Kate Bolam
Kate Bolam is an accredited exercise physiologist and senior researcher with 20 years’ experience in developing projects to improve the health of people affected by cancer. She is a senior research fellow at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. She also holds adjunct research positions at the University of Melbourne and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
After receiving her PhD in 2014, Kate moved to Sweden for postdoctoral positions at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and Karolinska Institute.
She reconnected with COSA when she moved back to Australia in early 2024. Kate said, “COSA is the peak body. It is where all the action happens. COSA has a nice cross-section of all the different health professions.”
Kate’s research agenda is strongly focused on survivorship, on supporting all people with cancer to live well after a diagnosis. Kate said, “Survivorship action requires a multidisciplinary team with researchers, nurses, oncologists, physios, pharmacists ... Coming out of our silos and listening to different views is the only way forward for equitable survivorship care.”
Kate attended Cancer Survivorship 2025 in Melbourne in March. “The conference helped with building new relationships and important research collaborations have certainly formed, as a result, that I know will drive change in the field.”
“In Australia we need to find a way to get exercise into standard cancer care as it is in cardio and pulmonary rehabilitation. I suspect pragmatic and opportunistic action is the way forward.”
Kate has been working with Jess Morris, proud descendent of the Wiradjuri and Wailwan Nations and Strong Spirit Aboriginal Services CEO, in her work developing cancer prevention and survivorship programs with the Aboriginal community of Port Macquarie. “The programs have been co-designed with Community, and the evaluation will involve Aboriginal evaluation methods such as Yarning,” said Kate. “The goal is to provide information and services that are culturally safe, and to make people feel empowered. I just helped with the exercise oncology component.”
Kate also helped coordinate the ‘Caring for carers’ session at COSA-IPOS 2025. “My research doesn’t directly focus on caring research but does include it. Coordinating the session with an expert in the field like Ash, has been a nice way to see what’s happening in Australia, to connect with other health professionals including pharmacists and nurses. It’s heartening to see so many people doing thoughtful work with diverse groups of people.”
Kate has projects all over Australia, but she lives on the Sunshine Coast with her Swedish husband and their children aged eight and six. “They used to play in the snow at kindy in Sweden. They are still getting used to the heat here,” said Kate.
During her time in Sweden, Kate helped establish an exercise and cancer course. “They don’t have exercise physiology as an accredited profession in Sweden, so not only were there no exercise physiology courses there were no cancer and exercise courses, so the focus really has been on workforce development. We’re finally getting there!”
“In Australia we need to find a way to get exercise into standard cancer care as it is in cardio and pulmonary rehabilitation. I suspect pragmatic and opportunistic action is the way forward.”
When she is not researching ways to get more exercise into cancer care, Kate likes to get into nature. You are likely to find her on the beach or foraging for fungi in the rainforest.
