We care for people affected by cancer

The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC), based at Peter Mac, has marked 15 years of helping people live well after cancer. A special event celebrated the Centre's success in addressing the lasting physical, emotional and practical effects of cancer.  

Explaining the driving force behind Centre, Director Professor Michael Jefford says, ‘after treatment completion, or between treatments, people often report feeling lost or abandoned and have significant unmet needs.’  

Established in 2010, the ACSC seeks to address these unmet needs. It was the first centre of its kind in Australia and remains a national leader in survivorship care. Spanning research, education, advocacy, and direct support, the multidisciplinary team has driven significant progress in their field.  
 
Lived experience has been fundamental to the Centre’s approach from the beginning. At yesterday’s event, long-time consumer advocate Meg Rynderman OAM (above right), said contributing to this work helped her, ‘find her voice as a survivor.’  

Developed over years, the Centre’s evidence-based wellbeing programs, community workshops, and support resources have a major impact for people impacted by cancer. They provide trusted information and connect people with shared experience. Many are held online to reach people in rural and regional areas.    

The online care-plan generator mycareplan.org.au has been similarly successful. Since launching in 2019 the free platform has been accessed more than 13,000 times, creating over 4,000 individualised care plans for people in cancer survivorship.  

A major Centre achievement is the delivery of the Victorian Cancer Survivorship Program alongside the Victorian Government. Collaborations with health services across Victoria continue to embed survivorship principles into everyday models of care. 

Hundreds of health professionals have also benefitted, through the Centre’s many education offerings. It’s Clinical Placement Program in Cancer Survivorship is now into its fifth round.  

Ther Centre's influence extends to the global stage through research, publications, and events. The team has more than 200 publications – work they have presented at major international cancer conferences. To extend this work research work, the Centre has proudly hosted four survivorship-focused research conferences.  

Soon, a new strategy will guide the Centre team towards the next phase of innovation in evidence-based survivorship practice.  

With more than 1.6 million Australians now living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis, this work has never been more vital.