Cancer Trials Ireland names new position in memory of beloved jockey

Cancer Trials Ireland (CTI), the national organisation dedicated to advancing cancer clinical trials, has announced the creation of the Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin (UCD).

According to Horse Racing Ireland, he new position, which was announced on Monday, July 10 last, will 'anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland, with the ambition of creating a global centre for treatment and research of this form of cancer, which has one of the poorest outcomes.'

The new role is named in memory of Pat Smullen, the nine-time champion jockey who passed away from pancreatic cancer in September 2020.

Pat Smullen was also at the centre of a drive by the Irish horse-racing and breeding industry over Irish Champions Weekend in September 2019.

Commenting on the announcement, Eibhlín Mulroe, CEO of the CTI, said: "The position will receive €900,000 (€180,000 per annum) in funding over five years from Cancer Trials Ireland’s Pat Smullen Pancreatic Cancer Fund (PCF), with matching funding for the role from the HSE National Cancer Control Programme. UCD will then take over Cancer Trials Ireland funding contribution to continue the partnership with the HSE NCCP."

The new Chair will share their time between their clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital (the national surgical centre for pancreatic cancer) and their research work at UCD.

While at UCD, the Chair will work to identify, attract, open and monitor new pancreatic cancer trials for patients.

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Ms Mulroe continued: "The Pat Smullen PCF arises from various fundraising endeavours undertaken by champion jockey Pat Smullen, his family, and the horse racing community, following his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in March 2018.

"The inaugural fundraising event raised €2.6 million with further fundraising events having raised an additional €367,000 to date.

"Sadly, Pat died in September 2020, but his legacy lives on and the fund he created has now provided new treatment options for 174 patients with pancreatic cancer, at no cost to themselves, or to the State.

"There are lots of fast-moving developments in pancreatic cancer right now with new treatments, including vaccine treatments that arose during COVID, being applied to this cancer.

“By developing the research infrastructure in place in hospitals, we will be better able to support the development of pancreatic cancer clinical trials, and be ready to take full advantage of these really important treatment advances when they come along.

"Our intention is to recruit an internationally-renowned pancreatic cancer leader who will work on new treatments and therapies with doctors from around the world, and who will then roll these out for the benefit of Irish patients," she concluded.

Frances Crowley, Professor Ray McDermott, Eibhlín Mulroe, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland with Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland at the launch of the Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney.

Frances Crowley, wife of the late Pat Smullen, said the announcement builds on new treatment options for pancreatic cancer that would not have arisen but for the funds raised.

She said: "The Pat Smullen PCF has already brought new treatment options to people in Ireland that weren’t there in 2019.

"Now, just four years later, one trial has concluded, another has just opened, a third will open in the coming months, while a fourth is in the pipeline for late 2023/early 2024."

She added: "With this funding, the aim is to put pancreatic cancer research onto a more stable and promising footing, and I know that’s what Pat wanted to achieve when we set about the fundraising activities over Irish Champions Weekend in 2019.

"Thanks to the unswerving support of the horse racing community, Pat’s friends, and many others whose lives have been affected by pancreatic cancer, we are able to make the long-term funding commitment that the Chair needs."

For more information, visit www.cancertrials.ie/pat-smullen.