World first cervical cancer research supported by St John of God Subiaco Hospital

An Early Career Postdoctoral Research Fellow, whose work is funded by St John of God Subiaco Hospital, has won a prestigious national Fellowship for her research into cervical cancer screening.

11 Aug 2018

Dr Aime Powell was named this year’s recipient of the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation’s highly competitive Cindy Sullivan Fellowship.

Dr Powell’s research will look at the impact of the WA Cervical Screening Program and the National HPV Vaccination Program on Aboriginal women’s health outcomes.

Aboriginal women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and four times more likely to die from the disease when compared to non-Aboriginal women.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital CEO, Professor Shirley Bowen, said Dr Powell’s work is extremely important in contributing to closing the gap between health equality for Indigenous Australians, particularly for women.

“I am delighted that Dr Powell’s work has been recognised by the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation as it is important on so many levels,” Prof Bowen said.

“This is a world first study that will have tangible implications for women across Australia, and importantly for our Indigenous population.”

“It is also pleasing to see this coveted research fellowship going to an early career researcher. Women’s health is an important focus area for St John of God Subiaco Hospital and we are proud to support early career researchers like Dr Powell,” Prof Bowen said.

Dr Paul Cohen, Director Gynaecological Cancer research, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, will be supervising Dr Powell in her research.

Dr Powell’s research will analyse linked data from the National HPV Vaccination Register, Cervical Screening Registry of WA, Australian Cancer Database and the Death Registry, as well as gather qualitative data, to identify ‘why’ Aboriginal women continue to experience poor health outcomes in cervical cancer and to provide some new insights to address this major health issue.

“We will be drawing on the unique and extensive expertise of a multidisciplinary team that consists of clinicians, biostatisticians, Aboriginal Health Promotion workers, an Aboriginal Women’s Reference Group and health policy makers, to undertake a study that we believe will be a world first,” Dr Powell said.

“We all feel very privileged to undertake this work in the memory of Cindy Sullivan and the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation.”

“Gynaecological oncology is an under-funded area of research and as an early career researcher it’s incredibly difficult to get funding, so I am extremely grateful to St John of God Subiaco Hospital for supporting my work with the University of Notre Dame Australia.”

The two-year Fellowship allows payment of a stipend to the value of $100,000 per year plus an additional $10,000 per year for research support.