K9 Medical Detection New Zealand operates out of Invermay and aims to use the dogs as a simple diagnostic tool for the early detection of various cancers in urine tests.
K9MD founder and chief executive Pauline Blomfield said the trust had recently formed a collaborative partnership with a newly founded Australian cancer charity called Get Yourself Checked.
The charity recently held its inaugural gala dinner in Brisbane and Mrs Blomfield and K9MD academic chairwoman Prof Sarah Young joined more than 500 other guests to raise $NZ200,000 on the night for K9MD.
She said founders and charity directors Mark Tobin and Brett Hanley started their charity because they were "sick and tired" of putting money into organisations and not knowing where it was going.
Mr Hanley said when he heard about K9MD in Dunedin, he decided to take a closer look at the work the trust was doing.
"It just blew me away — the professionalism, what they’re doing and simply the fact that I believe that what they do will change lives and change the world.
"Early detection in cancer — whether it’s a day, a week, a fortnight, a month or a year — is a lot better and these ladies have developed a tool here in the heart of Dunedin and the sooner they can get it over the line and approved within the New Zealand medical sector, the sooner we can bring it to Australia to change lives in Australia.
"It’s simply phenomenal."
The duo flew to Dunedin yesterday to present the cheque and formally acknowledge their ongoing commitment to K9MD.
Mrs Blomfield said she was "absolutely ecstatic" about the financial support.
"While Australia and New Zealand go head-to-head in the sporting sector, this support from across the Tasman for K9MD clearly shows cancer has no geographical boundaries.
"The small amount of water between our two countries becomes irrelevant when K9MD’s research has the ability to change the narrative on cancer, from late-stage diagnoses to early intervention, from uncertainty to hope and from loss to survival."
She said the funding was an "endorsement" of the "internationally recognised" work the team had been doing.
"The money will have a huge impact on taking K9MD forward to the next stage, which is preparing to be able to receive more samples so that we can complete our diagnostic test stage.
"And during that time, we’re actually preparing what is required to make this test part of the New Zealand health system.
"It’s funding which is desperately needed, but also it’s recognition internationally of the work that we’re doing, because we know that it does have the potential for global application."
