Welcome to the April edition of Alliance. The VCCC Alliance is gearing up for a busy time ahead – notably, a unique opportunity in May to elevate cancer as a major election issue to Ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs), advisers and senior officials. Next month, we’ll also have Melbourne born and raised Professor David Ashley step into the role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
We are delighted to welcome Professor Ashley as the VCCC Alliance’s incoming CEO from Monday 25 May. Professor Ashley visited last month, meeting with CEOs of VCCC Alliance member and associate member organisations. He was also able to join the first VCCC Alliance Board meeting for the year and our Executive and Leadership meetings.
A paediatric and adult neuro-oncologist, Professor Ashley will return home to Melbourne after nine years in the United States leading the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumour Centre in North Carolina. He will play a pivotal role leading the VCCC Alliance in continuing to enhance cancer outcomes for Victorians. Professor Ashley also has appointments with two of our members in a research and clinical capacity. Learn more about our incoming CEO in next month’s edition of Alliance.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Victoria, yet the system remains fragmented, leading to inequities in care and outcomes. The VCCC Alliance, along with our member/associate member organisations, Cancer Council Victoria and Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Centre, will exhibit from Monday 11 May to Friday 15 May in Queen’s Hall, Parliament House.
Our aim is to elevate cancer as a major election issue and show co-ordinated, state-wide action is needed. We are looking forward to connecting with as many members of parliament as possible, to demonstrate the great work that is being done, and the opportunities that exist to improve cancer outcomes. We’ll continue to provide updates about our work in this space as it progresses.
Who better to understand how to support cancer patients than those with lived experience? The VCCC Alliance is one of five organisations to lead the Australian-first Lead from Lived Experience: Enhancing Cancer Care program – along with Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium, Regional Trials Network, Cancer Council Victoria and The University of Melbourne. This initiative demonstrates the power of statewide collaboration to embed lived experience in cancer care, research and education.
Last month, we celebrated the 21 lived experience participants who dedicated months of learning to build tools to help them become future key decision-makers in cancer care. With 59% of participants from regional Victoria, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to equity and inclusive, lived experience-led approaches shaping the future of the cancer sector. Local MPs Annabelle Cleeland MP (Euroa electorate) and Rachel Westaway MP (Prahran electorate) attended, to support their graduating constituents.
We’re excited to see how the students now put their learning into practice and create positive change across the sector. Read more about this ground-breaking initiative.
Last month, the AAMRI released two key pieces of news – an independent report on Australia’s Medical Research Advantage and an open letter to the Australian Government to call for urgent action to strengthen Australia’s research system and secure its future capability.
The report shows that Australia’s medical research institutes deliver strong returns for the economy and health system. Specifically:
$3.90 returned for every $1 invested in medical research
$5.80 returned for every $1 invested in clinical trials
$4.07 billion in annual economic benefit generated by medical research institutes
Meanwhile, the open letter warns our nation’s research workforce is at risk with declining investment, falling funding success rates and increasing pressure. Signatories are calling on the Government to provide necessary annual funding for health and medical research, support sustainable career pathways and build a coordinated, end-to-end innovation system linking discovery to translation and commercialisation.
Here at VCCC Alliance, we support action to strengthen our research system to better health outcomes, build economic growth and resilience. We underscore the importance of AAMRI’s message and any government initiatives that increase investment in the health and medical research sector.
Until next month,
VCCC Alliance Executive Team
