Professor Matt Dun, recipient of the 2024 ASMR Medal, Professor of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology at the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute, will Address the National Press Club of Australia on "From Lunar Shadows to New Hope: Navigating Immense Personal Loss Towards New Horizons for DIPG Patients".
Each year, the Australian Society for Medical Research awards the ASMR Medal to an eminent stakeholder in the health and medical research community for their achievements in raising awareness of health and medical research. The recipient of the ASMR Medal in 2024 is Professor Matt Dun. Professor Dun will speak about his experience as a paediatric cancer researcher who was confronted by his young daughter’s diagnosis with the most aggressive and currently incurable form of paediatric cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). In the wake of Josephine’s diagnosis and passing, Professor Dun has used his personal and professional experience to create new hope for those diagnosed with DIPG through advocacy and his research, which has developed new treatments for DIPG and identified genomic dependencies. Despite the tragic circumstances, Professor Dun will inspire with stories of hope (talk about some of the children that have received our treatments), the progress being made in DIPG/DMG research, the future potential of emerging treatments for paediatric brain cancer which are only possible if vital research such as this receives appropriate levels of support.
BIO:
Professor Matt Dun is a Professor of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology at the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute. He is a captivating speaker who connects his personal experience with his professional expertise to underscore the pivotal role of patient advocacy in medical research. Prof Dun has been awarded the 2024 ASMR Medal in recognition of his extraordinary work as both a paediatric cancer researcher and as an advocate for those diagnosed with the most aggressive and currently incurable form of paediatric cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Professor Dun’s young daughter Josephine was diagnosed with DIPG in 2018 and sadly passed away almost two years later. In the wake of Josephine’s diagnosis and passing, Professor Dun has worked tirelessly in pursuit of advances in the treatment of DIPG, as well as in support of other families faced with a DIPG diagnosis. Together with his wife, Dr Phoebe Hindley, Professor Dun advocates for patients and their families who are navigating a DIPG diagnosis through their charity RUN DIPG (https://rundipg.org/). Professor Dun will be speaking at a number of events around Australia as part of ASMR Medical Research Week®, which will be held between 21 to 28 October 2024. The ASMR Medal will be presented to Professor Dun at the National Press Club in Canberra immediately prior to his address on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.
