Fundraising ball for research

THE sold-out 2021 biannual Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute ball will have attendees dancing the night away in a glamorous style for an invaluable cause next month.

Set for the night of Saturday, 4 September at Civic Hall, the major cancer research fundraiser will be presented in partnership with Integra.

The Institute has a goal to generate $100,000, through ticket sales, auctions, and raffles.

FECRI director Professor George Kannourakis said all funds raised will be injected into a specific project area.

“Our research is focused on the immune system and cancer. It is hoped that by identifying proteins on the surface of cancer cells, druggable targets can be developed to allow the immune system to attack the cancer, without chemotherapy and radiation,” he said.

Integra general manager Matt McCabe said the group is proud to contribute to the ball, considering how many families within the community are impacted by cancer.

“We are pleased to support this event to make a difference,” he said.

Working to find better ways to diagnose and treat cancer, FECRI is the only regional cancer research facility in Australia.

Since opening in 1998, FECRI has relied on the community’s financial support as it is non-government funded.

The internationally recognised Institute is conducting investigations in the areas of ovarian, breast, renal and bowel cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Langerhans cell histiocytosis and immunology.

Eight Federation University PhD students are based there, alongside 12 senior scientific staff.

FECRI’s 2019 Cancer Research Ball raised more than $150,000 to fund the Institute’s work.