National collaboration takes centre stage at first Survivorship CoP meeting
Co-chaired by Kim Keryn-Ayres and Leilani Way, the first meeting welcomed more than 30 members representing almost every state and territory, highlighting the growing national momentum behind survivorship care and the importance of creating dedicated spaces for connection and knowledge sharing.
The timing of the meeting followed an incredibly successful national webinar the evening prior: Cancer Survivorship: Allied health and nursing approaches – a focus on head and neck cancer. Delivered in collaboration with the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, Head and Neck Cancer Australia, Cancer Nurses Society of Australia and Cancer Council, the webinar explored practical nursing and allied health approaches to strengthening multidisciplinary survivorship care for people living with and beyond head and neck cancer.
The session examined the early, late and long-term effects of treatment, alongside evidence-informed interventions to support functional, psychosocial and nutritional outcomes. Importantly, the webinar strongly reinforced the value of multidisciplinary collaboration, lived experience and community-based support in building survivorship pathways that go beyond treatment and empower people to live well after cancer.
Consumer perspectives were a standout feature of the webinar, leaving a lasting impression on attendees.
“The consumer voice is the most powerful. Jen's story needs to be heard by clinicians, patients, carers...the reality of cancer treatments are poorly understood.”
“The patient's voice was so important and valuable, sharing incredibly insightful perspectives. The panel were also extremely informative. This format was just perfect!”
It was engaging to hear from a patient's perspective what needed to be done and then to have a medical professional explain in further detail the reasons and what could be improved.”
Building on the energy and reflection generated by the webinar, the inaugural CoP meeting explored the Survivorship Model of Care at Concord Hospital, sparking rich discussion around service design, implementation, challenges and opportunities in delivering person-centred survivorship care.
Importantly, the meeting itself was intentionally designed to foster genuine connection. Introductions alone took more than 15 minutes, as participants shared who they were, where they worked, and what had drawn them to the Community of Practice. The result was an open, welcoming and highly engaged environment where members could begin building meaningful national connections and identify shared priorities across jurisdictions and practice settings.
The overwhelming enthusiasm across both the webinar and the inaugural CoP meeting demonstrated the clear appetite for stronger survivorship-focused collaboration, education and leadership within cancer nursing.
Together, these conversations are helping shape a more connected and comprehensive future for survivorship care in Australia.
We can’t wait for the next one!
