Clinical trial brings unexpected birthday - Chris O'Brien ... · The Alan Guthrie Patterson Bequest In April 2015 Chris O’Brien Lifehouse received its largest bequest to date from

Chris O’Brien Lifehouse | Winter 2015 newsletter

Clinical trial brings unexpected birthdayChris O’Brien Lifehouse and RPA cancer centre patient Tom McNamara always brings a bunch of flowers for his doctor, Catriona McNeil.

“She has kept me alive. When I was first diagnosed with metastatic melanomas, she organised my acceptance on a clinical trial for this new drug. She gave me confidence that she could keep me alive for at least two years.” Mr McNamara recently celebrated his 75th birthday, which he never expected to reach.

Mr McNamara is one of dozens of Australian patients who took part in the successful trial of the new melanoma drug pembrolizumab, or Keytruda, which is one of the top cancer treatment breakthroughs of the last hundred years.

Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is currently involved in more than 100 clinical trials, in collaboration with more than 30 pharmaceutical companies, biotech and collaborative groups and their research partners. Our clinical trials ensure our cancer patients have safe and timely access to the latest treatments and approaches to surgery, pathology,

radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, supportive care, pain control and diagnostic methods.

Our goal is to offer all our patients an opportunity to participate in a clinical trial in keeping with our core values of collaboration, respect, empowerment, nurture and discovery.

Dr McNeil says: “For many years, we didn’t have any really effective treatments for melanoma – it’s only in the last decade, or even the last two to three years, that we’ve seen really big breakthroughs.

“The ramifications of pembrolizumab’s success for other cancers are quite astonishing. We’re seeing the same drugs being tried and used for other cancers, like breast and gastric. The scope and potential for drugs like pembrolizumab is truly amazing and it’s probably going to revolutionise all of cancer care.”

“It’s truly amazing when you reflect on where patients were only a decade ago and how they would have fared, so it’s very exciting to be here to see this as an oncologist.”

The next frontier – robotic surgerysaving a person’s major organs and/or lymph nodes from having to be removed.

The benefits of using the Robot are substantial. For example it would allow one of our world class surgeons to successfully operate on a patient with moderate throat cancer without leaving any visible scarring or disfigurement. The current alternative would be to either break or remove a section of the patient’s jawbone in order to allow a surgeon’s hand access to the cancerous area. The latter approach is absolutely necessary to save a patient’s life but it does lead to longer surgery and recovery times.

Continued inside

Lifehouse surgeons and medical staff rely on equipment and technology that are intuitive and simple to use, save time and money and most importantly, deliver outstanding benefits to Lifehouse patients. Yet we are missing a pioneering piece of equipment – the da Vinci XI Surgical System – otherwise known as ‘the Robot’.

The Robot is one of the most advanced pieces of surgical hardware in the world today. Not only can it be used to treat multiple tumour streams including head and neck, colorectal, gynaecological and prostate cancer but it does this through minimally invasive surgery, potentially

A lasting legacy The Alan Guthrie Patterson Bequest

In April 2015 Chris O’Brien Lifehouse received its largest bequest to date from the estate of the late Mr Alan Guthrie Patterson. The bequest of over $2.3 million was left by Mr Patterson in support of Lifehouse, and he modestly requested that rather than being recognised himself the gift was in memoriam of his late, much loved sister, Margaret June Weeden. Margaret’s name is now on the Lifehouse Donor Honour Wall.

The Patterson Bequest shows incredible generosity and foresight; as Lifehouse CEO Eileen Hannagan said, it was a transformational gift.

“Mr Patterson was obviously a very thoughtful and generous person. To leave a gift of over $2.3 million to Lifehouse shows the value and trust he placed in our medical research and uncompromising care for people living with cancer. We intend to honour that trust by ensuring the funds are used in support of our innovative work in cancer treatment and care.”

“It is important not to think that a person has to be wealthy to leave a gift in their Will. Anyone making a bequest to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse shows foresight in supporting work that will help transform the care and treatment of people you may never meet.”

When thinking about leaving a gift in your Will, we always recommend you think of your family and friends first and simply leave us what’s left or “the residue”. No matter what the size of your bequest, you can rest assured that your visionary generosity will have a positive impact on researchers, surgical teams and, most importantly, on people living with cancer.

