People with lived experience sought for Research Advisory Roles with ANZGOG

“The community is at the heart of everything that we do at ANZGOG. They remind us how important advancing research is for others, they keep us on track, focusing on what matters most and they shape ANZGOG’s research direction by providing their unique lived experience.”

Prof Clare Scott AM, ANZGOG Chair

Community volunteers in a Research Adviser role will have the opportunity to contribute to ANZGOG research at every stage of the development process. Community volunteers will lend their voices to research discussions sharing their personal perspectives and representing the broader views of patients, carers, and other people with lived experience of a gynaecological cancer.

Research volunteer opportunities are now available across:

TUMOUR TYPE: UTERINE/ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

• OPPORTUNITY: Membership of the EDEN Steering Committee and Focus Groups
• POSITIONS: Six positions are available for people with lived experience of endometrial cancer to help guide the EnDomEtrial caNcer Research Initiative (EDEN) – a collaborative research program established by ANZGOG in 2021, to address the significant unmet needs of endometrial cancer patients in Australia and New Zealand.
• Click here for information about EDEN

TUMOUR TYPE: OVARIAN CANCER, UTERINE/ENDOMETRIAL CANCER, CERVICAL CANCER, VULVA CANCER, VAGINAL CANCER

• OPPORTUNITY: Membership of an ANZGOG Tumour Working Group
• POSITIONS: ANZGOG is seeking one person with lived experience to represent each tumour type – ovarian cancer (including ovaries, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal), uterine cancer (including endometrial and sarcoma), cervical cancer, vulva cancer and vaginal cancer. Tumour Working Groups meet twice per year to consider and develop new research concepts for ANZGOG

TUMOUR TYPES: OVARIAN CANCER

• OPPORTUNITY:  Membership of the OASIS Steering Committee
• POSITION: ANZGOG is seeking one person with lived experience of ovarian cancer to help guide this powerful and pioneering collaboration that aims to advance innovative, targeted clinical trials for defined subsets of ovarian cancer patients
• Click here for more information about OASIS

 ALL GYNAECOLOGICAL CANCER  TYPES:

• OPPORTUNITY:  Sharing your lived experience as a Consumer Associate Investigator on a single research study.
• POSITIONS: Positions are available for Consumer Associate Investigators (CAIs) to be involved in a single study and bring their lived experience of a gynaecological cancer to either a grant working party or a Trial Management Committee. Many CAIs will follow through from a successful grant application to be involved in the Trial Management Committee overseeing a clinical trial. Volunteers who are suitable for a CAI role may be offered an immediate position, if available, or be allocated to a pool of research volunteers to be matched with a clinical trial advisory role in the future as concepts are developed.

A small number of Research Advisor roles are available for Community Volunteers with significant experience working as consumers in research, requiring additional levels of education and expertise in research analysis.

Community volunteers interested in working with  ANZGOG on its research activities are asked to submit an online application outlining their motivation for joining the program, any previous experience as a consumer in research (not necessary for all roles), and the qualities and life skills they feel they will contribute to ANZGOG’s research. Roles will be allocated following an interview process to identify individual capabilities.

ANZGOG has been at the forefront of involving people with lived experience in gynaecological cancer research. Our community volunteers find it a rewarding and engaging opportunity to contribute to ANZGOG’s vision of ‘advancing research, saving lives’.

For more information about working as a Research Community Volunteer with ANZGOG or to express your interest in joining the Program, please submit an Expression of Interest for ANZGOG’s Community Engagement Program.