Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group

Are you an Early Career Researcher wondering when and HOW to involve community members in research? This Wednesday PoCoG ‘s Early Career Researcher Special Interest Group (ECR SIG), in collaboration with the Community Advisory Group (CAG), is hosting an online panel providing practical advice for ECRs wishing to conduct patient-centred clinical research. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gvhemxbG This webinar will explore: ·        How ECRs can involve and engage consumers and community actively to help shape their research. ·        What role can consumers and community members play in identifying research questions, undertaking research and evaluating your findings. Our panellists Ian Davis, Kirsty Galpin, Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell and Juliet Lum will share their experiences and answer any questions you may have. Nienke Zomerdijk Emma Kemp

WEBINAR: How do you quantify the benefit of research in the absence of? Our Cancer Prevention Special Interest Group in collaboration with CREST will explore this in our free webinar on the 4th November. The webinar will explore cancer prevention as well as prevention of psychological outcome and provide three real-world applications of health economics to assess prevention. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eimWnw7Y

Our updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are now live and freely available on our website here: https://lnkd.in/gUKwjTbp What are SOPs and why are they important? PoCoG Research Manager, Kirsty Galpin provides an overview of the importance of SOPs and the areas of research the SOPs cover below. #Research #PoCoG

We are thrilled to share that PoCoG Scientific Advisory Committee Chair Associate Professor Haryana Dhillon is a 2024 Eureka Prize Finalist for Outstanding Mentor of Researchers! The Australian Museum Eureka Prize recognises excellence in the fields of research & innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science. Haryana is a psycho-oncology leader and mentor for over two decades. Haryana empowers professional development for staff through education, practical support and by providing clinical research opportunities and has mentored over 60 HDR and honours students. Learn more about Haryana's impact here: https://lnkd.in/g8eTKhcY Congratulations Haryana, we wish you all the best for the award ceremony on the 4th September.

Highlighting the #PeopleOfPoCoG meet Tamara An who has been on the PoCoG Community Advisory Group for 1.5 years. My name is Tamara and I am a consumer and I have worked with families with children diagnosed with cancer and life limiting diagnoses. I have worked with children who had to deal with their own mortality at a young age and watched them be so accepting. Stories and families that forever touched my heart. I currently work within the health sector as Project Manager in Capital Works. Seeing the health sector from the inside. I love country music, gardening and my dog. I also love volunteering and do sausage sizzles for Koala rescue and organise the merchandise shop of a Music festival once a year, while also being a Justice of the Peace. Giving back is the greatest gift.   As a Community Advisory Member, I feel that we can provide a lived experience and although we may not be at that point of treatment it is one of how life can change when dealing with cancer or life limiting illness. Being able to apply a filter that is less about clinical interventions and more about the impact on people.   My personal mission is to make a difference with payment one smile at a time. I see my role in community advisory as providing hope for the future. Realistically I may not benefit from the research but just to know I can help make a difference to someone else in the future is invaluable. I have a keen interest in grief and loss and worked for many years with children and parents in this space. I love seeing proposals that touch on that side and have innovative ideas for helping consumers and their families. I am fascinated by ideas that address the psychosocial/psychoeducational side of research. Inclusion of community is important to gain a far-reaching perspective of a proposal. Having the ability to see more than one side assists in a well-rounded approach. Research that asks for feedback and lived experiences will mean a "real" life dimension.

Please share this study widely to help us find people who have been diagnosed with chronic leukaemia so we can learn more about living with this diagnosis.

📢 Have you been diagnosed with chronic leukaemia? We would like to hear from you. We invite you to take part in a study to better understand the experiences of people living with chronic leukaemia in Australia.   This study may be suitable for you if you: ·        Are at least 18 years old ·        Have been diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia or Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia ·        Are at least 12 months post diagnosis   This study involves a brief online survey (~5 minutes) and an interview (30 to 60 minutes) to explore your experiences. Your taking part in this study will help inform how we can better support people living with chronic leukaemia in the future.   To find out more and participate, click on this link or scan the QR code https://lnkd.in/gBb7Na6k #Research #PoCoG

We recently sat down with Dr Jennifer Ong to share her experience of presenting at our Concept Development Workshop. On the day, Jennifer presented the concept 'Drug burden and performance status in the palliative care setting: A retrospective study'. While Jennifer admitted she "was a little bit hesitant to submit something because obviously I’m not a psychologist, I have no psychological background in terms of expertise" she was ultimately glad to have been involved in the workshop and walked away with not only a "seriously improved concept but also feelings of being really well supported and excited and reinvigorated by the excitement of the attendees and panel members". Check out the interview below! #ConceptDevelopmentWorkshop #Research #Collaboration #PoCoG

Every month, our team comes together for our research meeting as an opportunity to learn and share.   This month we heard from Dr Megan J., Dr Mona Faris and Dr Rachel Campbell who shared their work as part of #BRAINS. They shared how they identified and developed screening tools for unmet needs in those affected by brain cancer, adapted the ADAPT portal to ensure accessibility and ease of use for people with brain cancer, researched the unique aspects of care coordination in people with brain cancer, and explored the experience of fatigue and management supports for this population.   Learn more about the BRAINS program on our website here: https://lnkd.in/gD-tZiSX #Research #BTSM #Psychooncology

We are delighted to share that our new website is LIVE! ✨ Check out the video here https://lnkd.in/gSbzqdKy for a quick recap of the website and visit us at www.pocog.org.au