Alan Guthrie Patterson was an extraordinary individual and everyone at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is greatly appreciative of his considerable support and his exceptional vision.

To find out how you can leave a gift in your Will to Lifehouse, please contact Alison Muir, on (02) 8514 0356 or email: [email protected].

Thoughts from Gail O’Brien on the sixth anniversary of her husband’s passing“It’s hard to believe it has been six years since Chris’ passing, but when I look at this thriving facility, talk to the patients, carers and all the incredibly dedicated team here at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, it’s comforting to see Chris’ vision is alive and well.”

However, we still have so much more to do - and I remain committed to ensuring we continue to explore, collaborate and capitalise on the limitless possibilities and opportunities that research and

integrative medicine in particular can offer. Chris was particularly passionate about these areas because he knew this was such a crucial part of the future innovation of cancer care and treatment. Our work has only just begun.” —Gail O’Brien

It’s now almost six months since we opened our inpatients services and intensive care unit (ICU), and it’s amazing to think how much we’ve achieved in this time. Since we opened our doors in February we have welcomed 1,415 admissions (1,086 surgical and 329 medical), as well as at least 70 new nurses, 20 ICU staff and five clinical trials nurses. Just last month on 20 July we opened the ninth floor as well, with another 48 surgical beds, bringing the total to 125.

I’m happy to report the feedback from the floors is great. Some of the staff on level eight passed on these thoughts:

“I like that it’s a small hospital. The best thing is the team work and all the support, which is great while we’ve been getting established.” – Grace.

“Everything is online, which is pretty groovy. Because it’s a new hospital the facilities are excellent.” – Don.

The feedback from patients has also been overwhelmingly positive, and brings home our purpose and Professor Chris O’Brien’s vision. Six years after Professor O’Brien’s passing, I wanted to leave you with these thoughts from one of our first surgical patients, bowel cancer survivor Simone Isherwood:

“I think the main thing is that the whole philosophy of Chris O’Brien was providing a wellness centre rather than that hospital feeling. That’s exactly what he’s provided. You’re actually going in there to get well, and you don’t feel like you’re in hospital. It gives you a mental edge. It’s a special little bubble to help you with your recovery and to heal better.”

—Eileen HannaganCEO, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse

Open Letter

What is your title? Clinical Associate Professor. I direct the Fellowship training program and research program in head and neck cancer at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.

What training have you completed?I completed my medical degree at the University of NSW in 1997, and obtained my general surgery fellowship (FRACS) in 2005 which included provisional fellowship training in head and neck surgery under the late Professor O’Brien. I undertook a fellowship in head and neck oncological surgery and microvascular reconstruction at the University of Toronto between 2004 and 2005 before starting as a head and neck surgeon at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 2006. I completed a postgraduate Masters degree in Biostatistics at the University of Sydney in 2012.

Five minutes with Associate Professor Jonathan ClarkHead and Neck Surgeon

My first job was…As an intern at St. George and Sutherland Hospitals.

To explain to people what I do I say...I remove tumours affecting the mouth, throat, face, salivary glands and thyroid. I also use tissue from other parts of the body to reconstruct the area removed. I don’t do brain surgery, trauma surgery or spine surgery. Head and neck cancers are some of the most challenging cancers to treat because they affect how patients look, talk, eat food and breathe. Sometimes patients are left disfigured, socially isolated, unable to return to work and require a lot of support. Even though these cancers have an enormous impact on the lives of so many people (not just patients but also their friends and family), there is surprisingly little public awareness, other than what people see on cigarette packets.

What is the hardest part about your job?Time management. Full time clinical practice and research is difficult.

What do you enjoy most about your job? It is a major challenge to reconstruct the face after removal of a cancer. Doing this well is very satisfying. I also enjoy researching better ways of treating head and neck cancers. Our research focuses on salivary gland cancers, facial reconstruction, aggressive skin cancers and providing education and support for head and neck cancer patients and their carers.

How long have you been working at Lifehouse?The head and neck team started seeing

patients in our multidisciplinary clinic in early 2014, soon after Lifehouse opened.

