Melanoma Breakfast Forum10th October 2015
The enthusiasm was evident from the outset as patients, carers, doctors, researchers, health professionals and consumer representatives gathered for the Melanoma Patients Australia (MPA) and the Melbourne Melanoma Project (MMP) melanoma breakfast forum. Ninety-seven people attended the event in the elegant ambiance of the RACV Club Melbourne.
At each table of guests there was an MMP researcher and a clinician to help facilitate discussions during the breaks. This proved to be one of the highlights of the event and the feedback from all staff members has been powerfully positive. There have been lots of comments from staff saying how inspiring the patients were and lots of reciprocal praise for the staff from the patients.
Professor Grant MacArthur, medical oncologist and researcher, was the first of four speakers for the morning. He began with the latest incidence figures for Victoria courtesy of the Cancer Council Victoria. Professor McArthur then proceeded to explain how the latest melanoma treatments work in people and how the combinations of some of those new drugs are offering even more hope for melanoma patients.
Figure 1: Cancer trends in Victoria for Melanoma from 1982 to 2013, standardised using the 2001 Australian Standard Population. Reference: Victorian Cancer Statistics, Cancer Council Victoria
Dr Victoria Mar, a dermatologist and researcher, gave us a visual lesson in the different types of melanomas and explained how difficult some types are to diagnose. Her research is aimed at improving early diagnosis and better understanding how melanomas begin and the genetic differences between types.
Ms Karen Van Gorp, a stage 4 melanoma patient, provided an amazing insight into her own melanoma story. How courage, drive, persistence and clinical research helped her negate the death sentence she had been led to expect. She then gave us an additional look into how she had to re-adapt to living and establish a modified version of her life again.
Ms Dianne Legge, a wellness program coordinator and researcher, completed the morning’s session by defining and discussing ‘survivorship’. So many more patients are surviving longer but are not able to continue in the same manner they had prior to disease. She spoke of how perspectives changed after cancer and how patients often needed a degree of guidance to prioritise the things that can help them along the path wellness.
The morning concluded with a panel discussion, where members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions of the speakers. One of the key questions, particularly noted by senior doctors in the room, was regarding the lack of assistance for lone melanoma patients trying to self-navigate busy clinics. All present agreed that an increase in melanoma care co-ordinators would be most welcome.
Last but not least MPA and MMP would like to thank all of our excellent speakers, all of the MMP staff and everyone who attended the breakfast for making this event such a success.