Meet the people behind The Christchurch Cancer Foundation
Our Trustees
Chair: Prof. Frank Frizelle
MBChB, MMedSci, FRACS, FACS, FASCRS, FNZMA, FRCSI(hon)
Following training in New Zealand Frank undertook further training at the Mayo Clinic Mn, USA and Scotland before taking up a position on joint clinical staff with the University of Otago Christchurch and the CDHB in 1996. Frank was awarded a personal Chair in Colorectal Surgery in 2000, and subsequently took over as head of the University Department of Surgery in 2006 until 2019. He has published over 450 peer reviewed publications, and has a major research interest in the aetiology of sporadic bowel cancer and surgical outcomes.
He is medical advisor to Bowel Cancer New Zealand, on the boards of Medical Assurance Society, Canterbury Charity Hospital, the Cotter Medical History Trust, Chairman of the NZ Prostate Cancer Register, and Patron of the Canterbury Ostomy Society. He has been Editor in Chief of the New Zealand Medical Journal.
Professor Sir Murray Brennan, Oncological surgeon scientist, MSK Cancer Centre, New York
Dr. Murray Brennan is an oncologic surgeon-scientist. He was Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1985 until June 2006, and from 2010 served as Vice President of International Programs and Director of the Bobst International Center and since 2018 as Senior Vice President of International Programs.
Dr. Brennan has lectured throughout the world and authored or co-authored more than 1,100 scientific papers and book chapters, and three books on soft tissue sarcoma. He has served as Director of the American Board of Surgery, Vice President of the American College of Surgeons, Chairman of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the James IVth Association, the Society of Clinical Surgery, the International Gastric Cancer Association, and the American Surgical Association.
He has been awarded Honorary Fellowships in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Edinburgh, England, Australasia, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and Canada. Dr. Brennan has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Edinburgh, Otago, Goteborg and University College of London. In 1995 Dr. Brennan was honored with membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and in 2000 he received the American College of Surgeons' highest award, the Distinguished Service Award. In January 2015, he was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Bryan Pearson
Bryan is a governor, business advisor and private equity investor drawing upon more than 25 years’ experience in Chief Executive and governance roles in the private and public sectors in New Zealand and Australia.
He is currently Chair of Lane Neave Lawyers, St Andrew’s College and Vbase Limited; Chair and major shareholder of Ethique Limited; and a Trustee of various entities.
His experience crosses a range of industry sectors including healthcare, professional services, retail, manufacturing and education.
Bryan has consulted extensively in the Canterbury Health System to enable and support effective leadership.
Mike Stenhouse
Mike is an Executive Director of Sheffield Limited, a nationwide company specialising in executive search and leadership development.
Mike has served on a number of not for profit boards. Until recently he was the long serving Chair of the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation. During that time the organisation grew to be the largest private funder of health research in the region, contributing over $1m per annum to local research initiatives.
He was also involved with the establishment of the NZ Brain Research Institute in Christchurch and currently chairs the Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation.
Mike is a Chartered Director of the NZ Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Management.
David Lang
David has been a partner in the law firm of Saunders and Co since 1999, practising in the commercial and property fields. He is the Chairman of the Nurse Maude Association, and a trustee of the Champion Centre which works with families of children with developmental delays.
David has further involvement in the not-for-profit sector as the patron of the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society and legal advisor to Canterbury Children’s Theatre, the Malthouse Theatre Trust, and the Christchurch Music Theatre Education Trust.
Catherine Henshaw
Catherine is co-founder of the Christchurch Cancer Foundation, and wife and business partner of Ernest Henshaw. She is a tireless advocate for improved cancer treatment and care in Christchurch, particularly of the elderly.
Ernest Henshaw
Best known as the founder of Click Clack International Ltd and the developer of Addington’s Show Place Office Park, Ernest Henshaw is a traditional South Island New Zealander with extensive local and international business experience.
Having been in business for almost 50 years, he co-founded The Christchurch Cancer Foundation with his wife Catherine because he is determined to see cancer outcomes in the South Island match those of our Australian neighbours.