Peter Mac's Professor Shelley Dolan recently sat down for an interview Richard Vines, from Rare Cancers Australia.

This is the first in a series of interviews produced by Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) to put a spotlight on "some of the brightest minds in the Australian cancer community".

“Shelley has a remarkable story, having moved through the ranks from ICU nurse to CEO," says Mr Vines, who is RCA's chief executive.

"Together, we talk about what she’s learned from patients and their families over her 30-year career, the importance of making your voice heard as a patient, and how we can improve access to clinical trials in rural and regional areas, among other things."

You can watch the interview here: 

Over the coming weeks, RCA will also release interviews in this "Thought Leader Series" with:

Carlo Montagner, Chief Executive, Specialised Therapeutics Australia
Professor John Zalcberg, Head of Cancer Research, Monash University
Ann Single, Coordinator, Patient Voice Initiative and Chair, HTAi Patient and Citizen Involvement in HTA Interest Group
Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer AC, University of Queensland, and co-inventor of the technology behind the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine
Professor Grant McArthur, Executive Director, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance.

Subscribe to the series here

“Each conversation is unique; they all have different insights and perspectives to offer," Mr Vines says.

"Our hope is that this series will help give patients a chance to hear from those who affect their lives every day and how these decision makers see the opportunities for change,” Richard said.

RCA is a is a charity whose mission is to improve the lives and health outcomes of Australians living with rare, less common and complex cancers.