Saving lives, one breakthrough at a time:
Dr Lisa Mielke's cancer research
“Bowel cancer affects people in their prime – when they’re working full-time and raising young families – and changes their lives completely. If we can develop treatments that are more tolerable, we can help them keep living while they’re going through cancer.”
- Dr Lisa Mielke, Cure Cancer grant recipient in 2013 & 2017
Amazing people like you helped kick-start Dr Lisa Mielke’s novel bowel cancer research in 2013 and 2017. Thanks to this support, she and her team have made remarkable discoveries – including a new target in the immune system that could lead to safer, more effective treatments for bowel cancer. These new immunotherapies could drastically improve the quality of life for patients, reducing the impact of traditional therapies that often come with painful and debilitating side effects.
Cancer in young people, or early-onset cancer, has been rising at an alarming rate over the last few decades. Your tax-deductible donation today could help fund another breakthrough like Dr Lisa Mielke’s and change the future of cancer treatment for generations to come.
Dr Lisa Mielke is a cancer researcher & Lab Head at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute.
Your tax-deductible gift funds breakthrough research across all cancer types that will save more lives tomorrow and give hope to young people facing their darkest hours.
If you'd like to donate directly to bowel cancer research, click here.
A shock cancer diagnosis at 32 years old
Dr Natalie Diepenhorst with her daughter after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
“I’ve come across so many other young mums who haven’t been as lucky as me. Their children are now without their mums, and that isn’t fair.”
- Dr Natalie Diepenhorst, stage 2 bowel cancer survivor
Three months after becoming a new mum, Natalie noticed her post-pregnancy symptoms weren’t going away. She was struck with extreme fatigue, nauseating headaches, and struggled to walk up the stairs. Her doctor diagnosed her with severe anaemia, but the iron infusions failed to bring her iron levels back up.
To be thorough, Natalie’s doctor booked her in for a colonoscopy. When she woke up from the anaesthetic, her gastroenterologist looked grey in the face and said they found a 5-centimetre tumour in her bowel.
At just 32 years old, Natalie was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer. Her husband picked her up from the hospital and they cried together before going home to their toddler, little Zoe.
Despite the emotional turmoil of being diagnosed so young, Natalie is one of the lucky ones. Her cancer was caught early, and she has been cancer-free since her tumour removal surgery six years ago.
A medical researcher herself, Natalie has joined forces with bowel cancer researchers like Cure Cancer-funded researcher Dr Peter Georgeson to investigate why she, alongside her mum and grandad, developed bowel cancer. It is her ultimate hope that research can lead to improved cancer screening and surveillance that can save young lives, including her daughter's.
By making a tax-deductible donation before 30 June, you can give hope to someone like Natalie. Your support can help researchers like Dr Lisa Mielke discover better ways to treat life-threatening cancers and save countless lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are donations to Cure Cancer tax-deductible?
Yes – all donations of $2 or more to Cure Cancer are 100% tax-deductible in Australia. You’ll receive a receipt to include in your tax return, reducing your taxable income and helping fuel the next cancer breakthrough at the same time.
Why should I donate before 30 June?
Donating before 30 June means you can claim your tax deduction this financial year. It’s a powerful way to make a difference today and benefit at tax time. Your gift will help fund innovative cancer research that could save lives.
What if I want to donate directly to bowel cancer research?
Most donations to Cure Cancer help support groundbreaking research across all types of cancer. This flexible approach allows us to fund bold ideas and direct support where it's needed most.
If you’d prefer to donate specifically to bowel cancer research, just click here and choose the bowel cancer fund. Your gift will go directly to support vital projects focused on improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
What are the early signs of bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer symptoms can be subtle and easy to miss. Key signs to look out for include:
- A persistent change in bowel habits (like diarrhoea or constipation)
- Blood in the stool or on toilet paper
- Unexplained weight loss or fatigue
- Abdominal pain or bloating
- A feeling of incomplete bowel emptying
If you notice any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, it’s important to speak with your GP.
What treatments are available for bowel cancer?
- Surgery – often the first step to remove cancer
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy – before or after surgery
- Targeted therapy and immunotherapy – newer options with fewer side effects
How your donation helps
$75
Can fund an hour of research
$125
Can help fund microscopy imaging to look for immune cells in tumours
$550
Can fund provide lab supplies for up to 10 vital experiments
$1,000
Can help provide cutting-edge software to analyse cells
Together, we can cure cancer.
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