Fiona Hemstock: Honouring a legacy through hope and discovery
For SAiGENCI supporter Fiona Hemstock, giving is deeply personal — a way to honour a remarkable legacy while helping shape a future where cancer treatment is kinder, safer, and more effective.
Mrs Fiona Hemstock and Dr Katherine Morel, postdoctoral researcher and Daisy Project co-investigator, with the work of the laboratory happening in the background.
Her decision to support SAiGENCI’s The Daisy Project was inspired by the memory of her late uncle, Professor Graham E Lewis, a respected University of Adelaide Organic Chemistry professor. He dedicated more than 35 years not only to teaching but also to cancer research in Australia, London and Switzerland. Wanting to honour his life’s work, Fiona began looking into cancer research at the University of Adelaide — and quickly discovered SAiGENCI and The Daisy Project.
“I was astounded,” Fiona says. “When I found The Daisy Project, I knew immediately that I had to donate towards its success.”
Carrying Professor Lewis’s legacy forward through this ground-breaking research is deeply meaningful. Having spent decades uncovering the causes of cancer, Fiona believes her late uncle would have been captivated by the University’s leadership in developing a revolutionary new treatment. “He would have been amazed and excited to see how far the science has progressed,” Fiona reflects.
A defining moment came when Fiona learned that one of The Daisy Project aims was to protect healthy tissue during radiotherapy — potentially sparing patients the painful “sunburn-like” damage that so often accompanies treatment.
“I immediately thought of three brave people I know who would have benefited enormously from this,” Fiona adds. “That realisation made my decision very clear.”
Her belief in medical research is grounded not only in family legacy, but in lived experience. Having survived several illnesses that were life-threatening — including cancer, polio and COVID-19 — she credits research and innovation with saving her life.
“I am alive because of medical research,” she says simply. “Because people cared enough to discover and produce effective treatments.”
Today, knowing her support is helping advance a South Australian-based research project with global potential is both humbling and exhilarating.
“It is breath-taking,” she says. “Professor Christopher Sweeney, SAiGENCI Director, revealed to me what my donation had purchased for the laboratory. It’s just a piece of equipment — but it’s wonderful to think that it could help save lives.”
Looking ahead, she is inspired by The Daisy Project’s bold vision: to destroy cancer while preventing the harm caused by radiation.
“That’s a big ask,” she acknowledges, “but I will follow the project’s progress with great interest.”
To others considering a donation, her message is clear: early-stage research matters.
“Just Google The Daisy Project to find out more,” Fiona encourages. “If it continues to live up to its promise, it will be well worth supporting. The community needs to invest in accredited medical research so we can all benefit. We all know someone who has suffered from cancer — and a cure would be brilliant.”
Through her generosity, Fiona is not only honouring the past, but helping to build a future filled with hope.