What’s new in April

Now recruiting: Lived Experience Advisors  

The Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (SMICS) is inviting expressions of interest from people with lived experience of cancer (and carers) who have received care in southern Melbourne. Advisors help guide strategy, implementation and evaluation of cancer care improvement initiatives, ensuring services and resources reflect community needs. 

What advisors do:

• Bring a consumer and carer perspective to cancer care improvement priorities. 

• Join meetings/working groups and review patient-facing resources and surveys. 

• Contribute feedback on project documents and communications. 

Time commitment: Around 2 hours per month. 

Get involved: If you or someone you know in southern Melbourne is interested, you can find out more and register over on the SMICS website. 

Have your say: Early-onset bowel cancer guidelines in development 

Bowel Cancer Australia is inviting expressions of interest to support development of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the early diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer, with a focus on early-onset disease. People with lived experience (patients and loved ones) and health professionals, researchers and policymakers with relevant expertise are encouraged to get involved.

You can submit an expression of interest on the Bowel Cancer Australia website here.

New education resource: Rare and less common cancers in primary care 

Rare Cancers Australia, in collaboration with the VCCC Alliance, has launched a free online learning module to help primary care professionals recognise and manage rare and less common cancers. The resource covers what makes rare cancers different, when to suspect them, and how to support timely referral and ongoing patient support. 

Access the course here.

Webinar: Disability and cancer nursing – delivering equitable cancer care 

When: Wednesday 22 April, 10-11.30am AEST.

Informed by lived experience, evidence and cross-sector expertise, this session focuses on barriers faced by people with intellectual and physical disabilities when they have a concurrent cancer diagnosis – and what cancer nursing can do to improve access and outcomes.

Register here.