Steer North is a health promotion charity, dedicated to inspiring people to live health and active lives.
The charity was established after the death of Mike Helal. Mike died in 2015 from a rare type of bone cancer. Steer North raises funds for medical research, education and patient care.
Mike’s brother James and his partner Rita Nehme, led the group’s first major project, a 4000km cycle from Melbourne to Cairns in 2016, raising $100,000. Their ambitious journey included visits to different communities across Australia to highlight the benefits of a healthy lifestyle on reducing the rate of disease.
The Steer North VCCC Alliance PhD Scholarship supports our commitment to improve patient outcomes by integrating cancer research, education and patient care. The scholarship assists talented individuals to further their education and undertake research into cancer.
The Steer North VCCC Alliance PhD Scholarship at The University of Melbourne is made possible by a generous $100,000 donation from Steer North.
The Steer North VCCC Alliance PhD Scholarship is available for to PhD students focusing on cancer research at one of the VCCC Alliance partner organisations and is an Australian citizen.
Andrew Freeman, a researcher in cancer immunology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is the recipient of the inaugural Steer North VCCC Alliance PhD Research Scholarship.
The significant scholarship will enable Andrew to complete his PhD through the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, working in the Immune Defence Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, under the supervision of Dr Conor Kearney and Dr Jane Oliaro.