Welcome to the Men’s Health CEO Series, where we engage with CEO’s who either lead a men’s health organisation or have facilitated men’s health initiatives within their institutions.
In this series, 5 questions are asked of executive leaders to gain insight into their respective organisations and their observations on men’s health today.
In this feature article, we speak with Anne Savage, CEO of The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Q1: Could you please describe your organisation?
PCFA is Australia’s leading consumer organisation for men and families impacted by prostate cancer. We fund research, awareness, and support, with more than 110 Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses under PCFA’s management.
We also deliver Australia’s only dedicated Prostate Cancer Telenursing Service and Counselling Service, providing Australians with evidence-based advice and care.
Since PCFA’s inception, we have funded more than $70 million in prostate cancer research, using community donations to improve treatments and reduce the burden of prostate cancer on Australian families.
Q2: Within your present CEO tenure, could share some organisational highlights?
The highlight of our work is supporting men and their families. We’re also tremendously proud to be funding research and clinical trials that give men hope of outlasting prostate cancer.
Over the past five years we have grown our nursing workforce from 51 nurses in 46 locations to 115 nurses in 100 locations today, launched new Telenursing and Counselling Services, and established a Prostate Cancer Future Fund, paving the way for a landmark agreement to co-fund ANZUP prostate cancer clinical trials.
Q3: Over the next 5-years, where do you see the growth opportunities for men’s health organisations?
The greatest growth opportunities for men’s health organisations over the next five years will be in harnessing technological change to improve the delivery of uniquely human services.
We are at the end of an era focussed on mapping the patient ‘journey’ in our endeavour to personalise care and improve individual outcomes. The next phase of our advancement will be about recreating the landscape.
Q4: If hypothetically, the Government offered your organisation an unrestricted $5M grant tomorrow, and you had executive control over its allocation- what one project would you spend it all on?
We would allocate the funding to our alliance with the ANZUP Cancer Trials group for Australian-based prostate cancer clinical trials and let the Government know that we need at least $50m more.
Prostate cancer research receives around half the funding devoted to other major cancers.
Q5: Lastly, do you have a favourite sports team, when & why did you start supporting them?
The Belmont Saints basketball club in Brisbane. My two nephews play for the Saints. Although both are on the bench right now with fractures acquired in the pursuit of glory.
Thank you for sharing with Real Men’s Health
