It’s terrific to have so much to celebrate this month. As 2024 kicks off, the opportunity and momentum to deliver a genuine paradigm shift in cancer has rarely been greater.
In our outstanding Australians of the Year, Professors Georgina Long AO and Richard Scolyer AO, we have an exceptional example of brave, bold and selfless leadership. It’s also an opportunity to see what can be achieved when we throw accelerant on cancer research such as the pioneering treatment for Richard’s glioblastoma.
On a personal level, I am very proud of Georgina and Richard as colleagues and friends, and as a skin cancer specialist, I am delighted that melanoma will be in the spotlight. We have made huge improvements in treatments but there is more to do – particularly in convincing Australians that there is nothing healthy about a tan. With 50% of Australians affected by some form of skin cancer in their lifetime, this really is an issue that should matter to everyone.
This year’s Australian Honours featured some true legends in cancer research and care. I won’t list them all here but do want to mention my long time mentor and friend Prof Joe Trapani AO, an internationally renowned researcher with a long list of achievements to his name, but also a generous and insightful leader who has made a huge contribution at Peter Mac and to the cancer sector more broadly.
And Prof Gail Garvey AM, a trailblazer in Indigenous health and cancer research and passionate advocate for collaborations, partnerships and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Congratulations and thanks to these, and all the recipients of honours this year, who are working to improve cancer outcomes for Australians.
In more good news, we recently welcomed Mildura Base Public Hospital as the eighth member of the VCCC Alliance Regional Partnership Program, completing the set and making Victoria the first state to have a complete regional cancer network. It’s taken three years and a huge collaborative effort to achieve this. Congratulations to all who contributed to bringing this to fruition – it will be exciting to see what it makes possible in the years to come.
In a similar vein on a national scale, I am very optimistic about the plans being developed by Cancer Australia for the Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network. The VCCC Alliance is a unique, high impact model and I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to a national network as other states come on board with their own comprehensive cancer centres and alliances. We will learn together and gain strength from each other, with huge potential to scale and gain efficiencies through data sharing, collaborative research, education and workforce supports, equity initiatives and much more.
Our new look Board met for the first time in December with three new independent directors bringing new perspectives and insights to our ever adapting and growing alliance. I’m thrilled to announce that Professor Christobel Saunders AO, the James Stewart Chair of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, is also joining the VCCC Alliance Board. Christobel is a dynamic leader and strategic thinker who brings 30 years of experience as a breast cancer surgeon and researcher with an exceptional track record of contributions at the highest level.
I truly believe that accessible, comprehensive data holds the key to achieving more equitable improvements in cancer outcomes. The announcement of $1.5m to establish the Australian Cancer Data Alliance (ACDA) within the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to focus on metastatic breast cancer is, therefore, very good news, providing the capability to better track breast cancer recurrence. This is such an important investment as 9 Australians die every day from metastatic breast cancer and 1 in 3 patients with breast cancer will develop a recurrence after initial treatment. I would like to acknowledge the advocacy of Breast Cancer Network Australia in achieving this investment that illustrates the importance of a strong consumer voice in cancer research.
So, returning to our Australians of the Year, this is a year for us to take some inspiration and be bold. Cancer is in the spotlight – and given that it remains the largest disease burden in our country – it’s a moment we must grasp with both hands.
I look forward to a brave and courageous year as we strive to overcome cancer together.
Professor Grant McArthur AO
Chief Executive Officer
