Australia's Largest Donation Creates World's Largest Melanoma Unit at Mater

11th Dec 2005

With the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott will today announce the establishment of the largest melanoma treatment and research centre in the world with the construction of a Sydney Melanoma Unit (SMU) facility in partnership with The Mater Hospital, North Sydney.

The SMU's establishment at The Mater has been made possible by a gift to The Mater of $32.5 million from philanthropist, Mr Greg Poche.  This represents the largest known donation to a single cause by a single donor in Australian history. Mr Poche's donation has paved the way for the construction of a multi-level purpose built facility located on The Mater Campus in North Sydney which will house clinical treatment areas, research laboratories and teaching facilities.

The SMU will link with existing cancer treatment infrastructure at The Mater, to expand a melanoma facility that provides coordinated clinical care, undertakes research and provides training for clinicians in translating oncology research into patient care.  This project at The Mater is a major expansion of the existing activities of the Sydney Melanoma Unit, currently undertaken at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA), Westmead Hospital and The Mater Hospital Newcastle.

The Sydney Melanoma Unit (SMU) is a Clinical Unit of the Discipline of Surgery within the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sydney.  Established in 1966 at Sydney Hospital, the SMU transferred to RPA in 1983. The SMU will continue to treat patients at RPA, but will be able to expand new clinical, research and teaching endeavours in the new facility at The Mater.

Established in North Sydney by the Sisters of Mercy in 1906, The Mater has a proud history in both public and private healthcare. The Mater is part of St Vincents & Mater Health Sydney (SV&MHS).

"Greg Poche's very generous donation enhances The Mater's status as an integrated cancer treatment centre.  The SMU will be complemented by existing Mater cancer services such as radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, brachytherapy, specialist clinical units, chemotherapy, radiology and the Patricia Ritchie Centre for Cancer Medicine.

"As a highly specialised cancer centre, underpinned by teaching and research, this model of cancer care will serve as a template for all our Mater cancer services - in doing so, fulfilling our mission of responding to community need", said SV&MHS Chairman, Mr Nicholas Curtis.

With approximately 1,300 new patients referred each year, the SMU treats approximately one third of the melanoma patients in New South Wales. The management of melanoma is primarily based on surgical intervention.  The number of patients treated is increasing every year and has doubled during the past ten years.

Melanoma is a malignant cancer of the pigment producing cells of the skin. With the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, it is the most common cancer in Australian males aged 25 - 54 and in females aged 15 - 29 years. It is the second most common cancer in women 30 - 54 years of age. In the overall population of Australia, melanoma ranks as the third most common cancer. 
 
As with many other cancers, melanoma patients treated in specialised multidisciplinary oncology centres have better outcomes. By further consolidating the treatment of patients with melanoma into a research oriented clinical facility at The Mater with resources to procure research material and onsite laboratories, more patients will be participating in clinical trials and will receive cutting edge treatment to ensure better outcomes.

An immediate priority of this project is to develop an integrated web-based facility to evolve the previous function of the SMU database - consisting of 25,000 melanoma patients into an integrated informatics system which would be available as a decision support system at all points of patient care at both The Mater and RPA.

In acknowledging his donation, Mr Poche says, "While I am fortunate to be in a position to provide the means to establish the SMU at The Mater, the opportunity to further the critical endeavours of the SMU in the treatment, teaching, and research into melanoma and to have an impact on the health of Australians is an honour.

"I would encourage other Australians in a similar privileged position and corporate Australia to heed the Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership strategy and get behind projects that can make a difference to the lives of so many - it is a return on one's investment that is unparalleled," said Mr Poche.

Professor John Thompson, Director of the SMU adds "As acknowledged by the NSW Cancer Institute, the most important aspect of treatment provided at the SMU is undoubtedly its provision of multidisciplinary care. By constructing a purpose built unit - supported by a sophisticated informatics system and housing the world's largest concentration of melanoma specialists and researchers, we will further the vision of the SMU's founders while maintaining our integral relationship with the University of Sydney and RPA."  

"We are grateful to Mr Greg Poche and the Friends of The Mater for making this vision a reality," said Professor Thompson.

For more information please contact David Faktor, SV&MHS Public Affairs & Communications Manager on 0405 497 510.