Life Members
Professor Sanchia Aranda AM
Sanchia is a registered nurse and has worked in cancer control for over 40 years. She was CEO of Cancer Council Australia (2015-2020), Deputy CEO Cancer Institute NSW (2011-2015) and Professor of Cancer Nursing at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (2001-2011), including 4 years as Head of the School of Nursing/School of Nursing and Social Work at Melbourne University. She has held senior roles across the spectrum from prevention, through treatment and palliative care and held leadership of many initiatives including the first Victorian Cancer Action Plan and 8 years on the first Cancer Australia Advisory Council. In 2019 Sanchia was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
Sanchia holds honorary appointments at the The University of Melbourne (Dept of Nursing), The University of Sydney (Daffodil Centre) and the University of Technology Sydney (Centre for Health Economics Research and Education). Her current board roles are as Chair of Scope Australia a large disability provider across NSW and Victoria, Chair of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance and is a member of the Dust Diseases Board of iCare. She was recently appointed Advisory Committee Chair for the review of Breast Screen Australia.
Sanchia has worked in international cancer control (1992-current), serving on the boards of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care for 16 years (President 2006-2010) and Union for International Cancer Control (President 2016-2018). She was the inaugural Board Chair for the City Cancer Challenge Foundation (2019 – Jan 2024). Her current international work focuses on the elimination of cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific as part of the Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney where she provides leadership for the treatment pillar of this work.
How are Life Members selected?
The Board may confer Life Membership upon any Full Member who meets certain criteria as determined by the Board.
Any Voting Member of the CNSA may nominate an individual to be considered for Life Membership. Nominations must be in writing, seconded by another Voting Member and include the reason(s) why the person is worthy of Life Membership. The Board may request additional information from the nominators or nominee to assist in their deliberation. The Board’s decision shall be final.
While there is no limit on the number of Life Member conferment each year, new Life Memberships will not be awarded if the total number of current Life Memberships exceeds twenty (20).
Life Members shall:
- Previously have been a Voting Member of the Company for a continuous period of five (5) years or more;
- Be recognised for their contribution of special services rendered to the Company, or for outstanding development in the field of cancer care;
- Be exempt from paying membership fees;
- Maintain their status as a Full Member, even after retirement from employment and without maintenance of registration as a nurse with AHPRA;
- Demonstrate support for the Objects of the Company;
- Conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the values of the Company;
- Satisfy any further requirements of Life Membership as determined by the Board.
The announcement of new Life Members will be made at the Annual General Meeting. Life Members may resign their membership at any time, as per clause 10 of the Constitution.
