Supported by the Federal Government, the Blood Cancer Taskforce was established in September 2019 to deliver Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer.
The Hon Greg Hunt MP shares a message with the Blood Cancer Taskforce and the whole blood cancer community as part of Blood Cancer Awareness Month 2021.
Uniting the blood cancer community
Co-chaired by Chris Tanti (CEO, Leukaemia Foundation) and Professor John Seymour (Director Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital), the Taskforce unites 32 of Australia’s leading haematologists, researchers, patients and members of the blood cancer community.
They are working together to provide the blueprint that will help tackle the key issues in blood cancer, today and into the future.
Current Blood Cancer Taskforce Members
Prof John Seymour AM (co-chair), Director Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital
Chris Tanti (co-chair), CEO Leukaemia Foundation
Dr Sharon Avery, Haematologist, Alfred Health
Dr John Bashford, Director, Icon Research and Foundation President, Private Cancer Physicians of Australia
Hayley Beer, Interim CEO, Myeloma Australia
A/Prof Kate Burbury, Consultant Haematologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr Joe Collins AM, Lions Club International
Dr Michael Dickinson, Disease Group Lead of Aggressive Lymphoma, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre; Chair Medical Subcommittee, Lymphoma Australia
Prof Wendy Erber, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia
Dr Chris Fraser, Immediate Past Chair, Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG)
Prof Maher Gandhi, Executive Director and Director of Clinical Research, Mater Research
Prof David Gottlieb, Director Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Westmead Hospital Sydney
Dr Nada Hamad, President, Australia New Zealand Transplant & Cellular Therapies (ANZTCT)
Deborah Henderson, Patient advocate
Prof Tim Hughes, Precision Medicine Theme Leader, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI); Consultant Haematologist, SA Pathology
Prof David Joske, Chairperson and Founder, Solaris Cancer Care
A/Prof Rishi Kotecha, Honorary Research Fellow and Consultant, Child and Adolescent Haematology and Oncology, Telethon Kids Institute
Dr Hui-Peng Lee, Lymphoma Lead Clinician; Flinders Medical Centre; Vice President, HSANZ
Prof Paula Marlton, Head of Leukaemia, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Kirstee Macbeth, CEO Snowdome Foundation
Dr Robert Menz, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Sharon Millman, CEO Lymphoma Australia
A/Prof Peter Mollee, Chair, Myeloma Disease Group Committee, and Co-Chair, High Grade Lymphoma Group, Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG)
Carmel O’Kane, Cancer Nurse Practitioner, Cancer Nurses Society of Australia
Prof Miles Prince AM, Director Molecular Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Epworth Hospital; Chair of the Medical Scientific Advisory Group, Myeloma Australia
Prof Andrew Roberts AM, Laboratory Head, Joint Leader, Cancer Research and Treatments theme, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Delaine Smith, CEO ALLG
Elizabeth de Somer, CEO Medicines Australia
Cindy Toms, Head of National Research and Data, Cancer Australia
Megan Varlow, Director Cancer Control Policy, Cancer Council Australia
Richard Vines, Chairman, Rare Cancers Australia
Dr Meg Wall, Genetic Pathologist and Haematologist Victorian Clinical Genetics Services; HSANZ Councillor; Monash Health
The Taskforce was supported by seven specialist Working Groups, led by members of the Taskforce and drawing on almost 100 external experts to contribute to the preparation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer.
We look forward to working together with the blood cancer community to launch and implement the National Action Plan and achieve zero lives lost to blood cancer by 2035.
