NECA Nurse Educator/Project Officer Kahlia Wolsley and NET Patient Roxanne Coghlan were honoured to be invited by Rare Cancers Australia to represent NECA at the CanForum24 this year, which was held at the Australian Parliament House, 20th August 2024.
CanForum24 brought together patients, leaders, and experts in cancer to discuss bold, and innovative approaches and ideas in the hope to create action to improve equity of outcomes and experiences for every person diagnosed with cancer in this country.
The sessions throughout the forum focused on 3 topics: a better world for rare, no one left behind and the countdown is on, with speakers such as Professor Georgina Long AO, Professor Dorothy Keefe PSM, Mike Stephens, Professor Michelle Haber, Professor David Thomas and Professor Kim Alexander with many more attending for panel discussions. Lived experiences were also shared by patient advocates throughout the day highlighting the need for equity for individual’s with rare cancers.
During the forum Hon Mark Butler launched the report ‘A Rare Cancer Moonshot: Equity for everyone with cancer’.
This report sets an ambitious target for Australia: to achieve greater than 90% five-year survival for everyone diagnosed with cancer, and for true equity of experience by 2035. The report identifies six priorities to implement within the next year to be able to achieve this vision:
- Government to deliver recommendations of the Senate Inquiry into Equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers, including neuroendocrine cancer
- Develop and implement the National Genomics Strategy
- Reform Australia’s Health Technology Assessment (HTA) with an immediate priority of establishing frameworks that assess pan-tumour treatment applications
- Invest in novel clinical trials and telehealth
- Ensure rare and less common cancers are represented within the National Cancer Data Framework
- Prioritise research funding with a focus on translation into clinical practice.
NECA will continue to work with the Australian Government, key stakeholders and patients to ensure the Governments own recommendations from the Senate Inquiry are implemented. Should you wish to lend your voice and advocate for improved care for NET Patients please learn more here.
