Speakers

Dr Bart Baker
Topic: Leukaemia and Survivorship

Bart Baker began his haematology career as a registrar in the Haematology Department at Christchurch Hospital before completing his training as a Research Fellow in the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research at the Christie Hospital in Manchester. He was appointed to his current position as a General Haematologist for the Regional Cancer Treatment Service based at Palmerston North Hospital in 1992. Bart has a particular interest in malignant haematology.

Professor Peter Browett
Topic: CML - when can treatment stop?

Peter is a Professor of Pathology and Head of the Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology at the University of Auckland School of Medicine, Consultant Haematologist at Auckland City Hospital, and Consultant Haematologist at Diagnostic Medlab. His involvement with Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand stems from his clinical interest in the management of patients with haematological malignancies, including blood cell and bone marrow transplantation. In the laboratory, he has an interest in cell market and molecular studies in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with leukaemia, lymphoma and inherited blood disorders. Peter has had a long associated with LBC, acting as Medical Director and trustee for many years and more recently joining the LBC's independent Medical Scientific Committee overseeing research grants.

Ros Capper
Topic: Hands-On Practical Information from the Accidental Carer Experience - Questions Welcome!
Ros Capper is a thought leader, author and pioneer. Her career includes nursing (RN), social work and co-founding the iconic Tall Poppies management consultancy. In recent years Ros juggled coordinating the Age Concern Visiting Service with becoming a companion-carer for her husband Mike. She wrote 'The Accidental Carer - a practical guide through uncertainty by palliative home carers'. She is still curious and still pioneering.

Dr Henry Chan
Topic: Breakout Session - Indolent Lymphomas and CLL
Topic: Breakout Session - Navigating medical literature

Henry graduated from the University of Auckland in 2007 and subsequently began his haematology training in 2011. Following completion of his training, he went to Toronto and completed a clinical fellowship in myeloma and lymphoma at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. He is currently working as a clinical and laboratory haematologist at North Shore Hospital in Auckland, and his interest includes myeloma, lymphoma, clinical research, biostatistics and teaching.

David Downs
David Downs is our MC, and one of the first patients globally to get ground breaking CAR-T therapy for his lymphoma. He'll share some of his insights through the evening event.

Topic: CAR T-cell therapy; a patient's experience
David Downs is a cancer battler; over the past 18 months he waged a public battle with lymphoma. In his normal life, David is a general manager with government agency NZTE, but has in the past been in a number of roles in the private and public sector. He started life as an actor, writer and comedian - skills which stood him in good stead as he went through his cancer treatment, in NZ and the USA.

Dr Alwyn D'Souza
Topic: MPN
Dr Alwyn D'Souza is the Clinical Leader in Haematology at Capital & Coast District Health Board. He graduated from Otago School of Medicine in 1993. He did the majority of his post-graduate training in Wellington, before completing his training in Melbourne at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He has worked at Wellington Hospital as a consultant since 2006. His special areas of interest are haematopoietic stem cell transplantation ("bone marrow transplantation"), and lymphomas. He also has an interest in medical education and is the current chair of the NZ Joint Training Committee in haematology.
His presentation will cover clinical aspects and management of myeloproliferative disorders (predominantly essential thrombocythaemia, polycythaemia rubra vera and myelofibrosis).
His

Tracey Hancock
Tracey Hancock passionately guides people to realise the strength within themselves and helps them to claim their own power to direct their life. While she knows we cannot control the circumstances life presents, everyone has within them a depth of courage and wealth of skills, experiences and strengths that are invaluable in any situation. Tracey combines her life coach training, her own life and business experience, and a journey with Hodgkin Lymphoma to help others live their real life.

Topic: Breakout Session - Your vision for living your life
When you're diagnosed with an illness there's so much you can't control. It can seem like your life has been taken over by the illness and that you're powerless to do anything about it. But you're a person with hopes and dreams, and you want to life life as fully as possible. In this practical workshop we'll explore how to create a vision for your life and get specific about the actions that will help you make it real. This is for you if you're ready to reclaim your power and get clear about how you want to live your life.

Topic: Closing Session - Charting your course from here
You'll have heard a lot of information throughout the forum. But how do you sift through it all and what do you do next? This practical and empowering session will help you gain clarity and confidence you need to decide what's next for you. Before you leave the forum, let's make sure you know what you'll give your attention to, that you've identified the changes you'll make and you have some key messages that will inspire you on your journey.

Juliet Ireland
Topic: PTSD and Cancer
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in healthcare settings has increasingly been studied and is recognised as a response that some people have to a diagnosis of cancer. This talk will focus on PTSD in cancer by describing what it is, discussing what can help, and by outlining the latest research.

