His wife, Catherine, recalls the shock and disbelief they experienced upon learning that the cancer was linked to his work-related exposure to asbestos, and that knowledge about the disease was so limited.
“Rex was an extremely healthy man who regularly played tennis and golf. He never needed to go to the doctor, he never got sick or had headaches, then all of sudden we found out he had cancer - we didn’t even know what mesothelioma meant,” says Catherine.
“It started with him struggling to breathe, marking the beginning of an awful journey. I naively thought that if I knew more about it, I could help to make Rex better. I was so wrong; the disease was in charge.”
Sadly, Rex passed away in 2017 at the age of 75, just two years after his cancer diagnosis.
In loving memory of her husband, Catherine created the Rex Elliot Wegener PhD Scholarship at Flinders University in 2020, to advance mesothelioma research and improve outcomes for future sufferers.
Through Catherine’s generous annual donation, so far totalling $250,000, the research scholarship has supported PhD student Sarita Prabhakaran to develop a much-needed database to collect and analyse mesothelioma cases from around the world.
Working under the guidance of Professor Sonja Klebe at Flinders University, Sarita has established the Asbestos-related diseases and Mesothelioma Biology Research (AMBR) database. The cutting-edge database integrates clinical data and biospecimens from individuals affected by asbestos-related disease.
Sarita explains, “To improve mesothelioma diagnosis, advance our understanding of disease mechanisms and predict treatment options and responses, it’s essential to link larger sets of clinical data and diagnostic information with specimens such as pleural fluid, tissue and blood.
“The AMBR database is now at the forefront of global mesothelioma research, supporting researchers worldwide in their quest to improve treatments and care, and ultimately finding a cure.”
The support of the Rex Elliot Wegener PhD Scholarship has also enabled Sarita to assess the variances in grading of mesothelioma by pathologists across the world.
“The investigation showed that the current grading system for mesothelioma remained robust, but critical tissue and cell features such as nuclear atypia, mitotic counts and necrosis needed more standardised training to improve diagnostic consistency,” says Sarita.
In 2023 Sarita presented further research findings at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Singapore, along with papers published in the Pathology journal and Journal of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.
“The support from the Rex Elliot Wegener PhD Scholarship has not only progressed my mesothelioma research and established the valuable AMBR database, but has also extended my networks critical to my work,” says Sarita.
Sarita now works closely with the Asbestos Victims Association of South Australia, which provides support services for mesothelioma patients and their families and raises awareness about the disease.
She also collaborates with the Australian Mesothelioma Registry to analyse the incidence of multiple primary cancers in mesothelioma patients across the country.
Catherine is pleased by the progress made possible through her scholarship support, and its meaningful tribute to her late husband and others who have suffered from asbestos-related cancer.
“Rex was a happy man who had the gift of making people laugh,” says Catherine who recalls Rex's early working life and introduction to asbestos.
“Rex took up an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at the age of 17 and was later introduced to asbestos after he moved to Melbourne from Adelaide.
“It was a very popular product and was used a lot in building and construction. In those days it was all hand-sawing, no mask. He had no knowledge of the dangers. It was years later that information filtered through, but the damage had already been done.”
Catherine hopes the scholarship in memory of Rex will help raise awareness about mesothelioma and ultimately lead to breakthroughs in treatment and care.
“Research is the only way to find answers to this disease – it has already improved treatments that were not available to Rex.”
“While it’s too late for Rex, it’s not too late for other sufferers. I believe that one day there will be a breakthrough,” says Catherine.
