fellow Elyse Page said it was a $100,000 grant from the Simone family of Tranmere that had made the globally-significant project possible.

“It is absolutely amazing what they have done … it means so much to our lab and allows us to keep doing the work we are,” she said.

“There are so many different types of leukaemia and it is really important we find better therapies as not all patients respond well to chemotherapy.

SAHMRI researcher, Elyse Page with child cancer survivor Jess Simone whose family has donated $100k to SAHMRI to allow groundbreaking research into kids’ cancers, Picture: Tom Huntley

“We are trying to get more targeted approaches and find more personalised treatment outcomes … the work we are doing really is groundbreaking.”

Ms Page, whose father has also battled blood cancer, said the key was discovering what drove cancer in individual children.

“In each child it is something different … by screening leukaemia patient cells in preclinical models, we are looking to learn what is driving a particular leukaemia and also use clinically available therapies to see what is actually going to successfully kill these leukaemia cells.

“We can then refer these back to clinicians to be directly implemented into their therapies.”

Jess Simone, now 18, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) – the most common childhood cancer – as a 10-year-old.

SAHMRI researcher Elyse Page, left, meets cancer survivor Jess Simone … a $100,000 donation by Jess’s family is allowing vital new research into leukaemia to happen in Adelaide. Picture: Tom Huntley

Her family – mum Bernie, dad Bruno and twin siblings Tony and Bianca, 10 – have been devoted to raising money for cancer research since, hosting massive “Life’s Good” parties at home every two years.

Two years ago the family raised $68,000 for Leukaemia Foundation with all money raised from a party in March donated to SAHMRI for the new cancer research.

“While I was having treatment we saw a lot of friends pass away and we’ve had family members also die from cancer,” Jess, who describes her family as “very normal”, said.

Jess Simone, now 18, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia as a 10-year-old. She has since recovered. Picture: Supplied

“We realise how important research is because without it there is no way we will find a cure … without research, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Jess said the family pulled the most recent event, which attracted 240 guests, together in just over a month.

“As soon as COVID restrictions were lifted my Mum said, ‘we are doing it, and we are doing it next month’.”

ALL remains the most common cause of non-traumatic death of children in the western world. For adults, survival rates are just 40 per cent, with patients who do survive at risk of

suffering long-term impacts of treatment from diabetes to cardiovascular disease and

obesity.

Jess Simone, pictured with her parents Bruno and Bernie, who are devoted to raising funds for cancer research. Picture: Supplied