When donors give to the PA Research Foundation, their gift has incredible ripple effects that improve healthcare not just at the PA Hospital (PAH), but across the state and even overseas.
A perfect example can be found in the career of Dr Saad Bin Anis. Currently working as a neurosurgeon at Townsville University Hospital, Dr Anis was supported by Foundation funding to undertake a fellowship in Pituitary and Functional Neurosurgery at the PAH, under the tutelage of Associate Professor (A/Prof) Sarah Olson.
This fellowship, which was preceded by a fellowship in paediatric neurosurgery Dr Anis undertook in Victoria, equipped him with further experience and knowledge required to work as a consultant neurosurgeon in Townsville, Senior Lecturer at James Cook University and train other surgeons in Townsville and in his home country of Pakistan.
It was the chance to learn endoscopic approaches to pituitary surgery that initially attracted Saad to apply for the Foundation funded fellowship.
“It's a very intriguing area where, historically it has been done through the cranial approaches requiring an extensive surgery with big scar and a lot of brain retraction, but I was always fascinated with the endoscopic approach through the nose, as It's become a standard of care now at most places. In the past decade or so there's been more interest in trying endoscopic approaches and Sarah is one of the experts in this area,” he explained.
“The real concept of global neurosurgery emerges from this, where you learn from the expertise of people working here and then you can help advance it in the other areas of the world, not just in Australia.
“The fellowship played a huge role in what I continued to do after that. After finishing my fellowship, I went back to my country, Pakistan. Single surgeon, purely endoscopic approach was a relatively newer technique there. I was one of the few initial surgeons in Pakistan who did it completely endoscopically.
“Thanks to Dr. Sarah Olson Neurosurgeon, and Dr. Ben Wallwork the ENT surgeon, I was fully trained and capable, which made me self-reliant and confident as I didn't even require an ENT (ear, nose, throat) colleague to help me out with the procedure when I went back after finishing my fellowship. I did it solely myself and even taught my own fellow over there as well.
“So, there was a continuity of teaching and passing on to the next batch of surgeons, which I think is important. I established that because I was working at a neuro-oncology setup in Pakistan and I had all the gadgetry, I had a chance of fully utilising it to its core potential by performing a lot of such surgeries.
“Since I moved back to Australia and north Queensland, it's been amazing. The past eight to nine months, I've done so many of these cases and now we have mostly shifted our practice operating these cases from microscopic to a completely endoscopic setup.”
Saad believes A/Prof Olson, who the Foundation has supported for several years, is a one-of-a-kind advisor he feels blessed to have learned from.
“I think she's the one person who has had a profound effect on my personality and I truly give her lots of credit for where I am now. She has been a true mentor for me, not just surgically, but as a whole person.
“She really supported me when I was coming back to Australia. She put references in for me, and helped guide me through all that journey. Without her, I can say with certainty that I would not have been here where I am helping patients in Queensland.”
Dr Anis also has heaps of praise for the Foundation and the way the organisation facilitates staff education and research opportunities for the benefit of patients.
“Everything was so streamlined for the candidate; it made a huge difference that I did not have to worry about the funding or worry about anything. It was so well supported, all the paperwork was done prior to my arriving in Brisbane. The PA research Foundation also funded me to attend annual neurosurgery conference in Australia during my fellowship year, giving me yet another chance to learn from the best in business” he said.
“I was able to work on multiple research projects during my tenure as well. A lot of them are related to functional neurosurgery, and most of them are near completion now. I think it will be very good data set. From a literary or published research perspective, that is another add-on to the overall impact of the fellowship.
“Because research is more important with every passing day, there are so many advances and if you don't keep up with the pace, you certainly lag behind in the care you can provide. So, the idea of continued medical education and ongoing research is paramount and that's where PA Research Foundation is certainly doing its role well.”
Dr Anis 12-month fellowship was only made possible thanks to the donors and supporters of the Foundation. You can make the Foundation your place to give and help facilitate the advancement of medical care by donating here.
