Eilidh MacDonald

I'm going the distance this April to help bring life-changing CAR T-cell therapy home to New Zealand.

My family and I have spent the last few years supporting The Malaghan Institute, fundraising for them to be able to continue their research into life-saving cures for cancers such as Multiple Myeloma. We do this because almost 10 years ago, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, and as of a few months ago he is on his final treatment option within NZ. When this treatment no longer works for him, the only option will be to self-fund treatments overseas. 

The Malaghan Institute is currently raising funds to support the Phase 2 trial of CAR-T Cell Therapy. You may have read about this in the news recently, as there was a series of articles published on Stuff. This treatment is readily available overseas, and has played a significant role in effectively making Multiple Myeloma a lifelong condition rather than a terminal cancer - in NZ, it remains terminal. If CAR-T Cell Therapy becomes available in NZ, it will have a significant impact on people facing cancer - and not just Multiple Myeloma. It can be used to treat a number of different cancers, and it is much more gentle and kind than the traditional chemo and radiotherapy route that most NZers with cancer face. 

In April, my family and I are vowing to "Walk 500 Miles" (Dad is from Glasgow, hence the Proclaimers reference :flag-scotland:). In NZ terms that's about 804km, which split between us is about 100km or more per person over the month of April.

As an extra incentive - for every $250 I personally raise I will walk to the summit of Mount Vic and back in addition to doing my 100km.