ASOHNS News

19 February

Order of Australia Medal 2024

  Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division  2024 Professor Kelvin Kong, NSW    For significant service to medicine as an Otolaryngologist, and to Indigenous health.    Surgery  • Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon, Hunter ENT, since 2008.  • ... Read more >>>

27 July

World Head and Neck Cancer Day

The International Federation of Head & Neck Oncologic Societies invites you to observeJuly 27th World Head & Neck Cancer Day. Together with 55 Head and Neck Societies, 51 Countries, several Government Agencies and UICC. Read more >>>

27 July

2023 NAIDOC Person of the Year Award

Congratulations to Professor Kelvin Kong on receiving this award. Professor Kelvin Kong is a Worimi man who grew up on Country in Port Stephens, on the New South Wales mid-north-coast. Kelvin graduated from the University of New South Wales ... Read more >>>

27 January

OAM for NSW Member

ASOHNS congratulates A/Prof Richard Gallagher on receiving MEDAL (OAM) OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA IN THE GENERAL DIVISION -  For services to medicine as a surgeon. St Vincent's Health Network Director Cancer Services, since 2015. Director Head and ... Read more >>>

rss

Order of Australia Medal 2024

 

Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division 

2024

Professor Kelvin Kong, NSW 

 

For significant service to medicine as an Otolaryngologist, and to Indigenous health. 

 

Surgery 

• Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon, Hunter ENT, since 2008. 

• Visiting Medical Officer Surgeon, various public and private hospitals within the Hunter New England Local Health District, current. 

Education 

• Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, current. 

• Honorary Professor, Macquarie University, current. 

• Associate Professor, University of New South Wales, current. 

Australian Indigenous Doctors Association 

• Founding Member. 

• Board Member, 2007-2008. 

• Chair, Healthy Futures Best Practice Project, 2004-2005. 

• Eastern Region Representative Board Member, 2001-2004. 

• Student Representative, 1998. 

Professional Associations 

• Former Secretary, Australian and New Zealand Society for Paediatric Otolaryngology. 

• Former Member, Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 

• Sub-Committee Member, Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges, 2008-2015. 

Menzies School of Health Research 

• Joint Chair, Hearing for Learning Initiative, since 2019. 

• Member, Centre of Research Excellence in Otitis Media of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children, 2012. 

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) 

• Former Court of Examiners. 

• Mina Chair, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee, current¶ 

• Member, Indigenous Health Committee, 2015-2019, and Chair, 2008-2015. 

• Member, Fellowships Services Committee, 2008-2015. 

• Member, GSK Immunisation Schedule, 2008-2010. 

• Chair, Indigenous Health Working Party, 2007-2008. 

• Executive Board Member, Divisional Group of Rural Surgeons, 2007-2008. 

• Member, Indigenous Health Working Project, 2006-2007. 

 

 

  

2023 NAIDOC Person of the Year Award

Congratulations to Professor Kelvin Kong on receiving this award. Professor Kelvin Kong is a Worimi man who grew up on Country in Port Stephens, on the New South Wales mid-north-coast. Kelvin graduated from the University of New South Wales to become Australia's first Indigenous surgeon. He credits his mother, Grace Kinsella, a pioneering Indigenous registered nurse, for inspiring him and his older sisters, twins Marlene and Marilyn, to become doctors. Their father, Kong Cheok Seng, a Malaysian Chinese man, is also a doctor. 

Professor Kong, now works on Awabakal and Worimi Country, and is associated with the University of Newcastle's School of Medicine and Public Health. He is an Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). Kelvin works at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital and John Hunter Children’s Hospital, and he explains that hearing loss, often caused by Otitis Media (middle ear disease), significantly contributes to poor educational outcomes for children and can lead to higher unemployment rates in adults as a result. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience the highest levels of chronic otitis media in the world, affecting up to 70% of children in remote communities. 

Determined to change the statistics, Dr Kong has dedicated his career to early intervention. Dr Kong says “If we can reduce the risk of hearing loss, we can have a direct impact on a child's ability to learn and develop. The change that we see is remarkable - we can take them from limited hearing and language skills to fully functioning teenagers with real employment prospects”. 

Dr Kong is passionate about addressing the disparity in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Each year, he spends a portion of his time working in, and for, remote Indigenous communities providing access to quality healthcare that would otherwise be limited or completely unavailable. This includes visiting the Kimberley’s each year to perform specialist consultations and surgery.  

He is also passionate about improving pathways into specialist medical training and improving Indigenous workforce across the health and research sector. Dr Kong mentors high school students to encourage more Indigenous people to consider careers in medicine and surgery. 

In 2011, Dr Kong joined other medical practitioners in the Care for Kids' Ears campaign to address the ongoing issues experienced by remote communities. The campaign was designed to encourage communities to be empowered with resources and information about ear health to reduce the risk of ear disease and hearing loss. Dr Kong is passionate in his advocacy in which he centres the importance of working together as a community - "When we work together with a community, we can address all the issues that arise from ear disease. Our job is to improve kids' health so they can get the education they need." 

