Our battle with cancer is one of the defining issues of our time. Advances in screening, early detection and treatment of cancer have led to improved survival of patients, but sometimes the treatments themselves have side effects.

One of the most serious issues is cardiotoxicity - damage to the heart muscle due to anticancer treatment.

Professor Robyn Clark will use funds received from a Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant to help develop an evidence-based, patient-centred clinical cardiotoxicity assessment tool.

By consulting with nursing staff and researchers, utilising research groups, and interviewing and involving consumers, Professor Clark will be able to properly analyse the data needed to deliver better health care, based on true consumer partnerships, that can reduce hospital costs and hospital length of stay.

This research is made possible thanks to generous support from the community and our partners Mr Riggs Wine Company, Foodland and Bay to Birdwood.

Project name: Consumer participation in the development of a patient-centred clinical pathway and modes of delivery for prevention detection and monitoring of cardiotoxicity during cancer treatment.

Lead researcher: Professor Robyn Clark