MACKENZIE'S STORY

I never planned to go into research, but everything changed when I lost my mum to cancer

Hi, my name is Mackenzie. Everything changed when Mum was diagnosed with cancer. I wanted more time with her. I wanted better treatment options. Most of all, I wanted hope. But mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, is a cruel disease and for many families, there are too few options and not enough time, leaving futures tragically cut short.

That is why I am sharing my story. I now work alongside Dr Alistair Cook at the Institute for Respiratory Health on research that could help change what families face after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Early studies have shown strong results in the lab and now we need support to take the next step.

We need your help to raise $20,000 before 30 June to move a promising new treatment closer to clinical trials and give people with mesothelioma more time. With a generous partner doubling every donation, your gift will go twice as far.

Your donation can help move this research forward. It can help bring better treatment options closer to patients and help give people with mesothelioma more time.

Mesothelioma takes so much from families. futures they imagined, planned for and should have had the chance to share

My mum was an incredible person. She could find beauty and joy in almost anything and she had a cracking sense of humour. Even when she was in pain, she was still trying to make people laugh.

She did not live in fear. No matter what she was facing, she met it with courage. She encouraged my sister and me to live boldly and to go after what mattered to us.

What I miss most is her love. Even when she was in pain, she made sure we were okay.

We came first. Always. I miss her smile and her warmth and the way she backed us in whatever path we chose, as long as we were happy.

What stays with me most from that time is how brave she was. Even when things were at their hardest, she still found moments of humour. She still cared for other people. She still tried to make good memories with us.

I don’t want families to go through what we did

Research was not something I had planned for my life. When Mum was sick, I felt helpless. After she passed, I could not shake the feeling that I needed to do something. I wanted to help other people going through something similar, even if my part in that was small.

Research gave me a way to turn grief into something meaningful.

Being part of this work at the Institute for Respiratory Health alongside Dr Alistair Cook means a great deal to me. It is personal. It is tied so closely to my own life. It has shown me how much care and commitment sits behind every step forward and how much more still needs to be done.

I think Mum would be proud of the path I am on now. She always encouraged growth and resilience and pushing beyond what feels comfortable. I think she would be proud that I am trying to make a difference for other families facing this disease.

To take this research closer to clinical trials, we need specialised tools to track how the treatment is working inside the body.

Your support will help fund this critical next step, bringing better treatment options closer to the people who urgently need them.

Thank you for your support.

Warmest wishes Mackenzie Lighton