MANY Ballarat High students knew there was a cancer research institute in town, year 12 Chloe Hopkins says they did not realise this all started with one of their own.
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And so, they decided to bring a little of Fiona Elsey's legacy back in action.
Fiona Elsey was a medical visionary who baked cakes - a lot of cakes - to raise money for cancer research to be undertaken in her hometown.
Fiona was in year eight at Ballarat High when she died, aged 14, from an aggressive tumour in 1991.
Her efforts laid the foundation for what is now the internationally-renowned Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, based in Ballarat Technology Park at SMB.
The student body continued to fundraise, primarily via walk-a-thons, in her honour but for through the years this fell away for various reasons. Until now.
Chloe said her class learnt about Fiona when on school camp last and said her story really opened their eyes to what could be possible.
High's VCE vocational major class staged a fundraising push on Wednesday, hosting a sausage sizzle and coffee van before a walk-a-thon for years seven to nine students on he school's cross-country course.
There was face painting, hair spray and gold coin donations and for the past month students had been selling acrylic ribbons in pink (to represent breast cancer), blue (for prostate cancer), purple (Fiona's favourite colour) and yellow (general cancer and for suicide awareness).
They had been on track to raise more than $2000 for Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute by lunchtime.
Year 12 student Savannah Abson said everyone had been impacted by cancer in some way.
"Everyone knows someone with cancer and everyone knows someone with a story," Savannah said. "We could unite everyone together in their grief or celebration, just hoping they could come along and help."
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FECRI has grown to 17 staff and three PhD candidates with key projects in immunology, breast cancer, bowel cancer, ovarian cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, renal cancer, Langerhans cell histiocytosis and rrain tumours.
The institute is the only regional-based cancer hub in Australia and, without government funding, relies on community support.
Fiona's mum Gail Elsey, who is also a Ballarat High alumna, and dad Greg were on campus to unveil a plaque to honour Fiona's legacy.
"We're proud to see them continuing Fiona's legacy and she would be thrilled to think they're supporting her research vision and dreams," Ms Elsey said. "They are young people making a difference and spreading kindness for others."
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