The Chordoma Community Day Australia, held on 7 February in Sydney, was a meaningful and uplifting day that brought together patients, carers, clinicians, and researchers from across the country to connect, learn, and support one another.
The morning began with “One in a Million: Finding Grace and Hope in a Rare Cancer Journey,” led by Misty Bland, who shared a deeply personal and moving reflection on caregiving, advocacy, and resilience. This was followed by “Resilience in Action: Learning from Survivors,” featuring Brooke Laney, Sophia Thompson, and Ravin Wickramasinghe, moderated by Nick Thompson. Their honest and powerful stories highlighted courage, adaptability, and the strength found in shared experience.
Next, Josh Sommer provided an update from the Chordoma Foundation, followed by a series of expert clinical and research presentations. Prof. Hien Le discussed radiation treatment options available to Australians diagnosed with chordoma, and Kelly Skelton shared insights into the ASPIRE radiation therapy clinical quality registry and its role in improving care across Australia. Chris Dickson then guided attendees through strategies for managing emotions and mind states mindfully, offering practical tools for patients and carers alike.
After lunch, Prof. David Thomas explored the impact of molecular profiling on sarcoma care, highlighting how precision medicine is shaping treatment decisions. This was followed by a research-focused session on developing new targeted therapies for pediatric and adult chordoma, presented by Prof. Ron Firestein, Eleanor McLean, and Yan Lim, and a discussion on systemic therapies and clinical trials led by Dr. Vladimir Andelkovic.
Recordings
The recordings in this playlist capture sessions from Chordoma Community Day Australia, held on 7 February in Sydney. While these are not professional recordings, they provide a valuable snapshot of the day and share meaningful insights from patients, carers, clinicians, and researchers across Australia.
Recordings feature contributions from:
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Misty Bland – Carer and Founder of the Oz Chordoma Warriors Facebook group, Author, CF Ambassador
Carer experience, peer support, and community advocacy -
Dr. Vladimir Andelkovic – ICON/ Princess Alexandra Hospital
Systemic therapies, medical oncology, and chordoma treatment -
Chris Dickson – Counsellor and Mindfulness Therapist & Researcher, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse
Mindfulness, stress management, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing -
Patient panel moderated by Nick Thompson, featuring Brooke Laney, Sophia Thompson, and Ravin Wickramasinghe
Lived experience, patient voices, and navigating life with chordoma -
Prof. Ron Firestein, Eleanor McLean, and Yan Lim – Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research
Chordoma research and the Australian research landscape -
Prof. Hien Le – Royal Adelaide Hospital; Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (SAHMRI)
Radiation therapy, proton therapy, recurrent chordoma, and MTOP -
Kelly Skelton – Project Manager and Principal Investigator, ASPIRE Radiation Therapy Clinical Quality Registry
Clinical registries, radiation therapy, and long-term outcomes -
Prof. David Thomas – University of New South Wales; Omico: Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre
Genomic testing, precision medicine, and personalised treatment
Questions?
Contact us at events@chordoma.org.