Cricket royalty a hit at FECRI

FIONA Elsey Cancer Research Institute has received a visit from royalty – cricket royalty, that is – in the form of former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss.

Strauss and his partner Antonia Linnaeus Peat spent about 90 minutes at FECRI last week, delighting staff who found out about the visitors the night before they arrived.

Institute director Professor George Kannourakis said the event stemmed from Strauss’ family ties to Ballarat. His wife Ruth, who died in 2018 from a rare form of lung cancer, hailed from Buninyong.

Outside of his cricketing achievements, Strauss heads up the Ruth Strauss Foundation in the United Kingdom.

Professor Kannourakis said Strauss had been visiting Ruth’s family in Buninyong because one of his sons had been staying with his grandparents there.

When Strauss learnt of the institute, he was keen to visit and inspect it.

“He and Antonia were very inquisitive about the research we’re doing, the immunology research,” he said.

Institute staff were very excited about the visit, particularly the cricket enthusiasts among them.

Dr Aparna Jayachandran took in a cricket ball for Strauss to sign.

“He was quite impressed with the facilities we have here and the type of research we’re doing,”

Professor Kannourakis said.

“It was great for the morale of the staff, and they were really nice people – really down to earth and asking pertinent questions about the research and how that’s going to help patients.

“It was a really good visit all round.”

Tickets for the institute’s gala fundraising ball went on sale on Tuesday. The ball at Ballarat Civic Hall, themed Licence to Cure, is scheduled for 11 October and will feature James Bond-inspired glamour, intrigue and purpose.

Tickets are $250 and are available at fecri.org.au.

Tickets include drinks and canapes on arrival, a curated three-course meal by Curtis Stone Events, live and silent auctions, and entertainment.