Consumer Engagement Forum
A shared vision: Reimagining influence
This event was held on 9th December 2025
The VCCC Alliance hosted its 7th Annual Consumer Engagement Forum at the Science Gallery Melbourne. A conversation about re-imagining influence and how it can happen in many ways took place.
From the smallest action to change a way of thinking to larger initiatives that change policy, we all have a role to play. Combining the knowledge of people with lived experience with those working across health and research sectors, the potential to create change and ultimately improve patient outcomes becomes a reality.
Effective engagement is not only about involvement; it is how the involvement influences outcomes. This interactive Forum includes presentations with case-studies of influence and partnerships, breakout group discussions on the practical ways to gain influence through effective engagement
Key Outcomes
- Raise awareness of spheres of influence
- Showcase case studies on how consumers influence research, clinical care, and policy
- Discuss practical techniques and ways to influence through effective engagement
- Think strategically on how to influence with current resourcing.
Chair
Melissa Le Mesurier
Chair, Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee, VCCC Alliance
Keynote speaker
Dr Jane Tiller
Senior Research Fellow, Monash University
Dr Jane Tiller, a lawyer, genetic counsellor and public health researcher, has been instrumental in leading the case for a ban on genetic discrimination by life insurance companies. With draft legislation now released by the Australian Government with introduction to Parliament imminent, learn about the campaign Jane led as part of her role as the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University.
Speakers
Ms Rebecca Barbara
Operations Manager – Best Experience, Western Health
Rebecca Barbara is a registered nurse with over 15 years of clinical experience, previously serving as a Clinical Nurse Educator. She is a passionate advocate for consumer partnerships in healthcare, leading the Lived Experience Advisor Program (LEAP) at Western Health. Rebecca is dedicated to addressing consumer-clinician power imbalances, recognising lived experience as a form of expertise, and fostering meaningful partnerships across diverse communities. Under her leadership, LEAP has expanded, employing lived experience advisors across multiple projects to drive more consumer-focused outcomes.
Ms Melissa Richings
Lived Experience Advisor, Western Health
Melissa Richings is part of the LEAP program at Western Health, which integrates subject matter expertise with lived experiences. She helps drive improvements in care and consumer participation to ensure that the voices of consumers are heard and respected. Western Health is the first health service to integrate lived experience roles into mainstream healthcare.
Associate Professor Andrew Cox
Laboratory Head, Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre; Principal Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Cox received his PhD from the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2009 and undertook postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. During this time, he developed zebrafish models of liver regeneration and liver cancer. These studies led to discovery that the Hippo pathway reprograms metabolism to fuel oncogenic growth. In 2016, he was recruited to Peter Mac to establish his laboratory. A/Prof Cox has been the recipient of fellowships from the American Liver Foundation, the NHMRC, and the Victorian Cancer Agency.
Mr David Thomas
Consumer Advisor, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
David Thomas is an artist and has held public and private collections nationally and internationally. He holds a PhD from RMIT University where he is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Art. After receiving a liver transplant in 2012, he retired in 2017 from academia to care for his wife, who lived with terminal cancer until her passing in 2019.
Playlist
Expand the accordion below to watch each section of the forum.
Note: The forum incorporated an engaging breakout session, providing all participants with the chance to actively contribute. Although the session was not recorded, you can refer to the table below for a summary of the session instructions.
Playlist
Welcome, Acknowledgement and Overview
Melissa Le Mesurier
Chair, Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee, VCCC Alliance
Committee Chair Melissa Le Mesurier has a long-held passion for medical research. She was the founding Chair of the Royal Children’s Hospital Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust (1999-2009), which has raised more than $3m for research and funded about 20 clinical fellows. In 2017, Melissa received an unexpected diagnosis of bladder cancer, and following successful treatment (thanks to early detection and participation in a clinical trial), her commitment to make a difference for other patients only grew. She became involved with the Australian and New Zealand Urological and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP) and still serves on their Consumer Advisory Panel.
Welcome and overview
Message from the CEO of the VCCC Alliance
Prof Grant McArthur AO
Chief Executive Officer, VCCC Alliance
Characteristics of influence
In one word, name a characteristic of someone influential in lived experience engagement.
Achieving federal legislative change to ban genetic discrimination in life insurance
Achieving federal legislative change to ban genetic discrimination in life insurance
Dr Jane Tiller
Senior Research Fellow, Monash University
Dr Jane Tiller, a lawyer, genetic counsellor and public health researcher, has been instrumental in leading the case for a ban on genetic discrimination by life insurance companies. With draft legislation now released by the Australian Government with introduction to Parliament imminent, learn about the campaign Jane led as part of her role as the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University.
Examples of influence at a health service and a research laboratory
Sharing examples of influence at a health service and a research laboratory
Panel Members:
Chair: Melissa Le Mesurier
Ms Rebecca Barbara
Operations Manager – Best Experience, Western Health
Rebecca Barbara is a registered nurse with over 15 years of clinical experience, previously serving as a Clinical Nurse Educator. She is a passionate advocate for consumer partnerships in healthcare, leading the Lived Experience Advisor Program (LEAP) at Western Health. Rebecca is dedicated to addressing consumer-clinician power imbalances, recognising lived experience as a form of expertise, and fostering meaningful partnerships across diverse communities. Under her leadership, LEAP has expanded, employing lived experience advisors across multiple projects to drive more consumer-focused outcomes.
Ms Melissa Richings
Lived Experience Advisor, Western Health
Melissa Richings is part of the LEAP program at Western Health, which integrates subject matter expertise with lived experiences. She helps drive improvements in care and consumer participation to ensure that the voices of consumers are heard and respected. Western Health is the first health service to integrate lived experience roles into mainstream healthcare.
Associate Professor Andrew Cox
Laboratory Head, Organogenesis and Cancer Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre; Principal Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Cox received his PhD from the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2009 and undertook postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. During this time, he developed zebrafish models of liver regeneration and liver cancer. These studies led to discovery that the Hippo pathway reprograms metabolism to fuel oncogenic growth. In 2016, he was recruited to Peter Mac to establish his laboratory. A/Prof Cox has been the recipient of fellowships from the American Liver Foundation, the NHMRC, and the Victorian Cancer Agency.
Mr David Thomas
Consumer Advisor, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
David Thomas is an artist and has held public and private collections nationally and internationally. He holds a PhD from RMIT University where he is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Art. After receiving a liver transplant in 2012, he retired in 2017 from academia to care for his wife, who lived with terminal cancer until her passing in 2019.
Concluding remarks
Dr Joanne Britto
Senior Manager, Consumer Involvement
VCCC Alliance
Melissa Le Mesurier
Chair, Cancer Consumer Advisory Committee, VCCC Alliance
Resource details
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