PATIENTS in Greater Springfield will soon gain access to groundbreaking clinical research into new therapies and drugs for cancer and other serious health conditions, with a new clinical trials service set to open at Mater Hospital Springfield next year.
The service, managed by Mater Research and supported by a $975,000 Mater Foundation grant, will give local patients access to innovative treatments closer to home.
For Ipswich grandmother Jan Mundt, clinical research proved truly life-changing. Diagnosed in 2018 with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer and given less than a year to live, Ms Mundt joined a Mater Research trial at Mater Hospital Brisbane under the care of Dr Vikram Jain, Mater’s Director of Medical Oncology.
“A trial of double immunotherapy had recently become available and Jan thought it would be a good opportunity,” Dr Jain said.
“At the time, the average survival rate for lung cancer with chemotherapy alone was 12 months – and Jan is still here more than seven years later.”
That same treatment has since become a standard option on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Ms Mundt said her goal when joining the trial was simple: to see her grandson, then two months old, start primary school.
“Not only did I walk him into school on his very first day, but I’ve also welcomed another grandson, who’s now four,” she said.
Mater Research’s Director of Clinical Research, Associate Professor Lucy Burr, said the new hospital provided an ideal platform to extend trials into the western corridor.
“Clinical trials are really about giving hope and making a direct impact on people’s lives,” she said.
Mater Hospital Springfield General Manager Suzanne Hawksley said the initiative reflects Springfield’s vision as a hub for health, education, and innovation.
“Much like Springfield itself, our hospital has been designed with purpose,” she said.
