A bequest in your Will helps us to plan more effectively, so we're able to invest in the best quality research into the future.
Cancer is a complicated disease and most research projects are long term - the bequests we receive play an essential part in ensuring they're seen through to completion.
A bequest left to us in 1945 enabled us to begin supporting the pioneering cancer research work of Professor Don Metcalf.
In fact, we've been able to support Professor Metcalf for over 50 years and eventually this resulted in a remarkable breakthrough. His revolutionary discovery of what are called Colony Stimulating Factors led directly to new life-saving treatments for many cancer patients.
There are now more than 6 million cancer patients around the world who've benefited from Professor Metcalf's research.
Over 6 million patients helped - and it all started with one person's bequest to The Cancer Council Victoria.
Health 2020 is one of the major research projects managed by the Cancer Council and is partly funded by bequest, the first of its kind in Australia. Through our Cancer Epidemiology Centre we are working to understand how lifestyle choices like diet, exercise and smoking influence the risk of cancer. To do this, we have needed to survey and monitor participants over many decades.
In the early 1990s over 40,000 Melbournians were surveyed and 10 years later the same people are now being followed up to help isolate factors that lead to increased cancer risk. We hope to continue to monitor them in years to come.
This research project would not have been possible without bequests from our supporters.
