Profile and Presence
Targeting Cancer Campaign to Focus on Advocacy for Prostate Cancer Since its launch in 2013, the Radiation Oncology Targeting Cancer campaign has made steady progress in various areas. It was considered timely to review the original objectives of the campaign and to determine an optimal strategy moving forward, with the aims of maximising impact, using resources efficiently, attracting additional funding and providing robust measures of the desired outcomes. Over the next 12-18 months, the campaign will focus on advocacy for prostate cancer, considering the potential gap for men receiving radiation therapy and the problem of accessing radiation oncology opinions for definitive (curative) treatment in this disease. Palliative radiation therapy indications (especially bone pain) will be the next area of focus. Metrics will need to be developed to measure the progress of the campaign in these specific areas. The campaign team will continue its collaboration with Tonic Health Media (THM) in early 2017 to develop a number of promotional videos highlighting the need for men to fully investigate their prostate cancer treatment options. These videos will be broadcast through the THM GP Clinics Network and other channels in 2017. This initiative is generously supported by Varian Medical Systems Australasia.
The GP Oncology Education Evenings continue to be the mainstream activity for the campaign. We would like to thank our members and the teams from those sites for organising these events. If you are interested in hosting a GP Oncology Education Evening, please contact us at faculty@ranzcr.edu.au and we will provide all the materials to assist you.
Thank You to All Participants in the Targeting Cancer Fun Run The Targeting Cancer Fun Run/Walk was another successful and fun social event at the 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting with close to 100 participants, including radiologists, radiation oncologists and allied health professionals, together with their family and friends. Thank you to Genesis Cancer Care and Queensland X-Ray for their support of the event, and the campaign. We were fortunate to have Jana Pittman, Olympian and two time World Champion, with us at the fun run. Jana is now an official ambassador for the Targeting Cancer campaign.
As a medical student herself, and training in surgical gynae-oncology, Jana has become a passionate advocate for broader awareness of the importance of radiation therapy as a highly effective treatment option for cancer patients.
How YOU Can Get Involved We are always looking for patient stories/photos and good news stories that will help raise the profile of our profession and of radiation therapy as a treatment option. Please contact us at faculty@ranzcr.edu.au if you would like to share your stories. Like Targeting Cancer on Facebook, or follow @targetingcancer on Twitter, and help us spread the word. Please help us make Targeting Cancer THE brand to promote our fantastic treatment!
If you have any questions about the Targeting Cancer campaign or would like to get involved, please contact Legend Lee, Senior Projects Officer at the College on faculty@ranzcr.edu.au
GP Education Programs The Campaign continues to reach out to the larger GP community to improve their knowledge of radiation therapy. This has been achieved through presentations at Health Ed events across five capital cities (over 2000 GPs), and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Annual Scientific Meeting (many hundreds of GPs).
Participants at the Targeting Cancer Fun Run
Volume 13 No 1 I December 2016
31
