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World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition Annual Meeting

The Gut Cancer Foundation is proud to represent New Zealand as part of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition (WPCC). Every year, the coalition of global charities and patient advocacy groups comes together for its annual meeting. This was the first opportunity the Gut Cancer Foundation has had to be involved, as last year’s event was cancelled completely due to COVID. This time around, a group of over 100 pancreatic cancer experts and advocates met virtually, and GCF Executive Officer Liam Wil...

Big Purple Dinner

The Gut Cancer Foundation is excited to announce the launch of a new fundraising initiative in support of research and awareness for pancreatic cancer. Over 600 New Zealanders are will die from pancreatic this year alone and sadly pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of any major cancer meaning these numbers are expected to rise. By 2025, pancreatic cancer is projected to be the 4th largest cause of cancer deaths in New Zealand. At GCF we want to help address these stark facts and suppo...

Pharmac Review

Recently, the Gut Cancer Foundation made a comprehensive submission to the independent review panel set up by the Government to conduct a review of PHARMAC. Speaking about the submission, Executive Officer Liam Willis said, “the standard of care given for a number of gut cancers in New Zealand falls behind many other OECD countries. Not only does this impact Kiwis getting access to the latest and best treatment options, but it also prevents New Zealanders from participating in international cl...

PanCan Gala

As we head towards this year’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November, we have an exciting announcement to make. On Friday, November 19th, the inaugural PanCan Gala will take place at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The vision of a dedicated and skilled committee of pancreatic cancer advocates led by GCF ambassador Nyree Smith, the gala will be an elegant formal evening with amazing entertainment in a stunning venue, all dedicated to improving outcomes for New Zealanders with pancreat...

Recruitment ramps up for THYmine2

After being severely impacted by COVID-19, the THYmine 2 study needed additional funding for a clinical trials manager to secure its viability and ensure the study was running at the highest standard across all five of its sites.At the time of making the application to GCF, the team led by Dr Nuala Helsby at the University of Auckland were some 70 patients short of the 200 needed to make the study viable. Thanks to the generosity of GCF supporters, the last 6 months have seen this potentially li...

Preliminary results of HCC study

Dr Cositha Santhakumar and the team at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland have released preliminary findings for their study into the role of the tumour microenvironment and its implication as a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is the most common form of primary liver cancer. Over 300 New Zealanders are diagnosed every year and the disease disproportionately impacts our Māori communities. Currently, immune checkpoint therapy (immunotherapy) ...

TOPGEAR completes recruitment

The TOPGEAR clinical trial has now completed recruitment! TOPGEAR is a vital trial trying to determine the best combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery to improve cure rates for patients with gastric (stomach and oesophageal) cancer. After 12 years, TOPGEAR has completed patient recruitment. Opening to patient recruitment in 2009, the TOPGEAR study team initially established the Australian sites before moving to develop international recruitment in 2013. Establishing 70 sites in Eu...

Kiwi Car Loans partnership

We are excited to announce a new partnership with our friends at Kiwi Car Loans and Credit One. This will be a multi-faceted and wide-ranging partnership with the team at Kiwi Car Loans and Credit One providing invaluable digital marketing expertise together with financial, marketing, and fundraising support for Gut Cancer Foundation’s ongoing calendar of events, campaigns, and appeals. Gut Cancer Foundation’s Executive Officer Liam Willis says “We are extremely grateful to Kiwi Car Loans ...

Read our latest eNewsletter

Read GCF’s quarterly eNewsletter here for the latest in the research, awareness, and fundraising made possible by your support....

GCF at GISIG!

Our Executive Officer, Liam Willis, recently presented at the latest Gastro-Intestinal Special Interest Group (GISIG) summit.GISIG members include medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, registrars, cancer nurses, and researchers who are specialists in the field of gut cancer treatment. The group meets to discuss the latest in treatment options and clinical trials, discuss and share best practice, and ensure participants are up to speed with the latest in global advances in the tre...

HCC research shows promise

Dr Cositha Santhakumar was awarded $35,000 to study the role of the tumour microenvironment and its implication as a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is the most common form of Liver cancer accounting for 90% of all diagnosis in New Zealand. Despite initial setbacks in recruitment because of COVID-19, Dr Santhakumar has made excellent progress with her investigations. To date, the team have recruited sixteen cases for their study. Through analysing liver cancer tissue, t...

GIVE IT UP raises $100k!

This March over 630 Kiwis signed up to GIVE IT UP for gut cancer, with participants giving up either sugar, alcohol, or the sofa for the entire month. The GIVE IT UP campaign was created to raise vital funds to find better ways to detect, diagnose and treat gut cancers and raise awareness that reducing obesity, alcohol intake, and increasing exercise can all help reduce the risk of developing them. On both counts, the campaign was hugely successful. We are incredibly grateful to all those who pa...

New funding for THYmine2 study

We are delighted to announce funding to support the extension of the THYmine2 study. This clinical study is investigating whether a test can be created to determine if patients receiving 5FU (fluoropyrimidine), a chemotherapy drug commonly used in the treatment of bowel and stomach cancer, are susceptible to potentially life-threatening side effects.A significant proportion of patients being treated with 5FU could suffer a reaction, causing a delay in treatment and sometimes dangerous symptoms. ...

