As a new year rolls up its sleeves and thoughts turn towards the 2011 fundraising events, the Emer Casey Foundation continues to make magnificent strides in its tireless efforts to support research into ovarian/uterine cancer, particularly in regard to early detection. Since the last update in August 2010, the Casey family can reveal that the three PhD research students whom it has funded over the past three years have conspired to achieve yet further milestone discoveries.

The three students are Lynda McEvoy (Developing Novel Therapeutic approaches in Chemoresistant Ovarian Cancer Patients), Mairead Murphy (Developing and Validating Diagnostic Serum Based Biomarker Panels in Ovarian Cancer) and Brendan French ( The Isolation, Characterisation and Silencing of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells.) Through the foundation, they are affiliated to the Dublin-based DISCOVARY consortium, an organisation comprised of several experts across various areas of cancer research.

DISCOVARY comprises gynaecologists, oncologists, pathologists, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, cell biologists, surface chemists, pharmacologists and nurse specialists. It is led by Professor John O’Leary of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Within this framework, the fellowships have focused on (a) protein signatures in early and recurrent ovarian cancer and (b) developing novel chemotherapy suitable for ovarian cancer patients.

The students’ work has been greatly augmented by the acquisition of  Ireland’s first SOLiD System Sequencing machine, purchased two years ago through the foundation’s assistance. The machine, a technological wonder, is of primary importance in the technology of genomic (gene study) analysis, including DNA research and its acquisition has placed the DISCOVARY consortium in the forefront of oncology research worldwide

Recent, important achievements

In the past year, research student Mairead Murphy “has identified a panel of over 600 proteins that can be identified in the blood of ovarian cancer patients,” says Juliette Casey of Kilcoran Road, wife of retired garda Brendan and mother of five girls of whom Emer was the youngest. Additionally, researcher Brendan French “has made a breakthrough on cancer stem cells and their capacity to generate non-stem cells,” she adds. While the technical appreciation of these achievements is complex and arguably difficult for lay people to comprehend and appreciate fully, the medical significance is, assuredly, highly potent and of global significance.

That the consortium links its research with world-leading professors in America’s George Mason University Centre for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine and with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of California, greatly increases the significance of its findings.

Australia success

Elsewhere, Melbourne’s Emer Casey Memorial 10k, which was held on May 23rd, some 12 hours after the Youghal equivalent, raised Aus$23,000. The family event was spearheaded by former Olympian runner Sonia O’Sullivan and, soon to be in its third year, is already firmly placed as a major event in Australia’s sporting and social calendar. The money raised is allotted to the city’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, which is Australia’s public hospital dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education.

Origins

The Emer Casey Foundation was established in honour of 28 year-old Emer Casey, who lost her life to uterine/ovarian cancer in 2006. Emer was known and loved as an exceptionally vibrant girl, who embraced life and left an indelible, appreciative mark on the lives of all who knew her. An extensive, adventurous traveller and an active, dedicated sports fan –particularly towards Cork hurling and Munster rugby- her energy and consideration also saw her participate in many road races of the kind which now carries her name.

Through the foundation established in her name, Emer’s family, friends and work colleagues have transformed tragedy into a campaign to save others from the deadly affliction. These dedicated volunteers fundraise through a variety of events, including three annual road walk/races in Youghal, Melbourne and London. Their cause is considerably assisted by the tireless contributions and efforts of former employers, Dublin-based solicitors Matheson Ormbsy Prentice. Their combined commitment has raised over €500,000 in four years

There are approximately 334 new cases of ovarian/uterine cancer diagnosed in Ireland every year, with an average fatality rate of two-thirds. It is the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy in the western world, yet Ireland still has no national risk assessment or genetic screening programme in place. It has been labelled ‘the silent killer’ as the vague symptoms often mean that by the time the cancer is diagnosed, the tumour has spread beyond the ovaries. All those selflessly involved with the Emer Casey Foundation are inspired by the knowledge that a woman’s chances of surviving ovarian cancer increase from 15% to 80% with early diagnosis.

Future direction

The three-year funding agreement for two of the student fellowships has now expired, while €50,000 remains for Brendan French to continue for another year. The foundation retains the option of renewing funding for his research colleagues but is also considering making financial contribution in other areas instead. These basically aspire towards the areas of “psychological support, fertility treatments for patients with cancer and supportive care,” says Juliette. “We are also intent on raising awareness of the disease at home and abroad in the longterm,” she adds. As 2011 settles, the fight to defeat the ‘silent killer’ may diversify, but it shows no sign of diminishing.