Pat Smullen charity race helps raise over €100,000 to purchase genetic sequencer

The Pat Smullen Champions Race for Cancer Trials Ireland, held on a memorable Sunday afternoon at the Curragh last September, continues to give much needed funds to worthy causes and the latest donation was a cheque for €100,000 to purchase a genetic sequencer at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin.

Smullen presented the cheque from Cancer Trials Ireland to doctors in the hospital to fund a state-of-the-art next generation sequencing (NGS) machine.

The donation is a result of the money raised on Smullen's behalf at the Curragh on Longines Irish Champions Weekend.

Smullen said: "I'm delighted the generosity that people showed is having impacts like this, and I look forward to seeing more opportunities for people with pancreatic cancer open up very soon."

Professor Ray McDermott, clinical lead for Cancer Trials Ireland, added: "The sequencing machine enables users to define the genetic sequence of pancreatic cancer patients in Ireland.

"The NGS machine will enhance the diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer in the hospital, and it will also allow the team to participate in more pancreatic research and clinical trials for the benefit of pancreatic cancer patients."

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