Cancer Trials Ireland, the national organisation dedicated to advancing cancer clinical trials, announced the creation of the Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin (UCD), in early July. The new position will anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland with the ambition of creating a global centre of excellence for treatment and research of this form of cancer which has one of the poorest outcomes.
“The position will receive €900,000 (€180,000 per annum) in funding over five years from Cancer Trials Ireland’s Pat Smullen Pancreatic Cancer Fund with matching funding for the role from the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP),” says Eibhlín Mulroe, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland. “UCD will then take over Cancer Trials Ireland funding contribution to continue the partnership with the HSE NCCP.”
The new Chair will share their time between their clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital – the national surgical centre for pancreatic cancer – and their research work at UCD School of Medicine. At UCD, they will work to identify, attract, open and monitor new pancreatic cancer trials for patients in Ireland.
Ms Mulroe said; “The Pat Smullen Pancreatic Cancer Fund arises from various fundraising endeavours undertaken by champion jockey, Pat Smullen, his family, and the horse racing community, following his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in March 2018. The inaugural fundraising event – the Irish Champions Weekend – raised €2.6 million in September 2019, with further fundraising events having raised an additional €367,000 to date.
Pat SMullen died in September 2020, but Ms Mulroe said his legacy will live on, and the fund he created includes new treatment options for 174 patients with pancreatic cancer, at no cost to themselves, or to the State.
Pictured are: Prof. Risteárd Ó Laoide, Prof. Ray McDermott and Eibhlín Mulroe.
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