What attracted you to working at Lifehouse?Chris O’Brien was one of my mentors. His vision for a comprehensive cancer centre is definitely something worth aspiring to, particularly for head and neck cancer which needs a comprehensive approach. The ability to treat all patients with cancer in one institution, regardless of whether they are public or private, with the support of radiation specialists, medical oncologists, pathologists, nurses, dieticians and speech therapists (to name a few) and to integrate the research we undertake into their care really is unique.

What will the da Vinci robot mean for your work and your patients?It is also really important to be able to offer patients world class, cutting edge cancer treatment like the da Vinci robot which enables surgeons to remove cancer from the back of the tongue or throat without having to cut the jaw bone. Apart from the obvious cosmetic and functional advantages of leaving vital structure intact, it can reduce the length of surgery from 10 hours to under four hours and the hospital stay from over two weeks on average to under one week.

My biggest achievement so far…Getting home on time to see my three sons... occasionally.

To unwind at the end of the day I…Go fishing, kayaking or both on the Port Hacking River, near where I live.

Professor Trevor Tejada-Berges, a Gynaecologic Oncology Surgeon at Lifehouse, has used robotic surgery for the past decade in the USA.

“I saw first-hand the benefits of this technology to both patients and clinicians. The expectation is that increasingly complex surgeries will be performed in a minimally invasive manner and, in this regard, the robotic platform and ensuing learning curve are markedly superior.”

At $4.4 million the da Vinci XI Surgical System is a significant but vital investment for the patients of Lifehouse. To date we

email: [email protected] for more information.

Lifehouse’s vision is to transform cancer treatment for Australians through an environment thriving on discovery, research and uncompromising care. Central to this vision is providing the very best surgical outcomes to our patients through providing tomorrow’s technology today. Be part of that future by making a donation to our Robot Campaign right away.

have either received or had pledged over $2.7 million of this figure. However we need to raise the remaining $1.7 million by 15 November 2015. To do this we need your help.

If you would like to help Chris O’Brien Lifehouse purchase the Robot and make a massive impact on the lives of our patients in this and many years to come, then please make a tax deductible donation in the form attached to this newsletter.

Alternatively you can contact Alison Muir, Strategic Gifts Manager, on (02) 8514 0356 or

The next frontier – robotic surgery continued from front page

One of the first patients on a trial of a novel treatment approach for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma has surprised researchers with his remarkable response. The full report of this patient’s case was published recently in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer affecting the surface of the lungs, and is caused by asbestos exposure.

The new treatment – TargomiRs – uses tiny cells (EDVTMnanocells) loaded with a microRNA that is deficient in mesothelioma. The nanocells are administered to patients through an infusion as they sit in a chemotherapy chair, with the aim of restoring the body’s natural tumour-suppressing mechanisms.

The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital patient, a 51-year-old plumber from Sydney, was diagnosed in May 2013 with mesothelioma. When his pleural cancer no longer responded to chemotherapy treatment, he entered the trial.

Medical oncologist Dr Steven Kao, from Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, said: “It’s an amazing response for this man. The mesothelioma is now almost invisible and the condition of my patient has also improved. It probably goes without saying that he is very happy. This result came after only eight weeks’ therapy with weekly doses of the TargomiR therapy. It is very important that this response came while we were investigating a first (low) dose level.”

Principal study coordinator Professor Nico van Zandwijk, from the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute (ADRI), said: “This patient’s response is excellent news confirming our preclinical observations with TargomiRs. We are eager to see more signs of activity in this Phase I trial and we hope to be able to progress to Phase II soon. Phase I trials concentrate on optimal dose while the focus of phase II trials is on the efficacy of new medications.”

Researchers are now speculating the new treatment may also be useful in a range of other treatment-resistant cancers. Associate Professor Glen Reid, from ADRI and The University of Sydney, said of the microRNA treatment concept: “If it works in more patients, this treatment has the potential for a paradigm shift in the management of other treatment-resistant tumours.”

Liam Fell’s shaveLiam Fell’s long flowing locks and bushranger beard took years to grow. But when his friend Hilary Matchett was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he didn’t hesitate. Liam wanted to do something to help so he shaved all his hair and donated the funds to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.

“The idea of a shave came quite easily as I had accumulated a fair amount of hair on my head and chin,” Liam said in an interview with the Grenfell Record. “It did take me a couple of beers though to pluck up the courage to ask Hilary!”

