Tom Reeve Oration Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cancer Care
The aim of this award, which is offered by COSA, is to formally recognise a national leader resident in Australia who has made a significant contribution over a relatively long period towards cancer care through research, clinical leadership and/or community service. Nominations must be made by a COSA member with support from a Council Chair.
Previous recipients of this award include:
- Professor Martin Tattersall, Professor of Cancer Medicine, The University of Sydney (2007)
- Professor Alan Coates, Chief Executive Officer, The Cancer Council Australia (2006)
- Professor Tom Reeve, Executive Officer, the Australian Cancer Network (2005, Inaugural Award)
COSA/Roche Best of the Best Travel Awards
Toward Cancer Control
Extending COSA's international reach, Roche is generously funding five new awards for the best oral COSA Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) presentations. Each prize of $5,000 will be awarded to an individual COSA member to assist them in attending an international meeting. The prizes will be awarded according to a competitive, independent process and are available across all disciplines. This is a great opportunity to build COSA's global profile and to reward our diverse membership, for excellence in contributing to the knowledge base clinical cancer care.
COSA Best Poster Presentation
Recognising the best poster at the Annual Scientific Meeting the award recipient will receive $2,000.
The Luminous Award Australia
Enlightened, Intelligent and Inspiring Cancer Reporting
The Luminous Award Australia recognises outstanding journalism in the field of oncology.
Hosted by the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, the Luminous Award Australia honours journalists who serve their readers/viewers by providing responsible, accurate and timely information on advances in cancer prevention, research, treatment and patient support.
The stories the Luminous Awards have received in the past are inspiring and some readers have provided feedback to journalists explaining how their article has made a difference to them or has helped to save a life.
With the high burden of cancer in Australia, we feel it is important to acknowledge the important work journalists have in keeping the public informed of relevant health information.
The Luminous Award is proudly supported by Eli Lilly Australia.
Judging panel
The Luminous Award Australia is judged by an independent panel who is represented by the following organisations:
- Asbestos Diseases Advisory Service of Australia
- Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia
- Australasian Medical Writers Association
- Brain Foundation
- Cancer Voices Australia
- Clinical Oncological Society of Australia
- Leukaemia Foundation
- National Breast Cancer Centre
- National Breast Cancer Foundation
- National Ovarian Cancer Network
- Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
- The Australian Lung Foundation
- The Cancer Council Australia
The prize
The Luminous Award Australia offers a cash prize of AU$5000 in each of two categories – print and broadcast. All applicants to the Luminous Award Australia are automatically entered into the International Luminous Award.
The winner of the International Luminous Award will receive:
- A seven-day trip for two and the opportunity to be enlightened by the work of a leading oncologist or cancer researcher in Boston, London, New York, Paris or Sydney; OR
- A cash donation of €10,000 made in the form of a scholarship, in the winner’s name, to help a student continue his/her studies to become a journalist and enlighten others through his/her work.
2007 Print winner
Jill Margo from the Australian Financial Review for her story "Test pins down prostate cancer" which proactively sought to report on a new, and highly accurate blood test which detects 94% of prostate cancers and can rule out the cancer in 97% of men. Jill's story truly captured what the judges recognise to be enlightened and intelligent cancer reporting.
2007 Print highly commended
Lynette Hoffman, a freelance writer working for The Weekend Australian, for her story "Complimenting cancer" which discussed the fact that complementary medicine is an importnant issue deserving attention from cancer patients and healthcare professionals.
2007 Broadcast winner
Matthew Peacock from ABC TV's The 7.30 Report, for his story "Scientific fraud - hampered spread of cancer technique" which exposed the consequences of the Federal Government's Medicare advisory committee's decision to restrict funding for PET scans to only a few hospitals. With PET scans substantially more adequate than most imaging techniques, the process is imperative for clinicians to make decisions about how their patients are treated. Following Matthew's story the Minister for Health and Ageing stated he would be recommending further PET funding.
2007 Broadcast highly commended
John Gatfield and Melissa Hunt from Sky News for their story "Vaccine versus Virus", a comprehensive and balanced overview of the benefits provided by the newly available cervical cancer vaccination.
Congratulations to everyone who entered the Luminous Award Australia this year. We received a high calibre of entries, with some great articles and broadcast pieces.
Previous winners
Last year, Karen O’Sullivan, Channel 7 News, Melbourne took out the broadcast category of the Luminous Award Australia 2006 for her story about the new cervical cancer vaccine, while Karalee Tilvern, SBS World News and Sophie Scott, ABC News were both named as highly commended entrants for their respective stories on stem cell research and melanoma.
Lynette Hoffman, freelance writer at The Weekend Australian was named as the print category winner for her article entitled ‘The Lost Generation’.
Jill Margo (Australian Financial Review) and Clara Pirani’s (The Australian) were both named as highly commended entrants in the print category for their respective articles entitled ‘Chris Callinan’s Journey’ and ‘Hope or Hype.’
Jill Margo went on to win second prize in the International Luminous Award. First prize for the international award went to South African journalist Toni Younghusband of Shape magazine for her article entitled ’My Chance for Life’ detailing a 25 year-old woman’s decision to have a double mastectomy following genetic testing that led to the identification of a gene that causes breast cancer.
Further information / the Luminous Award Australia 2008
If you have any questions about the Luminous Award Australia, both locally and internationally, or would simply like to be kept informed about the launch of the Luminous Award Australia 2008 please email cosa@cancer.org.au.
Other award opportunities: