AFTER finding out he had terminal cancer, Bathurst man Derek Larnach didn’t wallow in self pity; instead, he has since been on a mission to help others.
While most people would think fighting for your life each day was tough, since being diagnosed two and a half years ago Mr Larnach has helped raise about $80,000 for research into adrenal cancer at the University of Sydney.
And he doesn’t intend to stop there.
Now he is asking farmers from across the Bathurst region – and the State – to pitch in and help by donating an animal next time they send livestock to market.
Mr Larnach is running Livestock for Lives – a livestock drive in aid of research into adrenal cancer at the University of Sydney, to help support the committed people who helped extend his life.
Livestock for Lives has been running through Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange since November and will continue throughout December and January.
“Just think of us the next time you are selling stock and by donating an animal to a worthy cause, hopefully we can help some others,” Mr Larnach said.
“One hundred per cent of the money raised goes directly into a research fund based at the University of Sydney.”
Mr Larnach said the research team helped to extend his life and he thought fundraising was the best way to give something back.
Researchers were working on indentifying a person’s gene so they can hopefully quickly target the right treatment that best suits that individual’s situation – quicker diagnoses and treatment generally produce better and more effective outcomes.
In Mr Larnach’s situation, he was given a very grim prognosis at the start when given only six months to live, and with treatment and an operation he was still only given less than a year.
But two and a half years down the track Mr Larnach is still here to tell his story.
Mr Larnach, who is a grazier and grain trader, only found out he had cancer by chance when he ended up in the local hospital after being crushed by two bulls in the cattle yards on his property in May 2009.
Scans to his chest discovered broken ribs as well as a tumour the size of a grapefruit on his adrenal gland attached to his kidneys and invading the entry to his heart – there were also secondaries on his lungs.
After being given a short time frame to live with no treatment available locally, Mr Larnach searched for more help.
He found Professor Bruce Robinson, the dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney and professor of endocrinology at Royal North Shore Hospital, and Stanley Sidhu, associate professor of the University of Sydney endocrine surgical unit – leaders of the team that Mr Larnach pays respect to for helping extend his life.
After a risky operation in June 2009 and ongoing treatment, he said his most recent tests were satisfactory.
Adrenal cortical carcinoma – which Mr Larnach is treated for – is a rare form of cancer with only about two people per million diagnosed each year, so he said it was important to do something to help people in his predicament.
Most forms of cancer do have links, so the benefits of this type of research has the probability of assisting other forms of cancer.
To donate livestock to Livestock for Lives contact Harry Larnach from Elders Bathurst on 0417 473 127 or your preferred agent.
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