He was one of our leading researchers and known for his work (along with Dr Long) on melanomas, one of the deadliest and common cancers in Australia.
He came out publicly with his diagnosis and because he was a researcher, he was able to use the same sort of technology he had worked on for melanomas to advance the research on glioblastomas because the ethical rules for usual studies could be relaxed.
His work along with his doctors has advanced research dramatically hopefully leading to, if not a cure, treatments that can make yet another cancer a chronic disease. There are formal research clinical trials being planned on the technology and treatments he pioneered.
He was a celebrity because we (Australians) knew a good and worthy human when we saw one.
> The poor man was made into a local Australian celebrity by the media.
I wouldn't say that's quite what happened - I mean, he was explicitly trying to use his profile to raise awareness for brain cancer research so was very public with the progress of his experimental treatment!
Australia isn't like that- we're much more attuned to genuine hard work, and know it when we see it, along with knowing when we're being strung along. It's in our culture. We respect great people like this guy who do good work but choose to be humble.
This is not some media beatup.
He was one of our leading researchers and known for his work (along with Dr Long) on melanomas, one of the deadliest and common cancers in Australia.
He came out publicly with his diagnosis and because he was a researcher, he was able to use the same sort of technology he had worked on for melanomas to advance the research on glioblastomas because the ethical rules for usual studies could be relaxed.
His work along with his doctors has advanced research dramatically hopefully leading to, if not a cure, treatments that can make yet another cancer a chronic disease. There are formal research clinical trials being planned on the technology and treatments he pioneered.
He was a celebrity because we (Australians) knew a good and worthy human when we saw one.
> The poor man was made into a local Australian celebrity by the media.
I wouldn't say that's quite what happened - I mean, he was explicitly trying to use his profile to raise awareness for brain cancer research so was very public with the progress of his experimental treatment!
The celebrity comes with the award (Australian of the Year). He could have refused the nomination if he had wanted to.
Australia isn't like that- we're much more attuned to genuine hard work, and know it when we see it, along with knowing when we're being strung along. It's in our culture. We respect great people like this guy who do good work but choose to be humble.