Victorian MP Jaala Pulford recalls daughter Sinead’s death from cancer at state campaign funding announcement
The Andrews government has pledged before the election to fund childhood cancer research to change the way Victoria’s sickest children are treated.
The state government announced Sunday that it would donate $35 million to the project if he is re-elected next month.
Children’s Cancer Foundation will donate $10 million.
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The $45 million investment over five years is Stage 2 funding for research, clinical trials and workforce development activities within the Victorian Pediatric Cancer Consortium.
Jaara Palford, Victoria’s minister for medical research, reflected on losing her own daughter to cancer when she announced the funding pledge on Sunday.
Sinead Pulford died three months after being diagnosed shortly after the 2014 Victorian elections.
she was 13 years old.
Mr. Pulford was moved to tears when he told him about the plan.
She said she knows what it’s like for a doctor to tell a parent their child has cancer, which she described as “the worst moment imaginable.”
“Three days ago my daughter was supposed to be 21 and I lit a candle,” she said.
“We truly believe that this plan will allow us to light more birthday candles and fewer commemorative candles.”
Pulford said a cancer diagnosis is a terrifying prospect for any age, and for parents, “this is doubly true.”
“And while my beautiful Sinead had a devastating diagnosis and her care was mostly palliative, 75 percent of children diagnosed with cancer will survive,” she said.
“However, the treatments are toxic and often have life-long consequences.”
Victoria has the highest incidence of childhood cancer in the world, with approximately 300 diagnoses each year.
And the number of diagnoses is expected to increase in the coming years.
Ms Pulford said that in the last 40 years, only 12 drugs have been approved worldwide to treat childhood cancer, compared to 500 drugs approved for adults.
“We need to do better for our children,” she said.
Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said the money would be rolled out over the next four years if Labor were re-elected on 26 November.
$45 million will be spent on clinical trials, discovery research survivorship research programs, enhanced biobanking resources, childhood cancer physicians, and research training and grants.
Funding for Stage 1 was secured by the Children’s Cancer Foundation through the federal Medical Research Futures Fund.
Canberra
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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/victorian-mp-jaala-pulford-reflects-on-loss-of-daughter-sinead-to-cancer/news-story/09bc1cd770f8f196c77c87249505d348 Victorian MP Jaala Pulford recalls daughter Sinead’s death from cancer at state campaign funding announcement
