QUIN’S John Wall was an honoured guest at the Irish Cancer Society Research Awards.
Held this Monday in Dublin, John was also host for the awards where top honours were claimed by Dr Janice Richmond (Senior Researcher of the Year), as well as Ashley Bazin from the Clinical Trials Unit at Tallaght University Hospital who scooped the Support Staff of the Year title. The prize of PhD Researcher of the Year went to Rebecca O’ Brien from Trinity College Dublin.
Patients and survivors’ central contribution innovative research projects that help to improve the lives of those impacted by cancer were celebrated at the event. This was reflected in the category of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Champion of the Year, which went to breast cancer survivor Kay McKeon for her valuable input across a number of cutting-edge programmes.
A prominent advocate since his diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2017, John was on hand to declare the winners at the annual event. He said he was grateful to all recipients for the work they do.
“It’s truly an honour to have hosted these awards; cancer research is the very reason I’m still alive & to be part of such a prestigious event is indeed a privilege. It’s fantastic to see the research communities being acknowledged for the sterling work being done, more often than not quietly in the background but in the surety that their impact is immense. With progress comes hope and for cancer patients worldwide, that’s priceless,” John stated.
The 2023 Irish Cancer Society Research Awards was the first event to be held in person since before the pandemic in 2020. The event comes ahead of the return of the Society’s Daffodil Day fundraiser on Friday March 24, which provides crucial support for ground-breaking cancer research.