We were privileged to engage in the review process of 12 Below The Belt (BTB) Research Fund Grant Applications, alongside the evaluation of the new Synchrony Fellowship Award, which garnered an impressive 17 applications. We continue to use our well-refined discussion and ranking system. These reviews are an important part of what we do as Consumer Advisors in research. We constantly scrutinize the potential impact and benefits that the proposed research questions hold for patients. It is pleasing to note the strong alignment we have with the multidisciplinary team responsible for scientifically evaluating the grant applications. We eagerly await the outcomes of these research projects, as they hold the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes.

In March 2023 we were delighted to welcome Raewyn Manssen, a Bladder Cancer Patient from New Zealand, to our CAP meeting to get a better understanding of what we do. Following on from this, Raewyn has now joined our CAP and with her experience on a clinical trial as part of her “treatment” plan her insights into the new ideas being proposed will be invaluable in advancing our cause and helping others affected by bladder cancer.

Recent speaking engagements have proven to be highly effective in promoting the meaningful involvement of CAP at ANZUP. Throughout the year, we had the privilege of participating in the following events:

• “Consumers In Research Workshop” – This was held at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse to assist researchers in understanding the importance of engaging with consumers to provide input into their ideas.
• Webinar on “Consumer Involvement in Clinical Trial Design” – Monash Partners and Sydney Health co-hosted this webinar. The feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting how effectively the CAP is integrated into ANZUP’s diverse activities.

The CAP was actively involved in reviewing Patient Information and Consent Forms for the following trials:

• ANZadapt July 2022
• Short form ANZadapt – Study Patient Information and Consent Form review with different supporting documents to provide a more user-friendly experience from a patient perspective. It is great to see the push for change on the way as the graphics provide a much easier presentation of the trial rather pages and pages of words.
• Geni-Airspace

The CAP continues to support the membership and we are involved in many discussions with greater inclusion in grant applications and working groups for specific ideas. We really appreciate the respect and value that is given to our comments and suggestions. We are also grateful to be able to support the research of the talented and dedicated members of ANZUP who always strive to improve patient outcomes.

Under the exceptional leadership of Ian Davis as the ANZUP Chair and CEO Marg McJannett, along with their capable management team, ANZUP continues to experience growth and success. ANZUP presents us with numerous captivating and fulfilling projects to participate in. We eagerly anticipate the exciting opportunities that lie ahead, where we can actively contribute to advancing cancer research and making a positive impact on patient care.