RAISING funds to ensure clinical trials for cancer patients can be carried out in Orange is the focus of this year’s Crusin-Along rally.
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The seventh annual rally hits the road next Thursday, with participants aiming to raise money for a clinical trials unit at Central West Cancer Services.
“Normally we’re raising money for the Western Care Lodge but that’s been built so this year it’s for the trials unit so that people with cancer that need treatment with the newer drugs don’t have to go to Sydney and they can have those drugs in Orange,” participant Dr Stuart Porges said.
Dr Porges said the clinical trials unit will form an important link in providing local cancer treatment.
“Certainly with the newer cancer drugs available for people with cancer where they are getting no response from the traditional anti-cancer drugs,” Dr Porges said.
“More and more cancers are being treated with chemotherapy. No longer is cancer just surgery and radiotherapy.
“The chemotherapy has become a much more important aspect. The addition of chemotherapy has improved the cure rate of cancer and the newer drugs are certainly very exciting.”
But providing that treatment is also very expensive.
“Part of our funding is to get staff and equipment to have a trials unit in Orange,” Dr Porges said.
“Once we get enough people involved... from there the firms that make the drugs subsidise the drugs quite markedly.
“But we’ve got to have an established trial unit for that to happen.”
This year’s Crusin-Along rally will involve 70 people travelling in 35 cars, collecting funds throughout the 11 days participants are on the road.
“[We have] a few more than last year because we’re being a bit more adventurous going up to Queensland, as far as Longreach,” Dr Porges said.
“Already last night - we had an initial meeting - the widow of a previous rally participant has donated their rally car to be auctioned with the money going to the Western Care Lodge and therefore the trials unit.”
The Crusin-Along rally will leave from the Robin Hood Hotel in Orange at 1pm on Thursday.