Network specialist recognised for pivotal work in cancer survivorship

Monday 15 April 2019
Health advocacy
Research

“Cancer survivorship: a cure is not enough.” – Prof Richard Cohn

 

For more than two decades, Prof Richard Cohn has treated children and their families at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

This month, the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) awarded Prof Cohn the prestigious Ashleigh Moore Award at the annual COSA Survivorship Group conference in Sydney.

The accolade, named after the inspiring pioneer of cancer advocacy, the late Ashleigh Moore OAM, recognises Prof Cohn’s outstanding contribution to the care of paediatric and adolescent cancer patients in Australia and gives national and international recognition to his contribution to care of cancer survivors through preclinical and clinical research.

Prof Cohn said the translation of this research into clinical practice has led to improvements in care and quality of life for cancer survivors.

“What is learnt from survivors of today, benefits the newly diagnosed cancer patients of tomorrow,” Prof Cohn said.

Prof Cohn’s research includes successful studies on the Sydney Children’s Hospital Survivor cohort, with more than 900 survivors being studied for more than 16 years.

What was learnt from this research has caused clinicians across the country to change practice, help them improve survivor counselling and advocacy, and triggered interventions to modify risk factors for late effects.

Today, Prof Cohn’s focus remains on keeping more survivors in follow-up care.

More information on services available at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network:

Among other appointments Professor Richard Cohn is currently the Clinical Program Director of Medicine and Head of Clinical Oncology and Long Term Follow-Up Program at the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, and Co-Director (Paediatrics) of the UNSW Cancer Survivorship Centre, UNSW. He is also the chairman of the ANZCHOG Survivorship sub-committee.