Douglas Bellamy

PhD student Douglas Bellamy has become the first UNE student to be awarded a NSW Health PhD scholarship.

A part-time PhD candidate in the School of  Health, Mr Bellamy is a research nurse in the Department of Palliative Care at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle.

His thesis examines how older people with cancer and their families living in rural communities are affected by the burden of treatment .

The objective is to identify how to enhance the capacity people have to manage their treatment through appropriate use of resources, including their local networks.

“Older people and their caregivers are faced with the effort and coordination that it takes to manage the various aspects of cancer treatment,” Mr Bellamy said.

“This takes up quite a bit of time and energy, and more so for rural people who have the added challenges associated with living in the country.

“This study will work to provide practical approaches that can be used to help manage the work of cancer treatment.”

The NSW Health PhD Scholarship Program is open to PhD candidates who work within, or closely with, NSW local health districts and specialty health networks.

The purpose of the program is to develop the capability and skill of recipients, as well as to build capacity in the NSW health system in areas of identified need.

Mr Bellamy’s supervisors are Prof Vicki Parker and Dr Jackie Lea (UNE), and Prof Brian Kelly (UoN).