Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)
London

Martin Short Comes To London (GALLERY)

Actor and comedian Martin Short took a more serious tone as he delved into the world of cancer research at Western University.

Short, who shot into stardom nearly 30 years ago on Saturday Night Live, toured the cancer imaging facilities at Robarts Research Institute Wednesday. He is in London to make the keynote speech at the Leaders in Innovation Dinner hosted by the Institute at the Lamplighter Inn.

This year's dinner celebrates research excellence in the field of cellular and molecular imaging in cancer.

"The message tonight is about personal involvement with cancer and how one still maintains the merry theme of life and stays happy and moves on," says Short. "Illness is apart of all of our journeys, whether we like it or not, but are we a victim of it or are we empowered by it and learn a life lesson?"

Short, like so many Canadians, has experienced the loss of family members due to cancer. In 2010, he lost his wife Nancy to ovarian cancer. The couple had been married for 30 years. When he was 17, he lost his mother to breast cancer.

During his tour, Short saw first hand how new developments in cancer research can help detect cancer sooner and save lives.

"The people involved in cancer research are always the most remarkable people in any field of medicine. I didn't ask everyone's personal journey but you know that so much of it is tied to the loss of a parent, the loss of a sibling, the loss of a loved one," says Short. "What I was looking at here at Robarts, dealing with prostate cancer, you can find out your diagnosis without 50 needles, you can find it out in half an hour. It is a spectacular advancement and Western is leading the way."

Short is hopeful his participation at the dinner will help bring more attention and funding to the work that is being done at Western University.

"The upside of being a celebrity is that people pay attention to you and you can then draw focus to things you believe strongly in, that can benefit the society we live in. Certainly my being here, perhaps bringing the media here, will benefit the attention being paid and the genius that's here in Canada."

**With files from Scott Kitching.

Actor Martin Short  visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)

Actor Martin Short  visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)

Actor Martin Short greets Imaging Scientist Paula Foster at Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)Actor Martin Short greets Imaging Scientist Paula Foster at Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)

Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)Actor Martin Short visits Robarts Research Institute at Western University, November 18, 2015. (Photo by Miranda Chant, BlackburnNews)

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