Patient Stories

Marjorie’s Story: Cancer, Courage and the Power of Contribution

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, her journey didn’t stop at treatment. Marjorie chose to participate in research after her latest surgery.

Facing ALS: Dean’s Story

Dean, 60 from Brisbane is living with ALS, a rare, neurodegenerative condition that affects the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement. He shares his story and his experience in participating in MND clinical trials.

Merran’s Fight Against Ovarian Cancer

Merran Williams, a 71-year-old from Buderim, Queensland, is an inspiration, full of resilience and hope in the fight against ovarian cancer. Here she tells her story.

Ataia’s Battle with Tongue Cancer

In 2018, Ataia Elhage, a 48-year-old mother, found herself in a situation no one ever expects: battling tongue cancer. Now cancer free, Ataia advocates for personalised treatments and better outcomes for patients.

Tharuka’s Story: Living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Tharuka was diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) at the age of 11. He shares with us his story - from growing up with PAH, to managing his condition and participating in clinical trials.

Living with FSHD: A Personal Journey of Strength, Hope, and Family

Meet Leona Luke: a 46-year-old mum from the Gold Coast. While her life seems like it’s all about family and fulfilling her everyday roles, Leona’s journey has been anything but typical. Leona was diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), a progressive genetic disorder that weakens muscles over time.

Emma’s Story – A Life Transformed by Research

After 12 months of intensive treatment for breast cancer, Emma was left to navigate life after cancer on her own. She had survived, but she didn’t have the tools or support to truly thrive. That’s where research made the difference.

More Than a Diet: Jenny’s Path to Coeliac Awareness

Jenny, a coeliac disease clinical trial participant shares her story. Jenny’s 18 year journey with coeliac disease has led her to become a strong advocate for research and clinical trials.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension – Rosemary’s Story

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is a serious condition characterised by high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. This elevated lung pressure causes patients to feel short of breath and, if left untreated, can ultimately lead to right heart failure and death. Rosemary shares her story living with this condition.

From diagnosis to clinical trials: Aidan’s Coeliac Disease journey

An estimated 1 in 70 Australians have coeliac disease, with more than 80 per cent of all Australian coeliac disease sufferers remain undiagnosed. Aidan, a coeliac disease clinical trial participant at Wesley Research Institute, was part of that statistic remaining undiagnosed for a lengthy period of time despite experiencing symptoms.

Eddie’s Story

Our Clinical Trials Centre has been helping people live longer and have a better quality of life since 1994, by offering new and emerging treatment options to patients with various illnesses and diseases. Eddie, who recently participated in one of WRI's innovative cardiac clinical trials, understands this first-hand.

Jillian’s Story

This was my first experience at being involved in any sort of research. If I get the opportunity again, I would definitely put my hand up after the wonderful experience I had with your team. Thank you so much to Emma and all your team for making me feel so welcome. Jillian Meet Jillian, retired […]