Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP) update By Belinda Jago, CAP Chair
As 2020 draws to a close it will certainly be a year that we remember, especially for the Victorian CAP members who were in lock down for many months. The CAP normally meets face to face but due to COVID-19 we have been using zoom as a meeting platform. This hasn’t stopped our important contribution to ANZUP’s trials. Including our involvement in the Below the Belt Research Fund application selection process. This has worked really well and zoom has certainly helped in facilitating the discussions especially around the patient / community feedback required as part of the selection criteria.
The CAP did a fantastic job supporting this event by participating, donating, fundraising and promoting. It provided a great opportunity to focus on something very positive during the pandemic. The event will continue next year in May and I encourage all readers to consider joining the challenge. All funds raised go directly to below the belt cancer research. I had initially thought about sitting this activity out. It has been a long hard winter in Melbourne. Being home since mid-March, it was a year where there were many special milestones to be celebrated but were all cancelled. Hopefully in 2021 we will start to catch up! We miss our life and although we are way better off than many people we just felt very flat and very unmotivated.
During this challenging year, ANZUP has remained committed to running its TOP ROW L-R; COLIN O’BRIEN, LEONIE YOUNG, JOE ESPOSITO clinical trials and delivering the MIDDLE ROW L-R; MELISSA LE MESURIER, MATT LEONARD, The whole COVID pandemic RAY ALLEN. BOTTOM ROW L-R; LES LAND, BELINDA JAGO, best standard of care for those took us back to when Bec was MICHAEL TWYCROSS impacted by below the belt diagnosed with kidney cancer (bladder, kidney, penile, prostate and testicular) cancers. in 2006 and for the next 5 years we had to learn to deal They have taken a very proactive approach to ensure the with uncertainty, change and no long term planning. health and well-being of the clinical members, staff and You feel you have lost control of your life and now it was especially the community, in particular those patients happening again. participating on our clinical trials. But for those who know me I’m not good at sitting This year has also welcomed positive initiatives. on my hands. I decided I should support the #YourWay Teletrials have been implemented for rural and regional campaign in a more active way and would regret patients, as well as patients who are not comfortable it if I passed up the opportunity. leaving their homes during the pandemic. So I’m very happy to say we are really glad we joined ANZUP also introduced a new virtual campaign Below the #YourWay challenge. It has really improved our the Belt “#YourWay” developed to raise awareness daily focus in a very positive way as we deal with the and funds for below the belt cancer research. The Melbourne #lockdown blues. #gettingfit #fewblisters annual Pedalthon events were postponed due to AND importantly we are helping to raise much needed COVID-19 restrictions, so the Below the Belt #YourWay funds for clinical trial research. Challenge took place over the entire month of Tony and I called our team ‘Just the 2 of Us’. Once September and participants could walk, run, cycle or again we thank the many family and friends who swim as many kilometres as they could – keeping both have supported us and ultimately helped clinical trial mind and body healthy. research into these #belowthebeltcancers. This support
A LITTLE BELOW THE BELT 9
