Shirley Cuff was a vibrant and much-loved wife and mother of three children. She and her family were devastated when in December 2009 she was diagnosed with colon cancer that had already spread to her liver.

Despite a valiant three-year fight, including chemotherapy, surgery and internal radiation, Shirl died at home with her family on 20 July 2013.

Motivated by a desire that other families not be faced with the same experience, and as a tribute to Shirl’s courage, her husband Jeff set up the Shirley Cuff Cancer Research Foundation. The foundation supports the work of our colon cancer research team, headed by Professor Antony Burgess.

Searching for a way to prevent colon cancer

Jeff decided to support our research following a number of visits to the institute and briefings with researchers.

“Professor Burgess and his colleagues explained that they are trying to understand how a protein called APC protects us from colon cancer, and how damage to APC can lead to colon cancer,” he said. “I’m very excited by his ideas for developing a preventive treatment for this disease.”

Professor Burgess and his team believe that targeted drug combinations can be optimised for improving the treatment of colon cancer. “We are working to understand better how normal and cancerous intestinal cells are produced. Our aim is to use this information to identify new drug combinations to prevent colon cells becoming cancerous.”

Read more about Professor Burgess’ research into colon cancer. 

To discuss how you can support specific areas of research here at the institute, please contact Sally Elford on (03) 9345 2345 or elford.s@wehi.edu.au.