Book it in! Rotary club backs FECRI

THE Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, or FECRI, has received ten-thousand dollars from representatives of the Rotary Club of Ballarat East.

The funds were presented to FECRI’s head Professor George Kannourakis, who said donations are integral to the group’s research.

“As a community funded research facility, this generous donation will be well utilised within our cancer research projects here in Ballarat,” he said.

“Support from the community has enabled us to get to where we are today, but there is still more to do.

“We are focused on our internationally recognised research into the immunology of cancer.

“It’s an exciting time at the Institute and the momentum is building as our team continue their ground-breaking work.”

The funds were raised through the Rotary Club of Ballarat East’s book sales from their site at Ballarat Airport, which reopened earlier this year after a two-year hiatus.

Since returning, four book sales have been hosted between August and November with all proceeds donated to FECRI.

The books are catalogued by club volunteers, and president David Stokes, who presented the cheque, said the team is happy to help.

“It’s with much pleasure we present FECRI with $10,000 to assist their important cancer research as proceeds from these book sales,” he said.

With 15 staff members and three PhD students, research at FECRI is centred around the immune system’s potential in cancer recovery.

The group currently focuses on breast cancer, bowel cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, ovarian cancer, renal cancer, brain tumours, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and immunology.