Burnout is a growing challenge for health care professionals in rural and regional settings, particularly among cancer clinicians. This interactive webinar brings together national leaders, rural clinicians, and wellbeing experts to explore how we can support ourselves and each other while delivering high-quality cancer care in resource-constrained settings. Together, we’ll examine practical, evidence-based strategies to recognise early signs of burnout, strengthen personal wellbeing, and foster supportive workplace cultures.
Join us to share experiences, learn from peers, and discuss what actually works for the regional and rural cancer workforce. Participants will leave with practical tools, access to resources, and a clearer understanding of strategies to support their wellbeing and prevent burnout in challenging work environments.
Speakers
Professor Sabe Sabesan BMBS PhD FRACP
Senior Medical Oncologist Townsville Cancer Centre
Professor Sabesan is a senior Medical Oncologist at the Townsville Cancer Centre and the Clinical Director of the Australian Teletrial Program, Office of Research and Innovation, Queensland Health. As the President of COSA, he plans to advocate for creating equitable health system in Australia and healthier workplace culture as the foundation for workforce wellbeing. Sabe recently led the development of the Healthy Workplace Culture in Health Systems: a National Framework, and was first author on a joint statement with ASCO-COSA- and ECO published in The Lancet Series, as a unified call to foster healthy workplace cultures to sustain the health workforce.
Dr Rob Blum
Clinical Director, Bendigo Health Oncology Unit and the Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Services
Dr Blum has over 18 years’ experience in general medical oncology and clinical trials, with special interests in breast, gynae-oncology, lymphoma and urological malignancies. Dr Blum’s undergraduate degree was obtained at the University of Melbourne, where he did one year as a researcher at the Austin Research Institute before commencing his speciality training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. This was followed by a two-year fellowship at Peter Mac, which included further experience in breast cancer, gynae-oncology, melanoma and clinical studies. Dr Blum was also involved in PET imaging research and its role in cancer therapeutics and staging.
Dr Blum has been the Director of the Oncology Department in Bendigo since 2003. During that time, he has had the department accredited as a site of oncology training with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. In 2013, he undertook a sabbatical in breast cancer under the guidance of Dr Angelo Di Leo in Prato, Italy. Dr Blum received a VCCC Alliance Leading for Impact Award for Outstanding Leadership by Example in 2024.
The National Regional Cancer Forums series
This series has been made possible by the Cancer Patient Support Program, an Australian Government initiative. Supported by grant funding from the Federal Government, the forums aim to address the educational needs of Australia’s regional and rural cancer workforce by facilitating reciprocal learning between regional and metropolitan cancer colleagues.
This is an inclusive event that recognises the expertise of the cancer workforce in regional, rural and metropolitan areas. All workers are invited to participate in education and learning that will enable a collective effort to lift cancer outcomes in regional and rural communities. This initiative recognises the imperative that we all must work together towards equitable cancer care. An individual’s postcode shouldn’t influence their outcomes.