A Newcastle-based researcher has been awarded funding to enhance outcomes for regional and rural cancer patients as part of a $10 million funding boost to cancer research in New South Wales.
Among 18 grants delivered by the Cancer Institute NSW, $798,790 has been allocated to the University of Newcastle’s Dr Jennifer Mackney. Her work focuses on improving patient access to prehabilitation services in rural and regional NSW, addressing a critical gap in cancer care.
Surgery plays a vital role in cancer treatment, with approximately 165,000 Australians diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Of these, around 132,000 require surgery, often multiple times. Research indicates that better physical fitness and overall wellbeing contribute to improved post-surgical outcomes. However, cancer and its associated treatments often reduce physical activity, nutrition, and fitness, increasing the risk of poor recovery.
Dr Mackney’s pre-surgery program aims to mitigate these effects by providing exercise, nutrition, and psychological support. The program has been shown to improve patients’ physical function, reduce complications, and shorten hospital stays post-surgery.
The initiative will be delivered through a hybrid model of care. Health providers within participant communities will provide in-person support, while a telehealth team based in Newcastle will extend services remotely. The funding will facilitate access to the program for cancer patients at five regional and rural hospitals—three in the Hunter New England Local Health District and two in the Mid North Coast Local Health District.
Dr Mackney said the funding would allow her team to expand their work and improve accessibility to prehabilitation services.
“Prehabilitation before cancer surgery – including exercise, nutritional optimisation, and psychological support – has been shown to improve physical function, halve postoperative pulmonary complications, and reduce postoperative hospital length of stay,” she said.
“A model of care for the delivery of prehabilitation using in-person and telehealth intervention has been developed in Newcastle over the past five years and utilised clinically. However, currently rural and regional patients don’t have equitable access to formal prehabilitation programs.
“The grant awarded to our team by Cancer Institute NSW will enable us to extend this work to improve access to multimodal prehabilitation services for cancer patients across five regional and rural hospitals in NSW.”
The NSW Government, through the Cancer Institute NSW, is one of the largest funders of cancer research in the state. Over the past 20 years, it has invested more than $470 million in nearly 1,000 competitive research grants. This year’s grants span four categories, with Dr Mackney’s project being one of two funded under the Accelerated Research Implementation Grant, which supports the rapid transition of research into clinical practice.
The second recipient in this category is Associate Professor Vincent Cornelisse from the University of New South Wales, whose program focuses on reducing anal cancer incidence and improving survival rates among people with HIV in regional areas.
Minister for Medical Research David Harris said the NSW Government was committed to improving healthcare access for regional and rural communities.
“Ensuring patients in our regional and rural communities receive better access to medical care is a priority of the Minns Labor Government and programs funded by the Cancer Institute NSW grants are helping achieve this,” he said.
“The NSW Government is proud to be supporting researchers and projects designed to reduce the impact of cancer and save lives.
“Our researchers strive every day to improve the lives of people in NSW and across the world, and we’re proud to invest in them to continue their work and help improve cancer outcomes for all.”
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O’Brien AM acknowledged the importance of continued research in tackling cancer.
“Our dedicated and inspirational cancer researchers are key to improving our understanding of a disease which touches the lives of so many of us,” she said.
“While significant progress has been made in understanding and treating cancer, it remains the leading cause of death in NSW, with sadly one in two people being diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
“NSW is recognised as a global leader in tackling cancer with people, communities, and organisations coming together to support all people impacted by cancer and help rewrite the future of cancer.”
The remaining three categories of grants awarded by the Cancer Institute NSW include 11 Early Career Fellowships, three Career Development Fellowships, and two Aboriginal Cancer Research Grants.
For more information on the 2024/2025 Cancer Institute NSW grants recipients, visit the Cancer Institute NSW website.
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