30 November 2012

Yesterday we had Ian and Marcia Paterson, and their team from Just Paterson Real Estate, visit the Malaghan Institute to attach a plaque to our Honours Board in memory of Sally Paterson.  Sally - a beloved wife of Ian, mother and co-founder of Just Paterson - tragically passed away from glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer, in 2009. 

Director Prof Graham Le Gros says that he feels humbled by the incredible support we have received from Just Paterson Real Estate, who have raised over $200,000 towards our glioblastoma multiforme vaccine research.  The money has been raised from a portion of fees on properties sold, fundraising events and community donations.

“Glioblastoma multiforme is a highly aggressive brain tumour," says Assoc Prof Ian Hermans, who heads the Malaghan Institute's cancer vaccine programme. "The standard treatments are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but the tumour rapidly becomes resistant, and ultimately fatal. Our current research, which the Just Paterson funding is contributing to, is examining whether vaccines can be used to stimulate an immune response to tumour cells in the brain, and whether this approach can be combined effectively with chemotherapy. Our laboratory data suggest that the relationship between the immune system and chemotherapy is very complex, but we are hopeful that opportunities exist to combine the two treatments to provide better outcomes.”

On behalf of everyone at the Malaghan Institute, we offer our utmost gratitude to Ian, his family, and the Just Paterson team, for their unwavering dedication in Sally's memory.

Read more about some of the recent research that Just Paterson Real Estate has helped support.