Owned locally as a Bairnsdale boy, and a brilliant young man, Professor Simon Gregory gave freely of his time to interested members of the community last Friday evening while home in Bairnsdale to visit his parents Robert and Libby.
Simon addressed the audience in simple terms on areas of his research work at Duke University North Carolina USA, one of America’s finest universities.
Simon’s area of research expertise include cancer, thyroid, Multiple Sclerosis, alzheimers, and autism related data.
Professor Gregory’s address had some quality practical advice for those who attended the evening session.
Firstly, he said, do not diagnose yourself using ‘Doctor Google’ but see a doctor about your health concerns and make sure you do not leave the doctor’s surgery before you understand what has been said.
“Don’t be passive, don’t let things get lost in translation, keep asking questions,” he said.
“Any treatment you may have is generally delivered by a team of specialists, from your GP, radiation specialist, or medical oncologist.”
The professor noted 50 per cent of people do not take their medication as prescribed and 40 per cent of the population will develop some sort of cancer.
He rounded off his address, that had been stripped back a little of scientific jargon and data to be a little more palatable for the audience, reinforcing the importance of exercise, eating and sleeping well if you can and being positive as well as considering pollution and stress in our lives.
The emcee for the evening was Anne Cross, a member of Sunrise Rotary, who coordinated the evening.
She thanked Professor Gregory for making time available to address members of a community he had left to peruse a career in research to contribute to a better world.