Juliet is a Health Psychologist with vast experience working with individuals, groups and health professionals. She has worked for the past 10 years with people with cancer and their whanau and currently is the National Clinical Lead for the Cancer Psychological and Social Support Initiative, a Ministry of Health funded initiative to improve access to psychological and social support across New Zealand. Juliet has an interest in people's responses to a diagnosis and treatment of cancer, both the experience of the person with cancer but also the experience of whanau/carers. She is also interested in how these experiences can influence outcomes. Juliet is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland where she teaches and supports training health psychologists and she also has a small private practice.

Lou James

Topic: Fighting Fatigue - practical tips to help people live more, tolerate more and do more
Lou James graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science in Physiotherapy in 1997. She is responsible for the introduction of the PINC & STEEL, Next Steps and PaddleOn Cancer Rehabilitation Programmes, which focus on the physical and mental wellbeing of people affected by cancer. The programmes are now available in 11 countries and have supported thousands of people. In 2006, Lou founded the PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust to help make rehabilitation more accessible and affordable for New Zealanders.

Dr Sean A. MacPherson

Topic: Aggressive Lymphomas
Dr MacPherson is a haematologist and senior clinical lecturer with Canterbury District Health Board and the University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. He graduated with honors from Glasgow University in 1998. Dr MacPerson was a haematology trainee in the South West of England and a consultant in Gloucester for 3 years before moving to Christchurch. He is now part of the UOC Haematology Research Group, currently investigating immunosuppression in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Dr MacPherson is enthusiastic about education and employs innovative techniques including song, poetry, drama and even prison visits to get his message across. He received the Christchurch Medical Students Association Award for Best Teacher in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Ian Morison
Topic: Key Note - 'An Explanation of Blood Cancers - from the Lab to the Doctor's office'
Topic: Breakout Session - Understanding Myeloma
Ian is a research haematologist, combining careers in diagnostic haematology and basic haematology research. He is a consultant haematologist at Southern Community Laboratories in Dunedin where he diagnoses a wide variety of blood diseases and cancers. He is a professor in the Department of Pathology, Otago Medical School where he imparts his knowledge of haematology to medical students and medical laboratory science students.His research interests include myeloma, childhood leukaemia, the genetics of blood disorders, and the role of epigenetic modification in cancer.

Andrew Park
Topic: PHARMAC and the patient
Andrew is a Registered Pharmacist and Senior Therapeutic Manager at PHARMAC. His current role sees him leading procurement and expenditure management activities primarily in the area of malignant and non-malignant haematology. He is also involved in the process of obtaining expert clinical advice and coordinating decision making processes for new pharmaceutical funding. Therapeutic Group Managers at PHARMAC each manage a portfolio of pharmaceutical funding with an annual value of approximately $100 million and each year typically lead a range of transactions with a lifetime financial impact in excess of $50 million. Andrew has previously worked within the pharmaceutical industry, holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health and has a strong interest in the intersection of clinical science and commercial strategy. He is currently studying towards a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Victoria University of Wellington.

Julian Ryan
Topic: Nutrition and cancer prevention: separating wheat from the chaff
Julian is the oncology and haematology dietitian for Wellington Regional Hospital. He has been working within the field of nutrition and dietetics since 2010. His particular interest in the role of diet in relation to cancer was sparked with the diagnosis of a close friend with lymphoma followed by a family member with bowel cancer.

Kyle Scott
Topic: Work and Income NZ - Helpful Information
Kyle has been with the Ministry of Social Development for just over 10 years having worked in various roles from Contact Centre, Case Management, Youth and Health Disability, he is a qualified and registered Personal Trainer with a strong passion for health and well-being.

Dr Robert Weinkove
Dr Weinkove is a Consultant Haematologist at Wellington Blood & Cancer Centre and Clinical Director of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. He studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and Kings College London, before training in internal medicine and haematology at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London and the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover in Germany, and completing an immunology PhD with the University of Otago. His clinical and research interests are in cancer immunotherapy, B-cell malignancies and haemato-oncology supportive care. He is currently establishing clinical-grade CAR T-cell manufacturing at the Malaghan Institute, with a view to commencing a clinical trial of a new CAR T-cell therapy in New Zealand.

Topic: CAR T-cell therapy in New Zealand
CAR T-cell therapy is a new type of treatment, in which patient immune cells are re-programmed in the laboratory, to direct them to destroy cancer cells, and expanded to large numbers before given back as an infusion. Two CAR T-cell therapies are licenses in the US and Europe for certain aggressive B-cell lymphomas and leukaemias. The establishment of manufacturing a new type of CAR T-cell therapy for use in a planned clinical trial within NZ will be discussed.

Catherine Wood

Topic: Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD)
Catherine is a bone marrow transplant clinical nurse specialist at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre, Wellington Hospital. She has been in that role since 2003. She completed a Master of Health Science in 2012.