WAR ON CANCER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 90, 17 April 1931, Page 5

WAR ON CANCER

"A PERSONAL PROBLEM"

FUNDS TO FIGHT DISEASE

: ■ lief erring to finance at a meeting of .the Central Committee of the New Zealand branch) of tho British Empire ,Caucer Campaign Society yesterday afternoon, the president (Dr. J. S. Elliott) said that the following net amounts were in hand as at 31st December, 193*1: Auckland, £1934; Wellington, £4215; Otago and Southland, £21,000; Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland, £16,394; total, £43,543. The campaign in Auckland had just been commenced when, the earthquake occurred in Hawkes Bay, continued Dr. Elliott, and it had received a setback as a result. The Wellington division's campaign had also been affected in the same way, and considerable expenditure had.taken place on research work. Au addition to the Wellington fund would be tho sum of £2000 collected in Hawkes Bay prior to the earthquake, and there was also the Morrison bequest of £3000, which would be paid over in a few months to the Central Committee in accordance with tho regulation that all money bequeathed for research work must be sent to tlie committee to relieve the various divisions of calls upon their resources annually. An art union in aid of the cancer fund was to be held next October, from" which it was hoped to raise a large sum. "'• The branch was aiming at a capital sum of £100,000 which was necessary for important research work, managerial expenses, statistical research, maintenance of important cancer clinics in the large centres, and the purchase of radium. In Wellington- the purchase of radium had been dependent upon the munificence of the Macarthy Trust. The radium was being used for private and hospital patients, and was being put to excellent use. Dr. Elliott, speaking at the subsequent annual meeting of the branch, said that the reports from the cancer .clinics were most interesting. One of the most important functions was to interview patients who thought wrongly that they had cancer and to relieve their minds. Statistical studies were being made of the incidence of the disease in people of various ages, andin various parts of the body, and clinical record's similar'to those used in other parts of .the Empire were being kept. IMPORTANT CONCLUSIONS. "I think you will agree with me that these reports already from these clinics are very valuable, and that as time goes on we will have a mass of information which will lead us to important conclusions," remarked Dr. Elliott. On the motion of Dr. H. T. D. Acland, it was decided to send copies of the reports to all the divisions. Speaking in a general way, Dr. Elliott went on, those divisions whostarted in early to collect.funds were fortunate. The others met with, a series of obstacles such as the financial depression and claims by various important philanthropic bodies for funds,' and the cancer campaign was interrupted. To add to tho other misfortunes and those of the people generally, the earthquake occurred and further held up the work. > Mr. C. M. Luke: "All things considered, I think we have done very well." A hearty vote of thanks was accorded - Dr. Elliott for his valuable assistance in connection with the campaign. HALF-WAY TO GOAL. Eeplying, Dr. Elliott said that they took a great risk when they began their ambitious scheme. They know that a great deal of money was needed, and they had now reached about half-way to 'their goal. They should perhaps make it better known that people with means 'and charitably-inclined should remember that the work would go on for a long time even if the cause and remedy of cancer were discovered, and they should leave money towards it. ■Up to quite recently there was no society such as theirs in New Zealand, and no research work was being done; unfortunately, as a result New Zealand had lost large sums of money which had gone out for research work.which could have been done equally well and possibly better for their purposes in Now Zealand. '" • PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. "Another thing, without • imposing too much on the public generosity, is to get into the minds of everybody that the cancer problem is a personal proWorn concerning all persons, if not one particular individual, then some relative or friend, inevitably, and nothing can be'done without money," Dr. Elliott continued. They would be quite glad to get even small donations so long as it was brought home to everybody that, the responsibility in dealing with the; most devastating scourge of the present time was a personal one. "We were naturally shocked and horrified at tho loss of life in the earthquake disaster, when approximately 300 people were killed. That fortunately has happened only once in New Zealand, but at the present time five times as many people perish each year from cancer."