How the Fussell Family Foundation is changing the path of ovarian cancer 

The Fussell family has been committed to changing the future of ovarian cancer, ever since hearing Professor Anna deFazio AM speak at the POSH Gala Ball in 2018.  

Through their Fussell Family Foundation, they launched and continue to fund the Ovarian Cancer Research Stream in the Daffodil Centre, a joint venture between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney focusing on world-leading cancer control and policy.

Together, we hope to help more people survive ovarian cancer and accelerate progress, as survival rates for ovarian cancer have only slightly improved over the past few decades.

Read on to learn why the Fussell family threw their support behind this vital research, what it’s meant to them and what we’ve already achieved together.

Why the Fussell family chose to support ovarian cancer research 

Daffodil Centre researchers conduct research aimed at informing policy decisions and making a society-level impact for people affected by cancer. This approach has led to significant policy successes for diseases like cervical, bowel, and breast cancers, saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

Thanks to the Fussell Family Foundation’s commitment and generosity, Daffodil Centre researchers are now on the path to make a similar impact on ovarian cancer.

“Ovarian cancer is a complex disease, and we know that breakthroughs take a dedicated team and a long road”, say Tom and Louise Fussell.

“We feel privileged to be able to provide long-term funding that enables Cancer Council’s highly skilled researchers to better understand this devastating disease”.

How we’re tackling ovarian cancer together 

The Daffodil Centre’s multidisciplinary team is developing an innovative new predictive modelling platform, which will make it possible to predict the future burden of ovarian cancer in Australia and internationally. 

With this platform and through collaborative work using exceptional data sources to study ovarian cancer, the team focuses on identifying optimal pathways to prevent, diagnose and treat ovarian cancer. 

As we chart a course forward, we’ve kept the Fussell family abreast of the progress so far. 

“Our experience working with Cancer Council NSW and the Daffodil Centre research team has been exceptional”, say Louise and Thomas, “We value the close engagement, receiving regular progress reports from the team and we applaud their skill and dedication to the project.” 

The importance of long-term funding for cancer research 

The Daffodil Centre has experience using mathematical modelling and epidemiological approaches to guide cancer control in Australia and internationally. If it progresses as expected, the team will provide the necessary high quality evidence to improve prevention policies and inform the development of strategies, such as optimal genetic testing, to lower the incidence of ovarian cancer in the future. In order to find better ways to treat ovarian cancer, the team is focused on understanding how the addition of anti-inflammatory medications to standard treatments may improve survival outcomes for women with ovarian cancer.

Put simply, we couldn’t invest in the Daffodil Centre’s Ovarian Cancer research without the multi-year support from the Fussell Family Foundation. 

Speaking on the topic in early 2024, Professor Karen Canfell AC, the Daffodil Centre’s Director at the time, said that “We are extremely grateful to the Fussell family for enabling this life-saving cancer research. It enables our researchers to plan and progress their work into the future with certainty”. 

To learn more about the impact your philanthropic support can have, please contact the Cancer Council NSW Philanthropy Team at philanthropymailbox@nswcc.org.au.

To learn more about this and other research projects, visit the Daffodil Centre website.