Some of Dr Kong's many roles include:  

  • First ever identified Indigenous Fellow, and current Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ (RACS). 
  • Examiner, Royal Australasian College Surgeons 
  • Mentor Surgical Pathways for Indigenous Australians 
  • Public and Private practice in Newcastle, at Hunter ENT Surgery 
  • Professor and mentor at the University of Newcastle 
  • Honorary Professor Macquarie University 
  • Associate Professor UNSW 
  • Clinical lead, ENT Outreach services HNELHD 
  • Indigenous Lead, Australian Society Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery 
  • Researcher; Successful in numerous NHMRC grants, awards and collaboration 
  • Chair, Advisory Group for reporting on the Ear and Hearing Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 
  • Member, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear and Hearing Health Partnership Committee 
  • Served on multiple advisory boards and committee’s including the Indigenous Health and Fellowship Services Committee 
  • Previous Board member for the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) 
  • Previous Board member Cancer Australia’s Advisory Board 
  • Previous Board Member Hearing Australia 
  • Previous secretary of Australia and New Zealand Society Paediatric Otolaryngology (ANZSPO) 
  • Recently, Dr Kong received an Honour Roll mention for Australian of the Year 

Many of our young Mob are labelled as problems, too difficult, described as having learning difficulties, or as not wanting to learn. The truth is that due to the complex legacy of colonisation, under-funded communities, and racism, many of our young people are living with undiagnosed and treatable medical issues that create barriers to learning, education, employment and healthy living.  

It is Dr Kong’s goal to ensure that these barriers are eradicated and that our Mob have equal access to quality health care to enable them to have every opportunity in life. 

From https://www.naidoc.org.au/award-finalist/professor-kelvin-kong

OAM for NSW Member

ASOHNS congratulates A/Prof Richard Gallagher on receiving MEDAL (OAM) OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA IN THE GENERAL DIVISION - 

For services to medicine as a surgeon.

St Vincent's Health Network

  • Director Cancer Services, since 2015.
  • Director Head and Neck Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, since 2013.
  • Chair, St Vincent's Head and Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary Team, since 2017.
  • Department Head, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, St Vincent's Clinic, since 2000.
  • Chair, St Vincent's Medical Staff Executive Council, current, and Member, since 2016.
  • Member, St Vincent's Hospital Clinical Council, since 2015.
  • Regular guest speaker, St Vincent's Curran Foundation, since 2013.
  • St Vincent's Private Medical Advisory Committee, 2000-2017.
  • Chair St Vincent's Hospital Tracheostomy Working Party, 2014-2016.
  • Darlinghurst Campus Master Planning Working Group, 2010-2014.
  • Chair, Medical Advisory Committee, St Vincent's Private Hospital, 2008-2011, and Deputy Chair, 2006-2007.
  • Creator, St Vincent's Head and Neck Advanced Surgical Fellowship position, 2017.
  • Founder, St Vincent's Head and Neck Dissection Course, 2019, and the Sinus Surgery Course, 2002.
  • Founder, St Vincent's Head and Neck Fund, 2005.

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

  • Fellowship Examiner Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 2010-2018.
  • Chair, National Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 2012-2016.
  • Chair, New South Wales Regional Training Sub-Committee, 2007-2012.
  • Member, Board of Surgical Education and Training, 2012-2016.
  • Member, New South Wales Regional Training Sub-Committee, 2002-2012.
  • Certificate of Outstanding Service, 2018 and 2016.
  • Fellow, since 1996.

Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

  • Chair, 2016-2016

Medical - Other

  • Chair, Head and Neck Working Group, Cancer Institute New South Wales, since 2017.
  • Board Member, Australian and New Zealand Head and Neck Cancer Society, since 2017.
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame Australia, since 2013.
  • Co-founder Head and Neck Genomics Project, 2017.
  • Co-creator, Australia's first non-hospital based head and neck screening clinic, BankWest Stadium, Parramatta, 2019.
  • Specialty Editor, Australian New Zealand Journal of Surgery, 2013-2018.
  • Member, Editorial Board, Australian Supplement of the Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 2009-2017.

ONLY 2 MONTHS TO GO UNTIL AO ORL-HNS 2023!

We wish you a heartfelt Happy New Year, may it be a year of learning,  discovery, happiness. We can't wait to reconnect with the ENT community in-person again at the 15th AO ORL-HNS 2023, in conjunction with the 73rd ASOHNS ASM, from 8-12 March 2023.

With only 2 months to go, make sure to join us in Brisbane for an unforgettable congress showcasing the very latest in cutting-edge otorhinolaryngology research, technologies, and breakthroughs. We look forward to seeing you there.

Best regards,
 
Professor Bernard Lyons and Professor Ben Panizza
 

Welcome to 2023

ASOHNS welcomes in the new year and wishes all members and OHNS Trainees well for an exciting year ahead.

The coming months will be busy preparing to host the 15th Asia Oceania ORL HNS Congress in conjunction with the ASOHNS ASM 2023 in Brisbane. 

Seasons Greetings

As 2022 comes to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you an enjoyable break with family and friends.

The ASOHNS office is closed from 5pm Friday 23 December and will re-open on Tuesday 3rd January 2023
With warm wishes for a happy and healthy new year in 2023.

ASOHNS Federal Secretariat

 

2022 Robert Guerin Research Prize

Congratulations to Dr. Claire Frauenfelder who is the winner of the 2022 Robert Guerin Research Prize.

Claire’s winning paper focused on the “Outcomes for head and neck cancer patients admitted to intensive care in Australia and New Zealand between 2000 and 2016” and was published in The Journal of Laryngology and Otology.

Established in partnership with the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (ASOHNS), the Robert Guerin Research prize recognises outstanding research undertaken by a surgical trainee in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. It is presented each year at the Robert Guerin Memorial Trainees meeting.

https://gprwmf.org.au/

Most Recent

Read More >>