How a clinical trial helps Braxton to ‘find the sunshine’

Despite his advanced cancer diagnosis, 63-year-old Braxton lives every day looking for the positive in life and seeking experiences that make him happy.

“Every day is another chance to find the sunshine and make the most of what we have,” he says.

Sometimes that’s something as exciting as riding around the local Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit with Chris Vermeulen during the first round of the World Superbike Championship. But sometimes, it’s the simple act of saying g’day and sharing a bit of happiness with a fellow clinical trial participant as they contribute to cancer research.

In 2023, after noticing his urine had changed colour to bright red, Braxton’s doctor referred him to a urologist for a prostate exam. Following a series of tests and scans, he was told he had metastatic prostate cancer which had spread to his bones, lymph nodes and lungs.

Braxton’s treatment team told him that the risk of damaging remaining healthy tissue was too high to try treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. However, his oncologist raised the possibility of him taking part in a prostate cancer clinical trial which was evaluating how safe, tolerable and effective a new targeted therapy is, when given in combination with hormonal treatments.

Braxton was very open to the opportunity of participating in a clinical trial and embraced any treatment option which might give him more time. After meeting with the trial team and finding he was eligible, he decided that taking part was not only a way to potentially help himself live longer, but also a way to help others who may be diagnosed with cancer in the future.

“It may not 100% work for me, but I’m looking at this as the bigger picture of people that are behind me,” he says. “Maybe I’m gonna be able to help them in some way.”

Clinical trials for regional patients

Living on Phillip Island meant that Braxton and his wife, Christine, drove a four-hour round trip for each appointment he had at The Alfred Hospital. His appointments started off on a weekly basis to undertake extensive blood work and monitor his response to the treatment, which he’d take in tablet form.

Despite the time dedication, they embraced the trips as an opportunity to enjoy some one-on-one time, often getting lunch and enjoying the park nearby. Gradually, his appointments decreased to twice a month, plus scans every second month, and once a month he attends Wonthaggi Hospital for blood tests.

Braxton encourages anyone diagnosed with cancer to ask their treatment team about clinical trials and emphasises how important it is to have hope not just for yourself but for the future of cancer treatment.

“There’s nothing ventured, nothing gained. There are a lot of trials out there and if you’re diagnosed, it’s part of the conversation you should have,” he says.

“Because you never, never know. The more information that these researchers are getting, the more they can tweak their mixture and hopefully get it right in the end. For great outcomes down the road… it might be in your time frame, who knows.”

Though Braxton’s sunny outlook is something he’s carried with him his whole life, he credits his resilience in the face of his diagnosis to a few important factors. He’s continued to work and is passionate about what he does, he stays active (and is even getting a service dog in the coming month to help increase his physical activity), and he stays connected with the people in his life.

“Live life to the fullest, and enjoy what you do,” he says. “Don’t think about the outcome, think about the enjoyment. Your family, your friends and what not… there’s sunshine somewhere in the world, even if it’s not in your neighbourhood that day.”