GCF appoints new ambassador

The Gut Cancer Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Briony O’Farrell as our latest ambassador. After losing her father to pancreatic cancer in 2019, Briony has become a passionate advocate for those affected by pancreatic cancer. She has established the Pancreatic Cancer Aotearoa / New Zealand (PCANZ) support group for pancreatic cancer patients and their loved ones and recently played a key role in GCF’s “It’s About Time” pancreatic cancer awareness month. GCF EO Lia...

New MoH figures confirm Gut Cancers are the most common in NZ

The Ministry of Health has released the latest cancer incidence statistics and the incidence of gut cancers or cancers of the digestive system is increasing year on year. 5423 New Zealanders were diagnosed with a gut cancer to the year-end 2018 (latest figures available) an increase from 5143 the previous year.Collectively, gut cancers are the most common form of cancer in New Zealand. Within this group of cancers, the largest year on year increases in incidence are as follows: (Source: Ministry...

GCF launches GIVE IT UP for Gut Cancer

This March, the Gut Cancer Foundation (GCF) is addressing these statistics by asking New Zealand to ‘GIVE IT UP’ for gut cancers. Kiwis around the country are being asked to give up alcohol, sugar or the sofa for the month of March with the aim of fundraising to help researchers find new ways to detect, treat and beat these cancers But the GIVE IT UP campaign is about more than just raising funds for research, as important as that is. Executive Officer, Liam Willis, says, “Research has sho...

Experience like no other for GCF auction winners

Five lucky auction winners were treated to an experience like no other at Hampton Downs. Upcoming Red Bull Junior star, Liam Lawson, jumped behind the wheel of Grant Baker’s Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo to treat these 5 petrol heads to a hot lap experience they’ll never forget. In conditions best described as ‘varied’, Liam showed off all the skills that have seen him signed to drive Formula 2 in the upcoming season. The 5 GCF supporters who won their chance to experience genuine racing spe...

Dr Siouxsie Wiles highlights GCF’s Pancreatic Cancer Month

Dr Siouxsie Wiles took time out from her incredibly busy life to highlight GCF’s ‘Its About Time’ pancreatic awareness campaign. In her article on Stuff.co.nz, Dr Wiles said that; “Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate amongst all major cancers. Around the world, and here in Aotearoa New Zealand, pancreatic cancer is the only major cancer with a single-digit survival rate. A heart-breaking 92 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients die within five years of being diagnosed. Each y...

GCF’s EO talks pancreatic cancer with Mike Hosking

Gut Cancer Foundation Executive Officer, Liam Willis, spoke with Mike Hosking about the GCF’s support of the MASTERPLAN clinical trial and what it could mean for New Zealanders with pancreatic cancer:Listen here now. ...

World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Thursday, November 19th was World Pancreatic Cancer Day which saw people and buildings around New Zealand ‘Purple It Up’ in support of pancreatic cancer awareness. New Zealanders around the country donned their purple t-shirts, and landmarks such as the Otago University clocktower (Dunedin), The Civic Theatre (Auckland), The Ferrier Fountains (Christchurch) and the Redwood Forest Treewalk (Rotorua) shone purple in support of GCF’s ‘Its About Time’ campaign. GCF Executive Officer, Liam ...

$76k raised at Auckland Marathon

Sunday, November 1st was a day to remember for the Gut Cancer Foundation’s inaugural Auckland Marathon team. With the sun shining and spirits high, the relief at simply being able to take part in the event, so close after the recent lockdown, was palpable.With over 80 runners taking part in support of GCF, the team raised an incredible total in excess of $76,000 for research and awareness into cancers of the digestive system. GCF Executive Officer, Liam Willis was thrilled with the results:“...

GCF donors help launch MASTERPLAN in NZ

Thanks to the wonderful support of GCF donors, we are delighted to announce that the MASTERPLAN pancreatic cancer clinical trial will begin recruitment in Christchurch in early 2021 for a limited number of eligible patients. This Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Clinical Trials Group (AGITG) study is investigating whether Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SBRT) can increase patients’ eligibility for surgery. Currently, just 10% of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed early enough to undergo ...

Breakfast TV highlight PCAM

Our amazing Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month ambassadors, Nyree Smith and Andy Kirk, battled the nerves to speak with John Campbell, live on TVNZ’s Breakfast. Nyree spoke of her ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer whilst Andy spoke bravely about losing his mother, father and brother to this horrific disease.All here at GCF are incredibly proud of both Andy and Nyree for their fantastic efforts, and very grateful to John and the team at TVNZ for shining a much-needed light on this cause.You ...

NewsHub features GCF’s pancreatic cancer campaign

GCF’s ‘It’s About Time’ Pancreatic Cancer Awareness campaign received a boost with fantastic coverage courtesy of Newshub, TV3 and Prime. PCAM ambassador once again stepped up to discuss her ongoing battle with the disease with GCF Executive Officer also discussing our donor’s fantastic support of the MASTERPLAN clinical trial.Watch the full article here....

PCAM video launch

GCF has launched its activities around pancreatic cancer awareness month with a powerful new video telling the stories of those who have lost loved ones and are currently going through their own battle with this disease:...