RESEARCH focusing on the health needs of Far North Queenslanders will be delivered thanks to more than $254,000 in grants issued by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation.
Foundation CEO Gina Hogan said the competitive grants were awarded to both clinicians and dedicated researchers, helping grow the research capacity in the region.
“The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation is deeply committed to enhancing the health and wellbeing of our community through targeted research initiatives. Our grants are more than just funding – they're investments in the future health of our region. They enable local clinicians and researchers to address our unique health challenges, leading to innovations that not only improve lives but also build a stronger, healthier Far North Queensland,” Mrs Hogan said.
Since 2007, the Foundation has committed more than $1.75 million to increase research capacity within the Far North.
Cairns Hospital Hepatitis Research Nurse Sharna Radlof will receive $50, 000 to determine how to deliver comprehensive care to patients living with hepatitis B, in widely dispersed communities across the 380, 000km2 FNQ region.
“Up to a quarter of people living with hepatitis B will develop liver failure or liver cancer if they don’t receive optimal treatment throughout their lives. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are twice as likely to be living with chronic hepatitis B than the general Australia population,” Ms Radlof said.
Associate Professor David Szmulewicz of the Bionics Institute, University of Melbourne and the MJD Foundation provides care to a significant number of northern Australian Aboriginal families living with the inherited brain coordination and balance conditions Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) and Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7. Recent advances towards therapies for neurodegenerative diseases have led to the development of a significant drug pipeline of therapeutics, including novel gene therapy, particularly for MJD. “Phenotyping” describes the details of how a disease affects individuals and is the basis of how we diagnose, treat and research diseases. Although other communities have been phenotyped, Aboriginal people with these conditions have not, and so, with support from the grant of $25, 000, this research will seek to fill this important gap by developing phenotypical profiles of Aboriginal Australian people living with MJD and SCA7 in FNQ.
Cairns Hospital colorectal surgeon Dr Juyong Cheong will use his $10, 000 Paul and Dina Kamsler Memorial Grant to investigate the effect of warmed, humidified carbon dioxide in open colorectal cancer surgery.
“We believe this can have a positive effect on returning bowel activity post-surgery, which of course will lead to less time in hospital and better patient outcomes,” Dr Cheong said.
CQUniversity’s Dr William Mude will use his $10, 000 grant to investigate access to reproductive health for Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) workers.
“We believe that sexual and reproductive health is a recurring theme for PALM workers, in that they don’t have access to Medicare and face a 12-month wait for private health insurance coverage related to pregnancy care. We hope to improve reproductive health support for this population group, who are an important part of our community in Far North Queensland,” Dr Mude said.
Cairns Hospital Senior Pharmacist Nicky Franks will use her $10, 000 grant to explore appropriate prescribing for residents of a First Nations Aged Care Unit.
“Undertaking interviews with the residents about their perceptions and beliefs about their medications, will improve knowledge about how their beliefs influence medication acceptance and adherence,” Ms Franks said.
Other grants will go to:
• Debra Whittaker, Nurse Practitioner endoscopy in northern Queensland – a report on scope of practise, quality of care and patient safety.
• Tara Watters, Design, implementation, and evaluation of an intervention for a new kidney transplant service in northern Queensland.
• Jodi Sariman, The Experiences of Young People Living with Cancer in Far North, Outer Regional and Remote Queensland.
• Andres Ruiz, Exploring the anti-bacterial potential of flavonoids from native Australian tropical plants in the context of melioidosis treatment.
• Michelle Rothwell, Understanding First Peoples Lived Experience of Pharmaceutical Care Between Hospital and Home.
• Kate Miller, Development of multi-layered scaffolds to promote bone healing responses in non-union fractures.
• Karl McDermott, Evaluation of Point of Care cholesterol measurement in Cardiology Outpatients following a Cardiovascular Event.
• Tenzin Jamtsho, Anti-inflammatory small molecules from Trichuris muris and Ancylostoma caninum.
• Sara Hurren, Nursing and Midwifery Education and Training Needs Analysis.
• Linton Harriss, Nursing and Midwifery Graduate Cohort Study – first year follow-up including measuring workplace mental well-being and risk of occupational burnout.
• Rita Ball, Exploring the role of the woman in the clinical assessment of midwifery students.
• Tileah Drahm, Cultural Safety in the Cairns Hospital ED
• Carl Eiselen, $5000, Closing the Geographical Gap in Far North Queensland Ophthalmic Care.
Photo: Research grant recipients, the Foundation's Research and Education Committee Prof John McBride, Robyn Boundy and Prof Eddy Strivens, Foundation CEO Gina Hogan are flanked by donors Mark Kamsler (standing, left) and Paul Kamsler (standing, right).
