Pancare Foundation Annual Review 2021

Pancare Foundation is proud to publish our Annual Review, highlighting our achievements of the 2020/21 financial year.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic presenting us with additional challenges, there is much to be proud of as we continue to accelerate change for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

Within this review you will discover, thanks to the generosity of our community and donors, how Pancare Foundation has been able to significantly expand services, connecting with and supporting more patients diagnosed with upper GI cancers – providing dedicated support through our PanSupport program though all stages of the cancer journey.

You’ll also discover how Pancare funded research projects are leading the way in unlocking new discoveries that will help improve patient care and aid in early detection.

Our 2020/21 Highlights

• An increase of 19% in patients and 123% in carers supported
• Expanded PanSupport services to include free counselling
• Doubled the level of financial support to patients and their families in need
• Funded six new key research projects
• 83,982 visits to the Pancare Foundation website (30% increase year-on-year)
• Launched a dedicated carers support group
• Launched a new ‘Living Well’ webinar series with more than 420 participants
• Updated our pancreatic cancer resource literature
• Increased consumer submissions to improve access to medications, supportive services and research
• The launch of Pancare Foundation’s five-year strategy

Pancare Foundation’s five-year strategy

A key highlight of for 2021 was the launch of our five-year strategy in January, outlining our promise for progress over the next five years. It is our plan to ensure people living with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are no longer forgotten, and as such, identified three main strategic priorities:

• Tell all Australians about the challenge facing upper gastrointestinal cancers
• Support more Australians diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal cancers, and
• Double the survival rate of Australians diagnosed with these cancers.

Improved research and patient support programs will continue to be built using engaged networks of clinical and allied health practitioners. Despite collectively representing one of the leading causes of cancer death, upper GI cancers continue to have low community awareness. Like pancreatic cancer, they receive far less funding than other major cancers. Pancare’s mission is to mobilise its community and funding base to make a difference, and through a major research commitment into upper GI cancers, gain a greater understanding of the data behind them, to provide an important national forum for discussion and policy implementation.

Already our commitment to increased support has made a real difference to the lives of those people living with these cancers, along with their families and carers.

Pancare will conduct major research into upper GI cancers, ensuring we have a greater understanding of the data behind them to provide an important national forum for discussion and policy implementation at a state and national level. These priorities will be achieved through the establishment of our RACE Innovation Lab, a highly efficient, digital-enabled ecosystem that services the organisation with a high-performance culture, that’s accountable and focused on delivery-based outcomes displaying sound governance practices.

Pancare will raise funds from a diverse range of sources to invest in the future, with the creation of an innovative partnership model. We will diversify our fundraising offering and grow our donor base, ultimately delivering a donor-centric culture that enhances retention and long-term gift giving.

We thank all our supporters for enabling us to strive towards our mission to ensure that upper GI cancers receive the national attention and funding they desperately need.

There remains much to be achieved, but together, we can, and will, make a difference.