Give the gift of a
life lived fully
Your kindness this Christmas can help more people live well, with and beyond Below the Belt cancer.
Your gift this Christmas helps:
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Fund research and help accelerate the next research breakthrough in Below the Belt cancers (bladder, kidney, testicular, penile and prostate).
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Make it possible for more people to live fearlessly - with confidence in the care they receive.
Cancer research changes lives - just ask Michael or Tim.
Michael's Story
Comedian Michael Shafar was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2017. After six months of treatment he was given the all-clear, until the cancer returned in 2020.
“I’ve gotta say, a huge advantage of losing a testicle - I finally feel comfortable in skinny jeans,” he told audiences at the Adelaide Fringe.
Throughout treatment, Michael held onto the things that made him feel normal: performing stand-up, writing for The Project, and staying connected to friends.
When he looks back, he doesn’t talk about chemo or hospitals. He's more grateful for the things he took for granted: “It was such a chore trying to keep food down when I was sick. Now it’s a treat to demolish a lasagna.”
Today, with no active cancer detected, life feels full again. He's glad to be concerned about the small things”, like whether a new joke will land - and is even allowing himself to dream ahead.
“The other day I thought: ‘I might move to New York in five years.’ It’s nice to know I’ll probably still be alive in five years.”
Tim's Story
Just weeks before Christmas in 2023, 44-year-old Tim Weale learned he had stage four metastatic prostate cancer.
The news was a shock to the fit, happy father of two - and to everyone he told that Christmas.
On the family's annual trip to Red Rock over New Year’s, Tim caught himself wondering whether he’d ever see another year there. But he made a promise to himself to return.
During treatment, Tim tried to keep life “as normal as possible.” He worked, stayed active and kept moving forward - literally. He even walked five kilometres home after each round of chemo!
Thankfully, his treatment was successful - and now Tim’s cancer is undetectable.
He’s now focused on celebrating life and the moments that give him meaning: more time with his kids, fishing trips, and sharing his story to help others.
“Raising awareness for cancer research feels more meaningful than anything I did in the corporate world.”
Tim’s story is a reminder of what it looks like to keep showing up for the life you want to keep living - even in the hardest moments.
Stories like Tim’s and Michael’s are possible because research creates better options - and brighter futures.
You can help more people like them.
What are Below the Belt cancers?
Below the Belt cancers include prostate, kidney, bladder, testicular and penile cancers - cancers that affect the urinary and reproductive systems.
Every day, 119 people across Australia and New Zealand are diagnosed. That's someone every 15 minutes.
What needs to change?
Current treatments for Below the Belt cancers can come with tough side effects that impact on quality of life - such as pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and sexual health changes.
In later stages, treatment options become limited and survival outcomes worsen.
Why research matters.
Research and clinical trials lead to better treatments - so people have less side effects and a better quality of life while facing cancer.
It also drives new innovations for those with fewer options - giving people a better chance of living well and living longer.
For too many people, Below the Belt cancers still mean difficult treatments and uncertain outcomes. Research changes that. It’s how we find better therapies, improve quality of life, and give people a stronger chance at living well and living longer.
Because everybody deserves to live life fully - even with cancer.
Your support helps shape the future.
About ANZUP
At ANZUP, we’re dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by Below the Belt cancers: bladder, kidney, testicular, penile and prostate cancers.
We bring together a multidisciplinary network of more than 2,500 clinicians, nurses, allied health professionals, trial coordinators, scientists, researchers and community representatives to run world-class clinical trials that lead to better treatments and better care.
Our trials have already delivered life-changing advancements - giving people more options, fewer side effects, and the chance to live well and live longer.
What sets ANZUP apart is our focus on what truly matters to patients and their families. Our research targets areas of real clinical need, not commercial interest, which ensures that every trial has the potential to make a meaningful difference.
We’re united by a simple but powerful vision: a future where no one has to fear a Below the Belt cancer diagnosis.
“Every day, I see how research changes real lives. Our hope is a future where no family fears a Below the Belt cancer diagnosis - and where people can focus on living, not worrying.”
- ANZUP CEO, Samatha Oakes
Where your donation goes
$50 can support clinical research aimed at improving methods of diagnosis, so people can receive life-saving treatments sooner.
$100 can support the development of targeted therapies, so each person receives the care that fits them best.
$200 can support research into treatments that minimise painful side effects, so those affected can focus on what matters most.
$500 can support the collection and preparation of tumour samples, which can be used in multiple trials to drive future medical advances.
Meet Juliet:
living without fear of cancer.
Juliet took part in an ANZUP clinical trial after her cancer diagnosis - and today, she’s living fully, fearlessly, and doing more of what she loves. You can watch or read her story below.
