People in NSW to have access to voluntary assisted dying After a number of attempts over several years, the NSW Parliament passed legislation on 19 May 2022 that will see the introduction of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) arrangements in the state. People aged over 18 in NSW with a terminal illness who will die within…
Your Voice, Your Story webinar by White Coats Foundation. People were invited to tell their story through a picture, painting, symbol or photo that was representative of what clinical trials mean to them. Four very different and moving stories were featured during this webinar. Lillian Leigh and Sarah Lukeman, both members of the CVN Executive…
The ACTA (Australian Clinical Trials Alliance) 2022 Clinical Trials National Tribute and Awards Ceremony was held on 20 May at the University of Sydney with online access. The Minister for Health, the Hon Brad Hazzard acknowledged the intrinsic value of clinical trials to underpin the health system, the capability and skills in NSW and how…
Clinical Trials Day is a day ‘to recognize the people who conduct clinical trials and to say “thanks” for what they do every day to improve public health. This day of celebration also provides our community with a unique opportunity to raise awareness of clinical trials – and of clinical research as a career option…
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) will be held 27-30 October 2022 in Adelaide. Reflect Revive Reimagine Visit the conference website
The Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) will host their ASM 2022 at Swissôtel Sydney on 21-22 July 2022. The two-day program will cover topical areas of thoracic cancer treatment and research and feature local and international speakers. The meeting will provide an opportunity to connect and collaborate with leaders from across the lung cancer…
NSW Cancer Conference 2022: 15-16 September 2022 at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. This inaugural conference is being organised by Sydney Cancer Partners, Maridulu Budyari Gumal – SPHERE and NSW Regional Health Partners, The conference represents a significant milestone for cancer research in NSW, providing a state-wide, cross institutional meeting focused on cancer research. The event…
New appointment – Professor Tracey O’Brien appointed CEO and Chief Cancer Officer at the Cancer Institute NSW. Professor O’Brien is a paediatric and adolescent haematologist and oncologist with more than 25 years of experience improving the outcomes of people with cancer in Australia and internationally. She has been Director of the Kids Cancer Centre at…
Cancer Council NSW has announced its 2022 Research Project Grants totalling over $5.3 million in funding for twelve new, world-class cancer research projects! ‘These eminent and emerging cancer researchers from across Australia are leading the charge towards a cancer free future by investigating new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.’ Learn more about each…
National Volunteer Week (NVW) 16 – 22 May 2022 is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. The theme for National Volunteer Week 2022 is Better Together. Volunteering brings people together; it builds communities and creates a better society for everyone. More information here
Inquiry into healthcare and health services in rural, regional and remote NSW hands down its findings to the NSW government This inquiry was established on 16 September 2020 to inquire into and report on health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote New South Wales and has just handed…
Cancer Australia calls for expressions of interest for consumers to participate in research grant reviews Cancer Australia is currently seeking expressions of interest from consumers to participate in reviewing research project grant applications as part of their Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme. This is an innovative, competitive, annual cancer research projects grant funding scheme, conducted…
Cancer Voices NSW welcomes the launch of the NSW Cancer Plan 2022-2027 – a Plan to lessen the impact of cancer. The NSW Cancer Plan 2022-2027 sets out a coordinated and collaborative approach to cancer control. It is the fifth cancer plan for NSW and builds on the success of previous plans, with the aim…
CVN 2022 Strategic Workshop CVN has held its 2022 strategic workshop which comprised three separate two hour webinars – 11 and 25 February and 8 April. We are grateful for the guidance and direction provided by our facilitator, consultant Graeme Gherashe. Graeme continues to support us on a pro bono basis. Graeme continued to challenge…
Consumer Involvement in Research (CIR) The CIR Program is starting to build momentum again, now that the grant season is almost upon us. To date, we have received eleven requests for consumers and I am pleased to say that we have had an enthusiastic response to these from my call-out to be involved. The next…
Young Australians’ Cancer Initiative (YACI) – interview with Geoffrey Yang 1. When and how did you learn about and become involved with YACI? I first learnt about the Young Australians’ Cancer initiative (YACI) in 2021 (in year 10), when one of our teachers emailed our grade about their High School Symposium and Competitions. Seeing as…
Young Australians Cancer Initiative You’re Never Too Young In November 2021, I was invited to participate in a YACI symposium with Year 10 High School students with the aim of broadening their knowledge of cancer diagnosis and treatment and encouraging them to take up an education pathway that would lead to a career in…
LGBTIQ+ palliative and end-of-life care resources Specific resources for LGBTIQ+ people have been recently developed with the title Taking control: LGBTQ+ Toolkit for Palliative Care and End of Life Decisions. You can access the resources here https://www.acon.org.au/what-we-are-here-for/palliative-care-support/ The resources emphasise that: It’s best to start having end of life conversations before you need to, even if it…
NSW Government recognises diversity and inclusion in first ever LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy In an important development for our state, the NSW Government recently released the first-ever LGBTIQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer) Health Strategy 2022-2027. The NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy (the Strategy) marks a significant commitment in the history of the NSW health system. The…
Focus on travel and accommodation costs for cancer patients in NSW Cancer Council NSW, through its pre-budget submission to the NSW Government, recently urged it to improve support for cancer patients, particularly in relation to ‘access to care for those in rural and regional NSW and to support the emotional and financial wellbeing of people…
Federal election imminent: what commitments need to be made to help improve the lives of those affected by cancer? With the federal election to be held before the end of May this year, cancer and broader health organisations have been developing election ‘manifestos‘ or ‘platforms’ for presentation to federal politicians in the lead-up to the…
Federal Budget: wins for cancer The recent Federal Budget contained some ‘wins’ for cancer, with significant funding allocated to a number of cancer types, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, bowel and some rare cancers. Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) described the budget as having a ‘promising focus on affordability and accessibility’. Chief Executive of RCA, Richard Vines,…
VAD legislation update The introduction of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) arrangements in NSW continues to progress, albeit slowly, with further action by NSW politicians still required to provide those with a terminal illness the right to choose the time and manner of their death. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 was considered by the NSW…
Thursday 7 April 2022 is World Health Day. This year’s motto is ‘Our planet, our health’. Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all? Where economies are focused on health and well-being? Where cities are liveable and people have control over their health and the health of the…