Widow Caroline Kelly raises $7 million for pancreatic cancer charity following husband’s death
Meet the woman who is taking the fight to pancreatic cancer. Widow Caroline Kelly gave up her job after the disease claimed her husband’s life... and now she’s determined to help other sufferers.
Nth Beaches
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A WIDOW who gave up her career to find a cure for pancreatic cancer hopes cutting-edge research funded by her charity could help change the fortunes of people diagnosed with the disease.
Caroline Kelly, 44, of Manly, said her charity, which she set up with her late husband Avner Nahmani in 2008, had raised $7 million.
She said it was funding a raft of exciting research projects including one which could even help people with the most advanced form of cancer.
“Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rates of any cancer, which is why we want to focus on research that can change that,” said Ms Kelly behind the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, the only charity in Australia dedicated to pancreatic cancer.
“We want to give hope to patients and their families.”
Grants totalling $1.6 million are funding research at prestigious organisations such as the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Centenary Institute, University of Sydney and the University of NSW.
Submissions for a further $2 million worth of grants close at the end of the month.
Professor Mathew Vardas, who received funding to investigate a drug which could extend the lives of people with pancreatic cancer, said what Ms Kelly was doing “can make a difference”.
His research at Centenary Institute is looking at endothelial cells in blood vessels, which are crucial in the biology of solid tumours such as pancreatic cancer.
The blood vessels, when they are abnormal or leaky, can also play a role in inflammatory diseases, macular degeneration in the eye or in some stroke cases.
Professor Vardas told the Manly Daily he was investigating a drug that could bolster the blood vessels and help the body fight back against cancer, even in instances where the cancer was very advanced. It could also aid other health issues.
“Nobody else in the world is doing this research,” he said.
“In the next 18 months to two years we are hoping to get to a stage one human trial.”
Ms Kelly, whose husband died aged 56, organises walks around the country to raise funds for research.
One of the biggest is the Manly 5km walk on August 7.
For more details go to avnersfoundation.org.au.
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