Cancer touches almost every Australian family, yet critical opportunities to improve outcomes are being missed at both ends of the cancer journey. Many people, particularly in regional and rural communities, delay screening or seeking help for concerning symptoms, meaning cancers are often diagnosed later than they could be, especially where access to information and health services is limited. At the other end of the journey, people frequently struggle to rebuild healthy routines after cancer treatment. Fatigue, pain, time pressures, and reduced confidence can be obstacles to healthy living with and after cancer, leaving many Australians at greater risk of comorbidities and poor long-term clinical and health outcomes.
Dr Chloe Maxwell-Smith works directly with communities and health services to design and test practical solutions grounded in clinical health psychology and behavioural medicine. In partnership with Cancer Council WA, she has evaluated and refined state-wide cancer awareness campaign messaging, working with rural consumers and lived experience experts to make early diagnosis messaging culturally appropriate for regional Australians. Her research investigates strategies to overcome psychological barriers and encourage people to act, such as by visiting a GP when symptoms persist.
For those who have completed cancer treatment, Dr Chloe Maxwell-Smith’s research identifies psychosocial and environmental barriers that prevent individuals from being physically active and adopting healthier routines. She has designed interventions using health professional guidance and wearable activity trackers, with structured goal setting and action planning, to rebuild confidence, motivation, and physical activity levels after cancer. These findings are cited in international health policy and have been translated into training resources for health professionals, including with pharmacists and physiotherapists, extending their impact into clinical and community care.