Trail run for trail-blazing skin cancer research

I’m fundraising for Cancer Council Victoria to help stop cancer.

Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world. More than 11,500 Australians are diagnosed with a melanoma each year. Melanoma is considered the most serious form of skin cancer because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body, especially if not detected early.

In March 2020, as COVID-19 reached our shores, and a sense of unease and uncertainty washed over the general population of Australia, my family received the news that my dad had Stage 4 melanoma. A melanoma mole that had been removed from his head about 18 months earlier was the source of cancer that reached his blood stream and spread throughout his body. He had tumours in his lungs, adrenal glands, neck and brain. With a 6-month life expectancy on the cards, my dad was ready to give anything a go to tackle this disease.

As a fair-skinned redhead growing up in country Victoria, obtaining a blistered nose and cheeks was the norm each summer for Dad. Long days on the farm, on the golf course and playing summer tennis added to Dad's cumulative UV exposure. Sid the Seagull with his catchy "slip, slop, slap" campaign did not appear on our screens until 1981. UV exposure prevention was rare before this campaign. Getting a tan was a common goal to be achieved each summer. Even if that meant burn, peel, freckle.

Dad’s diagnosis came at a chaotic time in my own life. Every day was hectic with an 8-month-old baby, a 3-year-old that never stops, and a husband trying to figure out the WFH situation. There was no alternative than to dig deep. 

Two long weeks passed before Dad managed to secure an appointment with an oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. With all hospitals in quarantine and my parents living four hours from Melbourne, logistics were difficult. Amidst a state of emergency, lockdowns and overflowing emergency departments, my parents were having to navigate the health system that was buckling under the pressure of increasing COVID-19 cases. Regular family video calls were the only way we could all be together.

Following a multitude of scans, blood tests, brain cognitive tests and physical fitness tests, Dad was admitted to a trial for a combination of two immunotherapy drugs, Nivolumab and Ipilimumab. The research scientists were particularly interested in how the drug combination would work on a metastasized melanoma tumour located in the brain.

My parents were given a COVID-19 travel exemption that allowed them to stay in Melbourne at my sister's apartment for treatment and the following days for convalescing. The first few months of treatment were very difficult for my family. We didn't know if the drugs were working. However, the good thing was that Dad had very few side effects. One of the main reasons why some patients discontinue with immunotherapy is because unfortunately some suffer unbearable side effects.

The first round of scans to measure the size of the tumours came around and we were ecstatic to find that it was successful. The majority of the tumours had reduced in size. The oncologist was particularly happy that the tumour in Dad's brain had shrunk because this reduced the chance of Dad needing surgery.

Dad was calm and positive throughout each appointment. The staff praised his unwavering stoicism, saying how clear each MRI and PET scan image was because of how still he could lie on the imaging table. A farmer for over 40 years, time on the land, in his own space, had allowed him to develop the skill of keeping a clear head and finding space to be calm. It was also in his nature – nothing seemed to ruffle his feathers.

The 3-weekly round trip to Melbourne continued with the main distraction of listening to the COVID-19 mayhem, discussing case distribution and rule breakers. Each set of images showed reductions in tumour size. The uncomfortable rock in my stomach and dense pain in my chest that had been there since the first diagnosis was becoming lighter. He was still alive and getting better. By the end of 2020 I believed he was going to survive.

The trial was scheduled to run for two years. In March 2022, in a very timely fashion, Dad got the “all clear”. His body was free of cancer. He no longer needed immunotherapy. Routine checks continued every three months with each set of results showing no further cancer. However, our good luck ran out in February 2023 – Dad's cancer returned. Small clusters of tumours had formed in his abdomen. The immunotherapy began again, and Dad responded exceptionally as he had during the trial.

Dad is currently living with cancer, and I think he will continue to be on some form of treatment for the rest of his life.

If this had happened 10 years ago, it is highly likely that my dad would no longer be here. The drugs were not approved for use in Australia then. Research and development of cancer treatment is evolving at a rapid rate. Funding is vital to allow the continuation of this work.

In recognition of these trail-blazing research scientists that developed this amazing medicine, I will be participating in the Mt Macedon trail run on Sunday 8 October 2023. I would love for you to contribute whatever you can to support continued research, support services for families facing cancer, and  prevention programs.

Dad continues to live a normal life on the farm, visiting his grandchildren and friends, and I'll be thrilled to have him there to see me cross the finish line.

Thank you so much xx