Freemasons fund cancer research
A New Zealand research team on the cusp of a cancer breakthrough has been gifted a financial boost thanks to the world’s oldest fraternal organisation.
Over the next two years, Freemasons New Zealand will donate $600,000 to support the Wellington-based Malaghan Institute’s world-leading CAR-T cell therapy research project.
For Freemasons’ grand master Mark Winger the partnership was a no-brainer, with his organisation dedicated to improving the lives of Kiwis nationwide in any way its members could.
‘‘Everyone knows someone who has suffered cancer or is suffering,’’ he said.
In its simplest form, CAR-T cell therapy works to reprogramme immune cells to recognise and kill cancer.
The Freemasons-funded study will work towards improving the institute’s existing CAR-T cell therapies, while also helping researchers ultimately extend them to be able to treat other cancers.
The significant donation is not uncommon for the organisation, with Winger estimating it gave an average of $10 million a year towards projects which ‘‘added value’’ to New Zealand society.
The money, he said, came directly from the Freemasons themselves, rather than from any public fundraising efforts.
‘‘When we say we’re giving money away, that means the Freemasons are giving their own money to projects,’’ Winger explained.
‘‘We’re not some sort of secret, weird society. We’re actually people who are making a real positive difference in New Zealand.’’
He said the Wellington-based programme would complement two other major medical research programmes – neurology and paediatrics – that the Freemasons supported in Auckland and Dunedin respectively.
Malaghan Institute director Professor Graham Le Gros said the new partnership was ‘‘key to driving momentous change’’ and would provide a vital financial boost to the institute’s ongoing research.
‘‘As an independent research organisation and charity, the Malaghan Institute relies on support from the community and the generosity of organisations like Freemasons.’’