Cancer Survivorship

Our cancer survivorship program aims to drive better care and outcomes for cancer survivors. We will do so by delivering innovative, meaningful solutions through integrating research, care practices and policy.

Australia has one of the highest incidence rates of cancer in the world (measured by new cancer cases per 100,000 people) and also has some of the best survival rates. Accordingly, there is an ever-growing proportion of the population that is living with, or beyond, cancer. Today, there are over one million people living with cancer in Australia, highlighting its major health impact on society. Cancer has substantial social and economic implications for individuals, families, the community and the health system, with those affected experiencing significant unmet care needs and symptoms requiring attention.

Our cancer survivorship program consists of a diverse group of multidisciplinary clinicians and researchers who are steadfastly focused on addressing the complex care needs of all people affected by cancer. They aim to achieve this through consumer-informed, industry-relevant research, with a common goal to transform health services and systems and inform clinical care to improve the experience of all cancer survivors.

Our Research

The Caring Futures Institute has a strong and experienced team of multidisciplinary researchers across a number of health professions to progress our ambitious program of work promoting optimal cancer survivorship care.

We work together with researcher teams across Flinders University to drive better care and outcomes for all cancer survivors across the lifespan.

We develop and evaluate health innovations that promote the best outcomes for people with cancer and their caregivers across the cancer trajectory that is delivered by high-quality and sustainable health services. Through research supported by significant competitive grants and industry contributions, we aim to:

Address cancer survivors' needs
Address caregivers' needs
Enhance the integration of care
Optimise models of care and care navigation
Influence policy
Advance prehabilitation
Improve care for people living in rural and remote settings
Address inequity

Our Cancer survivorship team works with researchers across Flinders University. View our 2023 Annual Report to read more about Flinders Cancer Survivorship research.

Our leading researchers in this field

Professor Raymond Chan

Professor Raymond Chan RN PhD FACN GAICD is an NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Professor of Cancer Nursing, leading several NHMRC and MRFF national research projects focused on optimising models of care and health services to address the needs of people affected by cancer in the survivorship phase.

Dr Fiona Crawford-Williams

Dr Fiona Crawford-Williams (PhD) is Deputy Lead (Implementation & Policy Research) and a Research Fellow in the program with a strong track record in psycho-oncology research. Her areas of interest include investigating models of care, health service implementation and health policy. Her research focuses on improving survivorship care of cancer survivors and their families living in rural and regional areas.

Dr Carla Thamm

Dr Carla Thamm RN, PhD is a Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Lead in the program. Carla’s research interests are focused on improving cancer patient outcomes and experience through optimising service provision.

Professor Catherine Paterson

Professor Catherine Paterson (PhD, RN, MSc, BA, PG, Cert LTA, FHEA) is nationally and internationally recognised as a researcher, clinician, supervisor, and teacher in cancer care. Prof Paterson provides senior leadership for the Flinders Cancer Survivorship Program at Flinders University and Central Adelaide Local Health Network. The focus of her applied research is on improving and addressing the unmet supportive care needs of people affected by cancer across their lifespan. She has developed and implemented innovative nurse-led cancer practice which has been recognised as clinical excellence.

Dr Matthew Wallen

Dr Matthew Wallen PhD AEP is Deputy Lead (Capacity Building), a Senior Research Fellow and Accredited Exercise Physiologist focused on investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions on cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal and psychosocial health in people living beyond a diagnosis of cancer, as well as solid-organ transplant candidates and recipients.

Other CFI researchers in this field

Research Fellows

PhD Students

Research Assistants

Jolyn Johal

Juliana Christina

Read more about our cancer care research

Partner with us

We can’t reinvent care alone. We need partners across industry, government, and the general public to co-design the projects and new support mechanisms. Let’s work together to understand the building blocks of care in our society.

We can make a difference together.
Be the change.

Collaborate with us