ANNUAL REVIEW / 2013 Cancer in Victoria: tackling challenges and inspiring change Contents 02 / Message from the President Who we are 03 / Message from the CEO Cancer Council Victoria is a non-profit organisation 04 / Highlights of 2013 involved in cancer research, support, prevention 06 / Research and advocacy. Our singleness of purpose – 09 / Prevention improved cancer outcomes – drives us, and will 13 / Support always be balanced by our deep connection with 16 / McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer the experience of cancer patients and their families. 17 / Fundraising Our mission 19 / Our supporters To reduce the impact of all cancers for all Victorians. 21 / Governance and Finance 22 / Executive Committee (Board) Members Our values 24 / Executive Committee report Excellence, integrity and compassion. 26 / Finance, Risk, Audit and Compliance Committee report About this report 27 / Key financial results This report is designed to give our stakeholders 29 / Appeals Committee report an insight into the diversity of the services delivered 30 / Medical and Scientific Committee report by Cancer Council Victoria. It provides details of 31 / Council our activities during the 2013 calendar year. 32 / Other committees The audited 2013 financial reports are contained 35 / Finding the answers within a separate document, which is available on 36 / The research we fund our website (www.cancervic.org.au). A summary 43 / Research grants awarded in 2013 of the financials is contained within this report. 44 / Thank you to our supporters All donations over $2 are On the cover: Dr Jenni Jenkins and her Their mother was found to carry the gene tax deductable. brother Mark Dunstan have Lynch Syndrome and she died of bowel cancer in 2002. Published April 2014 (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer). Jenni had a double mastectomy after being Jenni’s daughter Lauren may also carry the diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. Produced by Cancer Council Victoria gene mutation, which can increase the risk “Carrying a genetic mutation has never ABN: 61 426 486 715 of bowel cancer and some other cancers. defined my identity or health and I think the 615 St Kilda Road The family’s link with Lynch Syndrome was rest of my family feels the same,” Jenni says. Melbourne Vic 3004 Australia discovered when Mark was diagnosed with “The ability to provide accurate genetic diagnosis bowel cancer at the age of 33. The rest of is incredible for so many reasons. It’s been a real T: +61 3 9514 6100 the family was offered genetic testing in privilege to have had access to this information F: +61 3 9635 6800 1994 in the early days of the technology. for so much of my adult life and my daughters W: www.cancervic.org.au will also opt to have genetic testing done.” Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20 Printed in Australia by Southern Colour. Printed on 100% recycled paper. Cancer Council Victoria Annual Review 2013 THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A HISTORIC ONE IN CANCER CONTROL We had a fruitful and productive year at The Board maintains an eye on the future It’s no exaggeration to say the past year Our support services continue to grow to Cancer Council Victoria, culminating in the and should the Parliament determine Cancer has been a historic one in cancer control, meet the increasing number of those affected move from our former Carlton offices to our Council Victoria will no longer be formed by and I have been reflecting on how our success by cancer. We rolled out a pro-bono financial new premises on St Kilda Road. Well done statute (under the 1958 Cancer Act) we have matches our values of excellence, integrity counselling service for cancer patients and to all involved in the move which brings us a carefully considered alternative for Cancer and compassion. created two Aboriginal Cancer Support Groups. together and presents many opportunities Council Victoria to become a Company Research underpins all that we do. Professor Together with other health and cancer to collaborate with our partners and the Limited by Guarantee. Graham Giles was successful in securing a organisations, we worked with the State Victorian community. If such an arrangement occurs, we are National Health and Medical Research Council Government to secure a commitment to In order for us to continue making improvements particularly keen to maintain the involvement (NHMRC) Program Grant to explore lifestyle and review current travel support arrangements in cancer control we also need to work with of our supporters and stakeholders in molecular biology causes for cancer. Two of our for cancer patients in rural areas. Professor Margaret Hamilton Todd Harper government and other organisations. This has responding to cancer in our community by other researchers were also awarded