On Thursday night, patients, carers and families gathered at Melbourne’s Plaza Ballroom for the 2026 Patient’s Choice Awards, presented by Patients Australia. The awards are unique in that winners are chosen by the very people who use and rely on the services being recognised.
Across 15 categories, this year’s winners included clinicians, organisations, researchers, advocates and services whose work has made healthcare more accessible, humane and responsive to the people at its centre. We are proud to share that NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia was among them, taking home two well-deserved awards.
NECA was named Outstanding Cancer and Rare Disease Organisation, recognising the specialist nursing, counselling, dietetic support and peer connection we provide for people affected by a cancer that remains widely misunderstood.
And our own Kahlia Wolsley was named Outstanding Nurse, an award that reflects the thousands of hours of free support our specialist nursing team provides to patients and carers each year, alongside their work educating health professionals and supporting clinical research.
The award also reflects NECA’s advocacy work behind the scenes, from helping secure the PBS listing of belzutifan to contributing to a Senate Inquiry that saw the government support 31 of its 41 recommendations, and continuing to push for specialist NET nurse funding and faster diagnostic pathways.
Patients Australia chief executive Lisa Robins said the awards reflected the significance of being recognised by the people whose lives are directly affected by healthcare. “The nominations are heartwarming, and the responses from finalists are more touching still,” she said. “It means a great deal to people to be seen and valued for the advocacy, the patient-centred care, the research and the innovation they deliver every day.”
The evening also featured a conversation between Olympic champion Cathy Freeman and Patients Australia health reform ambassador Dr Nicholas Coatsworth.
Congratulations to Kahlia, and to the whole NECA team, on this well-deserved recognition.
