Chair 

Dr Sharon de Graves, Senior Manager Cancer Nursing, VCCC Alliance and Program Manager, Nursing and Midwifery Research Collaborative, Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne

Sharon has a nursing career that spans over 30 years with a background in paediatric and adolescent oncology and cancer nursing more broadly. She has expertise in the fields of nursing research, education, leadership, and management and is recognised for her contribution to the development of multidisciplinary services and standards of practice for children and adolescents with cancer.

Sharon believes that nurses are in a unique position to be able to recognise, ask, and respond to critical questions that are essential in driving quality, safe, and innovative cancer care. She is passionate about developing opportunities and supporting nurses to work at the top of their scope and to integrate research and inquiry into their everyday practice.

Speakers

Jemma Stewart
Practice Development Nurse, Haematology, Cellular Therapies, and Clinical Trials Inpatient Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Jemma is deeply passionate about cellular therapies and strongly advocates for the essential role nurses play in supporting patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. She co-founded and convenes the Peter Mac Nursing Cellular Therapies Special Interest Group, and is currently leading a hospital-wide pilot of a Professional Development Pathway designed to advance nursing practice in the care of patients living with myeloma.

Ella Weisser
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Ella is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Haematology with a strong focus on delivering evidence-based, patient-centred care. As a dedicated bedside nurse Ella's clinical interests include CAR T-cell therapy and the specialised nursing management required to support patients undergoing advanced and often complex treatments. Ella is passionate about improving patient outcomes through education, collaboration, and the integration of emerging therapies into clinical practice.

Dr Polly Dufton
Clinical Lead, Specialist Lung cancer Nurses, Lung Foundation Australia

Dr Polly Dufton is a clinician-researcher and currently holds the role of Clinical Lead for Specialist Lung Cancer Nurses at Lung Foundation Australia, with longstanding academic links to the University of Melbourne and previous leadership roles at Austin Health.
Her work focuses on how nursing can improve access to care, patient outcomes, and health system performance. She has led multi-site, grant-funded research and service improvement programs, with particular expertise in evaluating and implementing nurse-led models of care for people with cancer.
Dr Dufton led the evaluation of the Symptom and Urgent Review Clinic (SURC), a nurse-led initiative designed to provide timely, accessible support for patients undergoing cancer treatment. This work demonstrated how specialist nursing roles can reduce avoidable emergency department presentations, improve patient experience, and deliver measurable value for the health system.
She is passionate about strengthening the visibility and impact of nursing through research, education, and service design. Her work centres on patient-centred care, co-design and interdisciplinary collaboration, and highlights the critical role nurses play in driving meaningful change across the cancer care pathway.