Hilary, who received treatment at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, says she was overwhelmed with the response to the fundraiser. “I received enormous support from the staff there, so I couldn’t think of a better place for the money to go when Liam asked if it was okay for the event to be in honour of me,” she said.

A giant thank you to Liam for donating not only his auburn locks but also more than $5,000 to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. It’s this kind of community support that means we can keep working to make things a little easier for people with cancer, their families and carers.

For more information about holding a fundraising event, visit the ‘How you can help’ page on our website: www.mylifehouse.org.au/How_you_can_help/

Dramatic response from first asbestos cancer patient trial

To make a tax deductible donation, please fill in the coupon overleaf.

To donate by phone, please call the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Fundraising team on 1300 852 500 or visit our website www.mylifehouse.org.au.

Running for LifehouseMichael Williams was so inspired by the work of Chris O’Brien Lifehouse he took on the challenge of completing the City2Surf as a Gold runner.

“I am a survivor of childhood cancer. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a week before my 12th birthday in 1997 and over the past two years both my mother and father have been treated for cancer – pancreatic (Mum) and prostate (Dad), both are doing well.

“I wanted to run for Lifehouse because I am the fittest I have ever been and felt that it was the best opportunity for me to raise money for this great cause. It is a great experience to get out and get fit while raising money for such a great charity. You learn that your body can do so much more than you think when you are out training by yourself and your head says stop but you push yourself to go that extra distance.”

If you are looking for your next challenge and would like to support Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, why not join the fun of Blackmores Sydney Running Festival on Sunday, 20 September 2015. Choose from four events, there’s one to suit every level of fitness. More details at www.mylifehouse.org.au/getactive.

Nadia is our first bride at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse! Within less than 12 hours, she and James arranged and held their wedding at Nadia’s father’s bedside so he could see his little girl get married.It was a special day for a small group of family and friends, mixing tears of joy and grief.

First Lifehouse wedding

To improve the life of cancer patients through minimally invasive surgery and better post-operative outcomes, Lifehouse is now urgently seeking your support in helping us realise our goal of purchasing the da Vinci XI Surgical System – the most technologically advanced robotic surgical system available.

The XI ‘Robot’ is a major investment in the future of transformative care for our patients. We hope you will support us by making a tax deductible donation today to help us meet our purchase deadline of 15 November 2015.

For more information on the Robot contact Alison Muir, on (02) 8514 0356 or email: [email protected].

Supporter and community eventsFor more information on all of our active events please check out our website www.mylifehouse.org.au/getactive.

Dry JulyA big thank you to everyone who took part in Dry July, helping us raise essential funds for cancer patients at Lifehouse. There’s still time to get involved! The Team Lifehouse page will be open until the end of August so jump on board and donate now: http://au.dryjuly.com/team/teamlifehouse.

Brothers IV Brothers Sportsmen’s Charity Lunch 21 August 2015Past speakers have included Matt Bourke, Stirling Mortlock, Gary Ella and Phil Kearns. This year we are being joined by Kiwi Legend Andrew Mehrtens and Fox Sports Host Nick McArdle. Contact Bryn Robertson [email protected] for ticket enquiries. $120 per ticket.

Blackmores Sydney Running Festival21 September 2015Choose from four events, there’s one to suit every level of fitness including the Family Bridge Run!

Final Ride and Walk for LifehouseThis year is the very last Ride to Conquer Cancer and the very last Weekend to End Women’s Cancers for Lifehouse, so jump on board for these final epic challenges! Grab your friends and family and join us for these amazing weekends, all in support of people battling cancer. More details at: www.mylifehouse.org.au/getactive

The final Ride to Conquer Cancer for Chris O’Brien Lifehouse 10-11 October 2015Join us for our last epic 200km ride through the scenic New South Wales countryside. Sure, it sounds like a lot – and it’s meant to be. But make no mistake; this event isn’t just for athletes or cycling enthusiasts, it’s for anyone who wants to challenge themselves for a great cause. All you need is motivation, a bike and a helmet. One-day Rides available.

The final Weekend to End Women’s Cancer for Chris O’Brien Lifehouse7-8 November 2015Join us for the very last Weekend to End Women’s Cancer – one you’ll never forget. Whether you’re a survivor yourself, walking for a loved one, or walking for all women, everyone is welcome. Be a part of our two-day, 60km celebration. One-day options available.

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