It’s a matter of back to the future twice over for NSS Stevedore Ren Pedersen OAM.
Ren has come on as an operator for second stint. The first one lasted a decade.
He’s also taking up the cudgel to raise a million dollars for children suffering brain cancer.
It’s something he’s done before, for the same cause.
It resulted in more than $54million being raised for research into a type of cancer called DIPG, or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, which afflicts children.
The fundraising vehicle for that locally is Convoy for a Cure.
NSS was both the largest donor and the largest fundraiser in last year’s convoy contributing more than $50,000 in donations and earning the right to lead the event. He was proud to work with a business that had contributed so much said Ren.
Ren’s now concentrating on helping get new drug treatments developed in the laboratory through the approvals process.
While the children were living longer the treatment was much the same and there was an urgent need for a step change, he said.
“My latest project is about finishing this research. So the treatments are still the same even though we’re refining them.
“So that’s what I’m doing now, I’m going toward the other end of the scale. I’m just dealing with the scientists now.
“To get this particular drug protocol, which has proven successful in the lab, I want to see this drug delivered to these children at their bedside. And that’s what our latest project ‘Ren’s Million Dollar Mission’ is all about.”
Ren lost his daughter Amy to the disease in 2007. Donations can be made at www.ccia.org.au/event/rens-million-dollar-mission