As the end of the year quickly draws closer, it feels timely to reflect on what has been a significant year in the life of the VCCC Alliance.
With a funding outcome in the May State Budget that saw two very important equity-related programs budgeted for, our organisation faced challenges to a number of flagship programs at the same time as equity was, rightly, placed front and centre of cancer control.
Despite the challenges, I am extremely proud of the way our organisation as a whole, and our employees as individuals who work tirelessly for a cause they feel so passionate about, forged a path forward in this new reality.
We have now:
Now, we turn our attention to the future and the case for further funding to support our full, five-year strategy and the Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028.
I’m pleased to announce in this edition of Alliance that 11 honorary Research and Education Leads across 10 tumour stream areas have been either appointed or re-appointed.
I am thrilled that we are able to appoint six new Research and Education Leads, three of whom are women. Each of these individuals excels in their field and we are honoured to have them leading our research and education initiatives in the new VCCC Alliance strategy.
It is truly an exciting time as the Alliance continues to lead the way in Victoria, and Australia, in forging meaningful collaborations between cancer clinicians, researchers, healthcare services and research institutes, that will ensure better and more equitable outcomes for every patient who experiences cancer.
With these world-leading Victorian-based experts at the helm, we should all feel assured that the future of cancer control is bright.
Our monthly Precision Oncology Forum continues with a newly appointed Expert Reference Group, announced in this edition. The calibre of experts, and the depth and breadth of the collective skills are extraordinary, spanning pathology, clinical trials, paediatrics, clinical and research roles. I am pleased that these excellent individuals have stepped forward to take on these roles. I congratulate all the appointees and thank them for the time they will dedicate to this initiative.
This week we held an inspiring Consumer Engagement Forum in partnership with Bendigo Health and the Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Services. The VCCC Alliance is renowned for its inclusion of people with lived experience of cancer, from its earliest days. The opportunity now is to develop a knowledgeable, consumer-engaged regional cancer workforce as a foundation to quality, safety, and innovation in cancer care.
This will be our last Alliance edition of the year. Thank you all for your support, engagement, and guidance this year as we work together to improve outcomes for those affected by cancer. May you and your loved ones have a safe and happy holiday period and I look forward to touching base in 2025.
Prof Grant McArthur AO
Chief Executive Officer
