Aurora Education Foundation scholarship will tackle the cancer scourge

A new scholarship will equip Indigenous researchers and health workers to fight cancer, a major killer in their communities.

Aurora Education Foundation CEO Leila Smith

The Aurora Education Foundation is offering valuable scholarships for Indigenous health professionals and researchers to do postgraduate study related to cancer control.

The First Nations Cancer Scholarship, worth $5.9m, will offer Indigenous scholars $120,000 a year for three years as well as academic, wellbeing and community support.

Aurora chief executive Leila Smith said it was critical to have more Indigenous health professionals and researchers working in the cancer field.

“This scholarship creates opportunities for the best and brightest Indigenous scholars to develop specialist skills and expertise that will strengthen how cancer-related professions lead and contribute to cancer control,” she said.

Currently only 1 per cent of health professionals are Indigenous and cancer is the No. 1 killer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The scholarship is open to Indigenous students undertaking full-time postgraduate study or research in a cancer-related field in health, research or policy, and they must be able to show how their planned study or research will improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Expressions of interest are open until August 30. More inform­ation is available at aurorafoundation.com.au.