Women warriors fighting a deadly disease nominated for Pride of Australia

They are two cancer crusaders spearheading the fight against the killer disease — one tackling Australia’s most insidious melanoma threat and the other shining a light on the fertility plight facing patients.

THEY are two cancer crusaders spearheading the fight against the killer disease — one tackling Australia’s most insidious melanoma threat and the other shining a light on the fertility plight facing patients.

Leaders in their fields, Sydney doctors Georgina Long and Antoinette Anazodo have both been fittingly nominated for Pride of Australia Awards honouring their important work.

Melanoma Institute Australia clinical researcher and medical oncologist Georgina Long has played a major role in significantly improving the survival rate of patients with metastatic melanoma — often called Australia’s Cancer.

“We have the highest incidence in the world, and it is the most common cancer in people less than 40 years old in this country,” Associate Professor Long said.

“My ultimate goal is to find a cure for melanoma, and from this, possibly impact other cancers too.

“There is a long road, but I am very hopeful that within my lifetime we will see many more cures in cancer.

“I feel proud of the team I work with and the institution I belong to, and grateful to have such a supportive family and husband that helps me pursue and realise these dreams that have a major impact on melanoma.

“I am thrilled to be a part of something that is contributing to the world in a positive way. Recognition of my work and the work of the team that I am part of motivates me to push harder and reach higher.”

Associate Professor Georgina Long, at North Sydney’s Melanoma Institute Australia, has been nominated for a Pride of Australia award for her work. Picture: Cameron Richardson

The mother-of-three said she was humbled and proud by the Pride of Australia nomination, and proud to represent a team effort in work against cancer.

“The Pride of Australia nomination raises community awareness about the work we are doing, the road still to travel and the scale of the melanoma problem.

“This nomination is both wonderful and inspiring — it is energising to realise that ones work is being viewed and appreciated by a large and diverse audience.”

Cancer physician Antoinette Anazodo, whose work has already established a service allowing all young teen cancer patients the opportunity to receive age-appropriate and tumour-specific medical treatment and psychosocial care, is now leading a research team focused on the fertility potential of cancer survivors after their treatment.

“My appointment across both pediatric and adult hospitals has provided opportunities for clinical and research collaboration and the development of the first Youth Cancer Unit in NSW,” said Dr Anazodo, who created the service after being appointed Director of the Sydney Youth Cancer Service at Sydney Children’s Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital in 2010 .

“I also lead a very strong research team who are committed to making a difference in our knowledge and care of patient’s sexual health and fertility potential following successful cancer treatment.

Dr Antionette Anazodo, a cancer physician at the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick, has also been nominated for a Pride of Australia award. Photo: Bob Barker.

“The launch of the Australasian Oncofertility Registry will allow us to track cancer patient’s fertility potential as well as looking at the complications and success of fertility preservation.

“Equitable access of healthcare is very important and my goal is that every cancer patient should have access to affordable fertility preservation if required and even better we have techniques of preventing the fertility side-effects of cancer treatment.

“We have to ensure that Medicare item numbers cover fertility preservation and that every cancer doctor thinks about the risk of infertility prior to starting cancer treatment, making a referral for fertility preservation if appropriate.”

The mother of Hugo, 8, and Amelia 4, lives in Manly with her partner Micah, and said she was humbled by the Pride of Australia nomination.

“I wanted to be a doctor ever since I started school,” she said.

“Micah and I met in Sydney when we worked as junior doctors at RPA — I fell in love with Australia and with Micah but after two years went home to complete my postgraduate training,” Dr Anazodo said.

“Thankfully Micah moved to London three months later and completed his anesthetic fellowship while I finished my training.

“Love, luck and good timing have been on my side as I came back to Australia at a time when both Sydney Children’s Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital had plans to develop a Youth Cancer Program and were looking for a doctor with my skills.

“I hope that this nomination draws attention to the research and advocacy work the Future Fertility are doing with the aim of ensuring all cancer patients have access to fertility preservation consultation and procedures when appropriate.”

To nominate someone you now for Pride of Australia, visit prideofaustralia.com.au