16 January 2018
Avid cyclist and time-tabler in the University of South Australia’s School of Engineering, Paul White will join thousands of other amateur cyclists in the Bupa Challenge Tour, at the Santos Tour Down Under – but he will be there as a cancer survivor.
Enjoying an active lifestyle cycling for almost 15 years and participating in many charity and amateur cycling events, White was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2015.
White’s mother passed away from the disease in 1961, so he was all too aware of the risks and ensured he had regular screenings.
“Early intervention saved my life,” White says.
“Thanks to regular monitoring, early intervention and great medial support from my doctors, I’ve made a full recovery.”
A regular participant in Cancer Council SA’s Ride for a reason, White is now especially keen to raise money for Cancer Council’s research, prevention and support initiatives, to help others who have been through a similar experience and those who might one day be in his shoes.
“UniSA staff members have always been generous and supportive of my rides, helping me raise more than $2000 for the ride last year,” White says.
“This year I’m riding the full distance (137.4kms) in honour and support of those people and their families that have not been so fortunate with managing cancer, in the hope that the research funded by this ride will one day find a cure.”
The ride encourages riders of all abilities and ages to ride the route just hours before the professionals with four distances to choose from.
UniSA has supported with the Santos Tour Down Under since 2001 and 30 of the University’s staff and community will ride in the Bupa Challenge Tour including White.
Cancer is one of six core research themes at UniSA. Focused on reducing the burden of cancer and its progression, cancer research at UniSA includes prevention, diagnosis, and the impact of cancer and its treatment on physical, psychosocial/spiritual and economic wellbeing.
In late 2017, cancer researchers secured the lion’s share of $10.7m awarded to the University for health and medical research.
Included in those grants are current projects researching lymphatic disorders; myeloid leukaemia and a project to explore how to halt the spread of cancer from one part of the body to another.
Researchers Professor Ian Olver and Professor Doug Brooks also recently led the charge for cancer biomarker research to be fast-tracked because of its potential to transform cancer treatment more than anything seen in the past 50 years.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, Ride for a reason will take place on Friday, 19 January 2018.
Media contact: Georgia Minarelli mobile: +61 413 314 726 email: Georgia.Minarelli@unisa.edu.au
