Tracey O’Brien: As a community, we celebrate the bravery of children with cancer and acknowledge that more work is needed to reduce cancer’s impact

Tracey O’Brien shared on LinkedIn a post by Cancer Institute NSW and added:

“As a paediatric oncologist, I’ve been privileged to work alongside some incredible people who are passionate about supporting kids at the most challenging moment of their young lives.

It’s not just doctors, nurses, and allied health staff, but the cleaners, porters, receptionists, volunteers, researchers, fundraisers, policymakers (and countless others) who act as a child and family’s personal cheer squad. No matter their role, everyone’s invested, everyone cares and everyone gives their all.

Today is International Childhood Cancer Day and in the childhood cancer community, it reminds us that outside the walls of the wards we’re working in, or the laboratories or offices we’re toiling away in are thousands of children and families in every corner of the world, devastated by this disease.

Today, countless families are grieving a new diagnosis, some are leaving the hospital for the first time in months, others are ringing the end-of-treatment bell and others are remembering the children lost to cancer, far too soon.

As a community, we celebrate the bravery of children with cancer and acknowledge that more work is needed to reduce cancer’s impact.

Sharing their experiences and passion are three of the thousands of people working in childhood cancer. Read what drives them to help support kids with cancer.”

Quoting Cancer Institute NSW’s post:

“Today is International Childhood Cancer Day – a time to think about all of the children and families impacted by cancer across our state.

In NSW and beyond, teams of people are working to reduce the impact of childhood cancer every day. Associate Professor Antoine de Weck, Ellie and Julieanne, share with us what drives them to play such a vital role.

Read the full story.”

Source: Tracey O’Brien/LinkedIn

Dr. Tracey O’Brien is the NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Australia. Before her current role, Tracey was Director of the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital, and Director of the Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program. Tracey has held numerous high-profile national and international leadership positions, including Advisory Chair, Cancer Australia; V/Chair (Africa, Asia and Australasia) International Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant Research and V/President of the Australian and New Zealand Children’s Oncology Group.

In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Tracey was profiled in 2023 as one of the world’s foremost women in paediatric cancer by the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. In 2019 Tracey was named in the Australian Financial Review’s prestigious Top 10 Women of Influence, winning the Innovation category.

In addition to her medical expertise, Tracey has a Master of Law (Health) and executive MBA and serves as a conjoint Professor in Clinical Medicine (UNSW) and Honorary Professor in Science and Engineering (Macquarie University). Dr. O’Brien remains committed to mentoring the next generation of clinician leaders and maintains an active clinical practice in cancer survivorship at Sydney Children’s Hospital.