Australia's oldest melanoma survivor steps up to save lives on his 105th birthday

11 March 2021
He beat melanoma at 101 thanks to breakthrough immunotherapy treatment, and four years later World War II veteran Bert Collins is taking steps to help save others from the deadly disease.
Bert today celebrated his 105th birthday at his Bankstown home, dedicating the milestone to urging his fellow Australians to join him in helping raise $500,000 for research into new life-saving melanoma treatments.
‘I figured something had to get me in the end, and so no doubt melanoma would be it,’ Bert said. ‘But research saved my life, and so I am delighted to be stepping up at 105 to help save others.’
Bert is taking part in this year’s Melanoma March campaign, where Aussies are urged to leave their footprint on melanoma by buying a $30 digital footprint, personalising it with a message of support, and sharing it to socials. Melanoma Institute Australia wants to cover Australia in digital footprints by the end of the month.
With no social accounts to share his personalised footprint, Bert is going ‘old school’ and will be leaving real footprints in his backyard in March. He’s not sure how many steps he’ll take, but the one-time ballroom dancer and avid gardener is confident he will get outside every day.
‘This is my way of giving back, and my 105th birthday wish is for other Australians to help me by buying their own digital footprint and personalising it with a message of support,’ Bert said.
Bert’s melanoma had already spread to his brain, lungs and liver when he was diagnosed with the disease in 2017. Deemed by his local oncologist to be too frail for any treatment, he was referred to Melanoma Institute Australia where he met oncologist Associate Professor Alex Menzies who is 65 years his junior.
‘Although Bert’s melanoma was advanced, he was otherwise well and was much fitter than most men 20 years younger,’ Associate Professor Menzies said. ‘So we immediately started a short course of treatment hoping for the best. I’d never had a patient as senior as Bert, so we didn’t know exactly how his body would respond,’ he said.
After just four doses of immunotherapy, which harnesses the body’s own immune system to rally and fight the cancer cells, Bert’s tumours had disappeared and he had no toxicity from treatment. He ceased treatment at that point and four years later remains disease free, making him Australia’s oldest melanoma survivor.
Associate Professor Menzies says ‘Bert has my number’ in case he ever needs it.
Bert knows he was one of the lucky ones. Some 50% of advanced melanoma patients don’t respond to the new treatments that saved his life, with an estimated 1300 Aussies expected to die from the disease this year. Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world with one person diagnosed with the disease every 30 minutes.
‘Thanks to ongoing research, we have come so far in finding new and more effective treatments for melanoma but we still have a long way to go if we are to save more lives,’ Associate Professor Menzies said. ‘Bert is amazing, he is a true Aussie legend who is continuing to live a life of service to help others, and I hope all of Australia gets behind him.’
To buy join Bert in buying a digital footprint and watch Australia be progressively covered in footprints, go to www.melanomamarch.org.au
MEDIA - For more information, please contact:
Jennifer Durante |Melanoma Institute Australia | 0412 798 990 | jennifer.durante@melanoma.org.au

Australasian Melanoma Conference AMC2021
The 2021 Australasian Melanoma Conference (AMC2021) will held in Sydney, Australia.

Sharing our knowledge of melanoma on the global stage
As leaders in the field of melanoma, clinicians and researchers from MIA will be sharing their knowledge at the virtual 10th World Congress of Melanoma.

Community Fundraising Wrap Up Jan-Mar 2021
The easing of COVID restrictions has meant the return of community events, and we recognise the generous support of our community fundraisers.

Melanoma patients and their families urged to speak up and put national spotlight on melanoma.
Melanoma patients and their carers are being urged to participate in a ground-breaking survey which will shape the future of melanoma treatment, research, support and funding in Australia.

Support for Melanoma March has come from everywhere
We have been buoyed by the wonderful support for our Melanoma March campaign, and our mission to cover Australia in footprints continues into April!

An inspiring WA Melanoma Community Forum
There was a wonderful feeling of community support amongst the melanoma patients, families and friends at the WA Melanoma Community Form.

Family of 8-year-old with melanoma calls on all Australians to step up to help save lives
The Price family has decided to share their story to inspire Australians to support research into new melanoma treatments.

Rethinking skin surveillance for high-risk melanoma patients
New research has provided evidence in favour of a structured skin surveillance program for high-risk melanoma patients.

Australia's oldest melanoma survivor steps up to save lives on his 105th birthday
Melanoma research saved Bert's life at 101 and now he wants to give back.

Predicting disease spread in thin melanoma
A new MIA online risk calculator for clinicians can determine the likelihood of thin melanoma spreading.

Exploring our own clinical questions through MIA's new trials initiative
MIA has recently established a new division of our Clinical Trials Program which co-ordinates and manages investigator-led multi-centre trials.

Young researchers awarded Fellowships to pursue innovative treatments for melanoma
Two young researchers from MIA and The University of Sydney awarded Cancer Institute NSW fellowships.

Young researchers receive boost to develop innovative treatment for melanoma
Two young researchers from MIA and The University of Sydney awarded Cancer Institute NSW fellowships.

Launch of Melanoma March 2021
Aussies urged to leave their footprint on melanoma as efforts step up to save lives from the disease.

Olivia Vivian announced as MIA ambassador
Olivia is using her Ninja star power to shine a spotlight on melanoma prevention - in memory of her dad.

Melanoma breakthrough - neoadjuvant treatment saving lives.
Drug treatment before surgery, known as neoadjuvant therapy, is being hailed as one of the biggest breakthroughs in melanoma treatment since the advent of immunotherapy.

Melanoma breakthrough - neoadjuvant therapy saving lives.
Drug treatment before surgery, known as neoadjuvant therapy, is being hailed as one of the biggest breakthroughs in melanoma treatment since the advent of immunotherapy.

Are cancer patients on immunotherapy at a greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection?
New research, led by MIA, has revealed that cancer patients treated with immunotherapy are not at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection compared to other cancer patients.

Are cancer patients on immunotherapy at a greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection?
New research, led by MIA, has revealed that cancer patients treated with immunotherapy are not at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection compared to other cancer patients.

A message to all Australians from melanoma patient Stuart Taylor
Stuart has advanced melanoma which is not responding to treatment. He has shared his story on ABC's 7:30 in the hope that others can escape the same fate.