![](/gci/files/gci/dscn0305.jpg)
Her bereaved family, who saw the ravages of breast cancer, were mobilised by a desire to help progress breast cancer research. They amassed donations and gave a scholarship to a talented graduate student, Hailey Proud, performing breast cancer research . We met with Hailey to discuss her research and the impact it could have on patient鈥檚 lives.
听
![](/gci/files/gci/187133277_1453243768358357_7683233198783060024_n.jpg)
The rationale of her research is counteracting resistance by get ahead of it. As tumors of a given type often develop resistance in one of few predictable ways, it is possible to exploit the vulnerabilities that emerge upon developing such resistance.
Therefore, Hailey attempts to find the vulnerabilities of resistant HER2-positive breast cancer 鈥淚 will explore cancer stem cells, the immune environment and changes in the estrogen receptor as three potential mechanisms of resistance and determine whether it is possible to re-sensitize individuals to the available treatment鈥, she concludes.
In addition to her involvement in research, Hailey also believes in the importance of sharing cancer research with the community at large and to inspire more young minds to contribute to cancer research: 鈥淐ome the Fall, I鈥檒l be working with the Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) on an event called 鈥楲et鈥檚 Talk Cancer鈥 to help educate local high school students on current cancer research鈥!
Cancer research is not a sprint, but a marathon. Advances allowed more people to survive, but still too many people don鈥檛 respond to available treatments. Donations truly accelerate our long fight against cancer. "Therefore, we would like to express profound appreciation to the Lander, Lord, Langlois and Drohan families and the many other contributors for their support of this scholarship."