By Cancer Council NSW The future of cancer survivorship is here
By Cancer Council NSW 
Earlier this year, we were fortunate to have medical oncologist Professor Bogda Koczwara speak at the Cancer Council NSW POSH Gala Ball 2025.
Professor Koczwara was recently appointed Director of the Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship. Established by Cancer Council NSW in partnership with UNSW, the centre will, as Professor Koczwara puts it, “improve the health and wellbeing of survivors in NSW, in Australia and beyond, today and into the future.”
Our POSH Gala Ball guests heard an inspiring talk from Professor Koczwara, and here are some of the key takeaways she shared.
More cancer survivors than ever before
Survival rates for almost all types of cancer have increased significantly in recent decades.
We’ve seen exciting medical discoveries change the course of cancer treatment and lead to far more patients than ever before surviving cancer.
Even the most well-known and commonly used cancer therapy, chemotherapy, is a relatively new medical innovation. It was first administered to a child with childhood leukaemia 80 years ago by Dr Sidney Farber. “At that time, he was accused of torturing the child,” Professor Koczwara explains, “because nobody expected survival.”
Today, over 90% of children with leukaemia survive.
Not only are more cancer patients than ever before surviving cancer, but many more are living with incurable, non-terminal cancer. Cancer survivorship, however, comes at a price.
Research is still catching up to the realities of life after cancer treatment, and there’s more to learn about how best to support cancer survivors after treatment.
The toll of treatment
Professor Koczwara spoke about the challenges faced by cancer survivors, many of which can have lasting impacts. “The diagnosis of cancer is not just an existential threat – the cancer treatment itself leads to a number of problems”, she says.
For many decades, surviving cancer was seen as something to be grateful for. While this is true, it’s not the whole story.
Cancer treatment is mentally and physically taxing for both patients and their loved ones. Cancer survivors are often anxious about the possibility of their cancer returning. Many find their bodies permanently changed or experience chronic physical side effects from either the cancer itself or their treatment protocols.
Despite Australia’s robust public health system, cancer treatment can be expensive. Travelling for treatment can be particularly costly for patients in rural or regional parts of Australia, and it’s not uncommon for cancer patients to be unable to work while undergoing treatment. Loss of income is often an additional source of stress in an already highly stressful situation.
Professor Koczwara shared the origin of the term ‘survivorship’. First coined in 1985 by cancer survivor Dr Fitzhugh Mullen, the term encapsulates the vastness of the cancer experience, from diagnosis to treatment and its ongoing effects.
For Dr Mullen, the experience of cancer treatment was like “being saved from drowning, and then being dumped, coughing and spluttering, on the side of the dock.”
At Cancer Council NSW, we’re dedicated to supporting cancer survivors through the entirety of the cancer experience. We recognise that ongoing support and care are essential for survivors to lead fulfilling lives after treatment.
Evidence-based support for survivors
The Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship will investigate ways to improve the lives of cancer survivors. Education, advocacy, and the implementation of new care programs will form the cornerstone of the centre’s work.
With Professor Koczwara at the helm, the centre will explore:
- Prevention and early detection strategies for secondary cancers
- Support models for survivors and their families
- Side effect management for those facing chronic or permanent changes after cancer treatment
Funding from generous donors like you enables us to bring concepts like the Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship to life. Together, it’s all of us against cancer.
If you need to talk about cancer, call Cancer Council on 13 11 20
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