THE MISSION OF THE ANAESTHETIST: From empathetic beginnings to delivering anaesthetic services to countries where surgical services can’t be provided
With
Dr Wendy Falloon, Anaesthetist
The Hobart Anaesthetic Group
Hobart, Tasmania
People In Health Care segment
Filmed in Hobart | March 2025
Dr Wendy Falloon is an Anaesthetist of over 30 years experience and a Fellow of Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). She studied medicine at the University of Tasmania, and worked in Hobart, Sydney and the Uk while completing her specialist qualifications. Her primary professional focus has always been to deliver the best possible experience of anaesthesia to each and every patient, and for them to know that she sees and values them, and their stories.
Having been born in Africa, she realised even as a child that health and wealth were largely a product of where people happen to be born. This sowed the seed of her ongoing desire to be of help to others in less fortunate circumstances, ultimately leading to her volunteer work with the Mercy Ships charity. This is one of the most fulfilling aspects of her career, and she has volunteered in Africa with Mercy Ships 8 times since 2014.
She is married and the mother of 3 adult children. During the challenging time of juggling parenting and work, she recognised the absolute necessity of self care, especially in the form of exercise, and she regularly rides 150 km a week. She is a Christian, and her faith is foundational to her life.
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FULL FEATURE Consumers and communities as agents of health care change and improvement
Policymakers, health administrators and clinicians must learn and embrace new ways to harness the transformative role consumers, community members and carers can play. Conversely, consumers and communities need support, capability and capacity to engage as equals in policy, research, program and service design. This is necessary if are to be less technocratic and realise the vision where all members of society can live the best life possible.
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Mission to raise awareness of sarcoma and need for clinical trial funding
Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, remains the deadliest cancer for children and young adults, accounting for nearly one third (30%) of cancer-related deaths among those aged 15–24 and one tenth (10%) of those aged 0–14. Further, still severely under-diagnosed, sarcoma only accounts for one sixth (15%) of all cancer diagnoses in the 15 – 24 age group, and less than a tenth (8%) among children under 10.
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Targeted National Lung Cancer Screening Program commences in 2025
In February 2025, Australian Health Journal spoke with Mark Brooke, Chief Executive Officer of Lung Foundation Australia, at the 10th Australian Lung Cancer Conference in Adelaide, on the upcoming commencement of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP)
