Global Accord 2024 Scientific Program Committee 

Prof Ian Olver

Retired Oncologist & Bioethicist

Prof Ian Olver AM MD PhD is a medical oncologist, cancer researcher and bioethicist. He is currently teaching bioethics at The University of Notre Dame Australia and is an Adjunct Professor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide. His previous roles have included CEO, Cancer Council Australia and Clinical Director, Royal Adelaide Hospital Cancer Centre and he has been a President of MOGA (Medical Oncology Group of Australia) and MASCC (Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer). He previously chaired the Australian Health Ethics Committee of NHMRC. His major research interests which have resulted in over 380 publications are supportive care in cancer and psycho-oncology. He chairs the AYA Strategic Advisory Group for Canteen and the Scientific Advisory Committee for the 6th Global AYA cancer Congress. He received Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011.

Peter Orchard 

CEO, Canteen

Peter is continually struck by the sense of possibility and vulnerability that can be present during adolescence and early adulthood. This has inspired him to work with young people for 30 years across cancer, mental health, homelessness, and education. Peter was involved in the establishment of the national headspace program, where he was the Deputy CEO. He was also a Director with Australian Healthcare Associates where he consulted to state and federal governments on the evaluation of government initiatives.  Peter has been the CEO at Canteen for 10 years. 

Dr Jeremy Lewin 

VIC/TAS Clinical Lead, YCS

Jeremy Lewin is the Medical Director of the Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service, a medical oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. Jeremy holds responsibility for the strategic leadership of the service and has invested his career to improve outcomes for young patients. His research particularly focuses on investigating subtypes of AYA sarcoma with poor prognosis, improving AYA clinical trial access, and enhancing quality care for young people. In addition, he has been actively involved in professional organisations, notably the Royal Australian College of Physicians, where he has actively promoted the field of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine. Jeremy holds leadership and strategic positions across a range of organizations and frequently presents at Victorian, Australian and International forums around AYA oncology.

Dr Sumit Gupta

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and IHPME, University of Toronto

Dr. Sumit Gupta is an Associate Professor and Staff Oncologist at the Hospital for Sick Children. He joined the faculty there in 2014 after completing his clinical training and his PhD in Clinical Epidemiology. He holds the Garron Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research, has been awarded the Canadian Cancer Society Williams Rawls Prize, and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Committee of the Children's Oncology Group, the largest pediatric cancer trials consortium in the world. One of his main foci of research is on using population-based data to identify and improve outcome disparities experienced by adolescents and young adults with cancer.


 

Dr Michael Roth

Associate Professor of Paediatrics, The University of. Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Children's Cancer Hospital

Dr. Michael Roth is a Professor of Paediatrics, Director of Cancer Survivorship, co-Director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Program, and Director of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center. In collaboration with many others, he has helped MD Anderson build the largest AYA Program in the United States. Within the Children’s Oncology Group, he is the Chair of the AYA Oncology Discipline Committee and is co-PI of the group’s NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Base Grant. His research is focused on identifying and addressing disparities in care and outcomes for AYAs diagnosed with cancer. He has a particular interest in improving the long-term health and quality of life for AYA cancer survivors.

Dr Michael Osborn 

SA/NT Clinical Lead, YCS 

Dr Michael Osborn MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA has led the Youth Cancer Service SA/NT at the Royal Adelaide Hospital since its inception in 2011. He is also a haematologist/oncologist at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, leads the Cancer Statewide Clinical Network in South Australia, and is a senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide. Michael was actively involved in the development and implementation of Youth Cancer Services in Australia at a national and state level and continues to hold several roles within the Youth Cancer Service national network. He has co-authored 57 peer-reviewed articles (32 in the past five years) as well as three textbook chapters. His main clinical and research interests are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children and adolescents and young adults (AYA), paediatric chronic myeloid leukaemia, exercise in cancer, and improving healthcare delivery for AYA with cancer. 


Dr Louise Soanes

Chief Nurse, Teenage Cancer Trust 

Louise Soanes is the Chief Nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust where she is responsible for providing specialist, strategic advice to teams and representing the organisation among key stakeholders nationally and internationally. Louise also leads on the professional development programme for Teenage Cancer Trust funded staff and the wider TYA cancer workforce. She is also involved in work on the global development of adolescents and young adults (AYA) cancer care as a recognised specialism.

Louise is a cancer nurse and has spent over 30 years working in health care, the third sector and academia. She is passionate about improving cancer care and services for AYA with cancer in the UK and beyond. Her interests include quality improvement, workforce leadership and professional development.

Since 2018 Louise has been a Trustee for Trekstock, a charity working with young adults with cancer in their 20s and 30s to reduce social isolation and improve quality of life.

Louise has a Doctorate in Nursing.


Prof Gail Garvey 

NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Professor in Indigenous Health Research, Faulty of Medicine, University of Queensland

Professor Gail Garvey is a proud Kamilaroi woman and Professor of Indigenous Health Research in The University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine.

