2026 – Dr Lisa Mielke and Dr Pavitha Parathan at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
The Eliza Wilmot Scholarship was established by Par 5 in 2026 to honour the life and legacy of Eliza Wilmot, a remarkable young mother and advocate who was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer at just 37 years old. Eliza's courage, determination and commitment to raising awareness inspired many within the Pancare community. Following her passing, the scholarship was created to ensure her legacy continues to drive meaningful change for families affected by upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.
The scholarship supports promising research projects that have the potential to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with upper GI cancers. By investing in innovative ideas and the researchers behind them, the program helps accelerate progress towards better treatments, earlier diagnosis and improved survival.
In its inaugural year, the Eliza Wilmot Scholarship was awarded to researchers Dr Lisa Mielke and Dr Pavitha Parathan at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute. Their research is exploring a promising new treatment pathway that could enable approved migraine medications to be repurposed as a treatment for stomach cancer and potentially other upper GI cancers.