For Natasha, life is good. After a diagnosis of advanced melanona in 2015, she has defied the odds and is currently clear of any tumour activity. Thanks in part to your donations, Natasha was able to have access to cutting edge treatment, research and clinical trials which in her case, have been life-saving.
Natasha came to the ONJ Centre complaining of pain in her abdomen and a CT scan revealed a number of cancerous tumours throughout her body. With time running out, Natasha’s doctors needed to find out what type of cancer they were dealing with.
Using an innovative new tumour DNA blood test, doctors were able to quickly diagnose Natasha’s cancer without invasive tests to collect tissue samples and worrying lengthy waiting times to get results.
Once they had a diagnosis, doctors immediately began to treat Natasha and monitor progress using the tumour DNA blood test regularly. When test results showed increased tumour activity, Natasha’s treatment was immediately changed to revolutionary immunotherapy.
Natasha is still undergoing immunotherapy treatment every three weeks and blood tests and scans show no tumour activity.
Generous donations from the community have in part helped fund these vital research programs which mean that every day our researchers and clinicians work together to discover, develop and trial breakthrough therapies to help people, like Natasha, live better with cancer and defeat it.