PCPA Media Release – Monday 27 February 2023
PCPA launches its Strategic Alliance Partnership
Cancer survivor and author, Dr Ben Bravery, stars in debut PCPA podcast
#embracing the challenge
Canberra. The nation’s peak body of private cancer specialists today launched an innovative suite of interactive education and engagement platforms, to further advance the cancer care journey of Australians.
The President of the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA), Associate Professor Christopher Steer, said prioritising the needs of Australians with cancer, and those who care for them, was the driving force behind its inaugural Strategic Alliance Partnership program.
The first partnership initiative, to be launched today, is the PCPA Cancer Patient Management podcast series, with cancer patient-turned doctor and author, Dr Ben Bravery. Dr Bravery delivers a searing patient perspective and says being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer motivated him to try and change the health system from within.
“Empathy is a skill that requires time and energy,” Dr Bravery warns his fellow physicians. “Neglect it and it atrophies like a wasting muscle.”
In today’s discussion with PCPA board member, Dr Cameron McLaren and fellow medical oncologist, A/Prof Katrin Sjoquist, Dr Bravery says he wants all doctors to “remember that the problem in front of them is actually a person”.
The podcast, launched today, is being supported by leading oncology healthcare provider, Servier Australia. The CEO, Mr Brad Lloyd, said Servier was proud to be a founding Strategic Partner with the PCPA.
“We’re committed to improving the lives of all Australian cancer patients today and working together to develop better treatments for tomorrow,” Mr Lloyd said. “Ben’s mission to highlight the importance of connection and empathy in healthcare is one we support wholeheartedly.”
Servier Australia joins Gilead, GenesisCare and Fletcher Clarendon as the initial founding Strategic Alliance Partners with the PCPA. With support from PCPA’s education allies, ScienceToLife, the Partners will engage in other high impact, immersive education and engagement initiatives including on site Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) live masterclasses, virtual symposiums, horizon scanning and strategic roundtables.
President of the PCPA, A/Prof Christopher Steer, hailed 2023 as a watershed year for the PCPA. For the first time, it was expanding its membership to include radiation oncologists and formally collaborating with organisations who share the PCPA’s values and its mission-critical aim to ensure cancer patients are at the forefront of all decision making.
“We will bring together the best minds in cancer care diagnosis and treatment, hospital and clinical trial innovation, advanced technology and equitable health policy”, A/Prof Steer said. “We believe the cancer care journey, especially through the private health system, should be the absolute best it can be for our patients, their families and our members who are entrusted to care for them.” ENDS
Media contact:
Jannette Cotterell. Executive Counsel Australia. jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au
Mobile: 0419 204 059
The PCPA Cancer Patient Management Podcast series “Embracing the Challenge” with Dr Ben Bravery, can be found here
NB: Dr Steer is a practicing regional based oncologist and may not be available at all times
About Us
The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) is a not-for-profit member organisation dedicated to the improvement of the health system for all cancer patients, but particularly for private cancer patients in Australia. Our members are medical and radiation oncologists and haematologists.
Our mission is to promote and work towards a health system that provides high quality, fair, integrated cancer treatment that benefits patients and supports medical practitioners.
