GROWING IMPACT OF BLOOD CANCER ON WOMEN Increasing incidence rates, mortality and disease burden forecast over coming decade
With
Chris Tanti, CEO
Leukaemia Foundation
SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | December 2025
According to the Leukaemia Foundation, blood cancer is one of the most urgent and under-recognised women’s health issues in Australia, with three times more Australian women diagnosed with blood cancer than ovarian and cervical cancer combined (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
Blood cancer has also emerged as the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women overall – behind only breast cancer – and the leading cancer amongst girls and women under the age of 30 (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
Women face longer, more intensive treatment regimens than many other cancers, often requiring lengthy hospital stays or relocation to a capital city to access specialist care. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also cause irreversible infertility.
The financial and emotional burden of blood cancer on women is equally severe:
- Women with blood cancer are more likely to be out of work than those with other leading cancers.
- 42% of patients are forced to take more than three months off work, 30% leave their jobs entirely, and half have not been able to return to work.
- Patients face average out-of-pocket costs of $5,000–$11,000, compared to $2,500 for other cancers
- 70% of people with blood cancer experience emotional challenges after diagnosis.
Women also make up 72% of Australia’s primary carers, yet with a debilitating diagnosis like blood cancer, their ability to care for others is significantly diminished, impacting families and communities nationwide.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Leukaemia Foundation CEO, Chris Tanti about the toll, blood cancer takes on women’s lives beyond the physical fight for survival, as well as the alarming forecasts on the expected increase over the next decade. Mr Tanti talks about the need to increased levels of medical research into blood cancer to balance against other leading cancers, to investigate prevention, early detection, and diagnosis.
About Leukaemia Foundation
For the past 50 years, the Leukaemia Foundation has been caring for and supporting Australians affected by blood cancer by providing accommodation while they are undergoing treatment, assistance with transport to appointments, education and information about their blood cancer, as well as other practical, financial, emotional and mental health support.
Source: Adapted from Leukaemia Foundation media release September 2025
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Interview with Kylie Ward, CEO Australian College of Nursing
Kylie Ward, CEO Australian College of Nursing spoke with Anne Dao from Australian Health Journal, at last week’s Australian Healthcare Week Expo on the vital role of the nursing professional.
Australian College of Nursing oversees 390,000 nurses in Australia and is the national leader in the nursing profession.
Changes in nursing policy are needed in areas of aged care, chronic disease and workforce sustainability. There are forecasts of shortages in nursing by the year 2025 of 80,000 and by 2030 the number growing by 125,000.
Kylie also mentioned the new Nursing Trailbrazers Award that has been recognised by Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt. The 4 finalists have been recognised for influencing models of care, and implementing game changing initiatives across the country. They will be presented at the Nursing Now Australia event held by the ACN on 9th April.
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Being Part of the New Health Frontier
In November last year, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport delivered its bipartisan report “The New Frontier: Delivering better health for all Australians” on the approval processes for new drugs and novel medical technologies in Australia.
Australian Health Journal spoke to some of the industry bodies who were part of the Inquiry, for their comments on the process, the report and hopes in the recommendations being implemented.
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4 Years On
Launched 4 years ago, the Queensland Health’s Nurse Navigator program was created for patients with complex care needs. The Nurse Navigators are Advanced Practice Nurses and Midwives that help patients with care coordination and care planning.
A Nurse Navigator has the system knowledge and access, clinical skills and time to understand each person’s needs and to partner with them to develop a plan of care that addresses their health needs and respects and values their time and circumstances.
