BREAST CANCER IN THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY

Julie McCrossin is a veteran radio and television broadcaster who spent over 20 years with ABC Radio National, ABC TV and Network Ten.

Julie spent five years as the presenter of Life Matters on ABC Radio National and five years leading a team on the comedy quiz show Good News Week on ABC TV and Network Ten.

Julie has worked as a TV reporter for both the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and the Anzac Day Parade. She is proud to live in a country where it is possible to do both.

Her favourite media experience was appearing as a Silent Clown called Plain Jane on ABC TV’s Play School.

Julie was treated for stage four, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in 2013. Julie is an Ambassador for Targeting Cancer and TROG Cancer Research. She is a member of the advocacy group, Cancer Voices SA.

Julie has qualifications in the arts, education and law. In 2019, she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community, particularly through LGBTIQ advocacy roles and to the broadcast media.

Dr Elizabeth (Libby) Blackley obtained her medical degree from Monash University, graduating in 2010 before undertaking physician training at Austin Health.

After obtaining fellowship to the Royal Australian College of Physicians in 2018, Dr Blackley worked as the breast cancer clinical trials and translational research fellow under the supervision of Professor Sherene Loi at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where she is now undertaking a Master’s Degree by research through the University of Melbourne.

Dr Blackley holds public appointment at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Dr Blackley treats a wide variety of cancers but has a particular interest in breast, gastrointestinal and gynaecological cancers, having a strong belief in personalised, patient centered care.

Kim Hobbs holds a Masters degree in Social Work and has a long career in oncology social work, currently working at Westmead Hospital.

Building upon a solid base of clinical care, she has a particular interest in addressing concerns about sexuality and intimacy in the context of cancer.

She was a Principal Investigator on an ARC Linkage Grant that investigated the experience of sexuality after cancer treatment for people with cancer and their partners.

She has been involved in the development of resources for both clinicians and consumers, and has presented at several oncology conferences on strategies for health professionals to elicit and respond to the psychosexual concerns of cancer survivors.

Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2020, just as the world was going into lockdown with COVID.

Michelle had three tumours in her left breast and treatment consisted of four surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Michelle & Sharon have been together since 1996 and married in 2019. Michelle is retired, Sharon works full-time in people leadership.

Jane Ussher is Professor of Women’s Health Psychology, in the Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Australia.  She is editor of the Routledge Women and Psychology book series, and the journal Women’s Reproductive Health, and is author of over 300 papers and chapters, and 13 books, in the field of sexual and reproductive health. Jane is the lead investigator on the Out with Cancer Study, an ARC funded project examining LGBTQI experiences of cancer and cancer care.