NHMRC President Chief Executive Officer All this would not have been possible included an important partnership with VicHealth working together to achieve our shared goals. grants, one for a study on skin cancer prevention without the help of our donors, fundraisers, which has supported us to bring organisations (led by Dr Suzanne Dobbinson) and one on As ever, our work could not be done without volunteers, supporters, researchers, clinicians together in tackling obesity and the negative alcohol harm prevention (led by Professor the dedication and passion of our volunteers. and employees so I would like to thank you aspects of alcohol use in our community. Melanie Wakefield). Your extraordinary contributions were sincerely for your support. Significantly, the Union for International recognised in our 2013 President’s Awards Significantly, we have seen legislation passed It’s been a year of change and a year when Cancer Control (UICC) entered into a and I would personally like to thank you all. for an outright ban on all commercial sun beds we have laid the foundations to create some Memorandum of Understanding with the in Victoria from the beginning of 2015, and the Postscript cancer control history at our new premises Secretariat to the WHO Framework Convention state recording the lowest levels of smoking Relay For Life remains one of our biggest at 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne. on Tobacco Control. The UICC, through the amongst adults in Australia (13.3 percent). and most-loved fundraising campaigns, and McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, will Our team looks forward to working with we acknowledge the death of Bruce Ward, The prevention team continued its important perform the functions of a WHO Framework you again in 2014 as we strive to reduce a leader in the development of this activity work in developing a new strategy with Cancer Convention on Tobacco Control knowledge hub the impact of cancer for all Victorians. and one of our most passionate and dedicated Council Australia to tackle liver cancer – one on matters within its expertise. More broadly, volunteers. Bruce also served on our Executive of the fastest growing cancers in Victoria. the McCabe Centre continued its important and Appeals committees and his humane work globally by running a number of advocacy Our focus on disadvantaged Victorians and wise counsel will be greatly missed. and training workshops here and internationally. extended to breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening with an investment from the Victorian I’d like to thank the Board under the attentive Department of Health to implement an Under leadership of Andrew Roberts for its ongoing Screened Program to address low screening efforts, and to Maria Trinci for her diligent in some groups. work chairing the Finance, Risk, Audit and Compliance Committee. 2 3 Cancer Council Victoria Annual Review 2013 June August • Phase two of the ‘Rethink Sugary Drink’ • More than 500 people register to take part • New Cancer Council Victoria data reveals campaign is launched, representing a large Highlights of 2013 in our free national webinar, ‘Breast cancer regular smoking rates in Victoria dropped collaboration of public health agencies. in the family: What does that mean for me?’ to a record low of 13.3 percent. High levels of sugar in Australian diets • CEO Todd Harper calls for urgent action • The Federal Government introduces a remain a focus for Cancer Council Victoria It was a year of progress at Cancer Council Victoria to control alcohol advertising and promotion cigarette tax increase which could help tens obesity policy advocacy. to young people and reduce alcohol of thousands of Australians kick the habit. as we continued our vital research, increased our November related harm at the launch of the Alcohol • The Garden of Hope is created in • Leading health groups launch a new Advertising Review Board’s (AARB) Federation Square to help spread the prevention and advocacy work, expanded our support satirical video (‘Alcohol adShame’) to Annual Report for 2013. message of Daffodil Day. highlight the absurdity of alcohol advertising • Dr Aung Ko Win is awarded the services and grew our fundraising activities. We look • Cancer Council Victoria’s CancerFacts for during times when large numbers of children prestigious 2013 Premier’s Award for the 10-year prevalence for common cancers and young people are watching television. back over 2013 and share some of our highlights. Health and Medical Research. He is doing is released, showing that on 1 January 2012 • The first Aboriginal Cancer Support Group his PhD at the University of Melbourne there were almost 156,000 Victorians living leader training is held in partnership with under an $115,000 three-year scholarship with a diagnosis of cancer made in the the Victorian