PPP 193 - Childhood Cancer in First Nations People with Dr Jessica Buck

To align with NAIDOC week this year we have a special bonus episode.

In this episode, we speak with Dr Jessica Buck about childhood cancer in First Nations people, genomics, and the importance of cultural safety in healthcare and research. A proud Kamilaroi woman, she is the Team Leader of the First Nations Childhood Cancer Program at The Kids Research Institute Australia — a first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to developing culturally safe, community-led research strategies to improve outcomes for First Nations children with cancer.

Together, we explore how a First Nations perspective can strengthen biomedical science and improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families affected by cancer.

We cover:

What culturally safe healthcare and research look like in practice

Applying a First Nations lens to genomics and biomedical science

How historical harms in healthcare and research continue to influence trust today

Childhood cancer outcomes for First Nations children

The impact of geography, access to care, racism and broader inequities

Why representation in genomic databases and clinical trials matters

The clinical implications of underrepresentation for diagnosis and treatment

The potential role of pharmacogenomics in cancer care