With a career spanning three decades of highly valued research collaborations, Gail currently leads the First Nations Cancer & Wellbeing Research program where she works to understand the psychosocial aspects of cancer care for First Nations Australians and measure the dimensions of wellbeing important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Gail’s instinctive leadership and collaborative approach brings First Nations consumers, researchers, and clinicians together to actively promote the translation of research knowledge into Australian public health policy and practice.

Dr Ursula Sansom-Daly

Director, Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital

Dr Ursula Sansom-Daly is the Director of the Behavioural Sciences Unit, UNSW Medicine & Health, the largest research group dedicated to studying psychosocial, ethical and behavioural aspects of child/adolescent cancer in Australia. She is also a Clinical Psychologist at Sydney Youth Cancer Service, a multidisciplinary service specialising in care for adolescents and young adults with cancer.

 Dr Sansom-Daly applies evidence-based psychological models and methods to address the mental health implications of cancer among adolescents and young adults. She has led work developing online, group-based psychological support programs for AYAs after cancer treatment completion (the Recapture Life program) and also led the recent development of the Australian Voicing My Choices advance care planning communication guide. 

In 2023, Ursula was elected to the International Psycho-Oncology Society’s Board of Directors and was awarded a NSW Young Tall Poppy Award Winner from the Australian Institute of Policy & Science (AIPS). 


Hilary Gan

Hospital Programs and Services Director, Teen Cancer America

Hilary Gan, a visionary leader with 20 years of experience as a Child Life Specialist in hematology/oncology, recognized the unmet need for specialized Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer care. As the Director of Hospital Programs and Services at Teen Cancer America (TCA), she spearheads the development of comprehensive AYA programs in over 60 hospitals nationwide. Hilary's strategic approach ensures tailored care that addresses the unique needs of AYAs, emphasizing holistic well-being beyond cancer treatment. 

Her impactful initiatives, including the "Monthly Drip" webinar series and the "Health Professionals Advisory Group," have positioned TCA at the forefront of AYA oncology, shaping the standards for AYA program development and care. In just 10 years, TCA, under Hilary's leadership, has made a significant impact in improving the lives of AYAs diagnosed with cancer in the U.S.


Kristina Scotting 

Psychologist, Canteen

Kristina is a psychologist working with adolescents and young adults affected by cancer at Canteen Aotearoa (New Zealand). Additionally, she is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and has worked with neurodiverse youth and adolescents who have faced cognitive and mental health challenges. She graduated from The University of Auckland with a Master’s in Psychology and Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology under the Applied Behaviour Analysis programme. 


Dr Antoinette Anazodo

Director of Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network

Dr Antoinette Anazodo trained in paediatric and adolescent oncology in the United Kingdom and completed her training with a clinical fellowship at the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. During her training and fellowship Antoinette completed a postgraduate diploma in adolescent oncology and has developed a comprehensive understanding of the issues specific to Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) patients including best practice for tumour types. Dr Anazodo has developed an interest in the specific psychosocial, educational and vocational problems that AYA patients face during and after treatment.

Dr Anazodo was appointed as Director, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and Prince of Wales Hospital in October 2010. She is developing the AYA cancer service to ensure all AYA patients have access to appropriate age and tumour specific medical treatment as well as ensuring they benefit from psychosocial assessment and care navigation through treatment.


Siona Hardy

Executive Director, Impact and Youth Cancer Service

Siona has a background in health care leadership, operational management, and strategy.  Prior to joining Canteen as the Executive Director of Impact and Youth Cancer Services, she served as Statewide Director for the Queensland Youth Cancer Service, and previously as Executive Director at Mater Hospitals Brisbane.

In addition, Siona has served in Board positions, was a visiting academic at University of Queensland, and has held leadership roles in public and private healthcare, tertiary and primary care, and community organisations. Her contribution has been recognised as a recipient of the Laurie Cowled Women in Leadership Scholarship and she is a Churchill Fellow.

Siona is a graduate from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Managing Health Care Delivery from Harvard Business School, MBA from Queensland University of Technology and Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) from University of South Australia.  


Dr Helen Hatcher

Consultant Medical Oncologist, Cambridge University Hospitals HNS Foundation Trust

Dr Hatcher is the Clinical and Regional lead for young people with cancer specialising in sarcomas and other rare cancers. She qualified in medicine at the University of Cambridge and has trained at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Her PhD and post doctoral research has investigated the genetics of tumour progression and secondary cancers. She has worked at the National Cancer Institute in the USA and the Haemonc unit at the Hosital of the University of Pennsylvania. Her current research interests include drug treatments in sarcomas, and psychological impacts of cancer. She is a member of the NCRN sarcoma clinical studies group and lead investigator in several multicentre and international trials.

Key Dates

Early Bird Registration Closes
Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Standard Registration Available
Thursday, 1 August 2024 

Congress Commences 
Tuesday, 3 December 2024

Congress Concludes
Friday, 6 December 2024

Conference Convenor

Conference Secretariat

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Contact Us

For all registration and accommodation enquiries call +61 2 9744 5252 or email ayacongress@gemsevents.com.au

The 6th Global Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Congress is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Youth Cancer Services Initiative. 

The Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Global Accord acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this land. We pay respect to Elders past, present and future. 

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