Mater Hospital researcher Professor Jim Denham is determined to find a cure for prostate cancer.

And so are Mark and Geneane Gusse.

So determined in fact, the Hamilton couple donated $15,000 worth of jewellery to the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s raffle.

The raffle, supported by the Hunter community, raised $30,000 for the professor’s latest research project and helped get it off the ground.

A family history of prostate cancer is the main reason the couple, who own Gallerie Fine Jewel-lery at Kotara, donated the pieces.

Mr Gusse lost his father, grandfather and uncle to the disease.

“The family history was like the indicator for me. I have a yearly Prostate Specific Antigen test but my focus isn’t just on me, it’s for my son and his son and for the future.”

Mr Gusse said he would also like to see more of a focus and education on prostate cancer.

“Men are afraid to talk about it. I would like to see prominent men, who have had prostate cancer, talk about it and raise the awareness.”

But what Mr Gusse wants the most is for Prof Denham to ring him and tell him he’s solved it.

The money raised by the Gusses’ donation has gone towards the RADAR trial.

It is an extension to Prof Denham’s previous research 96.01 trial conducted with the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group, which found three months of hormone therapy treatment before radiotherapy treatment reduced the chances of cancer returning in the prostate by about 45 per cent.

Prof Denham said the 96.01 trial had accelerated the progress towards a prostate cancer cure but he wanted to do more.

He said when the trial was finished, there would be more to be done.

“We’re always trying to better the last kind of treatment results.”

The Tingira Heights professor said he had used some of his own money to develop the new trial.

“Before Mark and Geneane, I had $160,000 of personal debt and I didn’t have that much money in my pocket.