Meet Amy Athar

Amy Athar spends every moment making a difference – dedicating her career to bettering the lives of others. Beyond being a mother of four, Amy is our Cancer Care Coordinator at Icon Cancer Centre Concord and is a relentless advocate for advancing cancer care and the nursing practice. 

This dedication has earned Amy a place at the World Lung Cancer Conference Scholarship through a scholarship with the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) and Slater & Gordon Lawyers.  

Read on to learn more about Amy’s career as a cancer nurse, her work in lung cancer and nurse-led initiatives and her advice for the next generation of nurses. 

Finding a Career in Cancer Nursing 

Amy has curated a comprehensive nursing career, starting as an Intensive Care Nurse before moving into community nursing and palliative care. It was in palliative care Amy’s passion for cancer nursing was ignited. 

“I was frequently administering cancer therapies without much background knowledge about cancer itself, which spurred me to pursue a master’s degree in cancer nursing – learning more on how I could make a difference in these patients lives,” Amy recalled. 

During her studies, Amy worked at a private radiation clinic and fell in love with oncology nursing, particularly radiation therapy.  

“I’ve always found deep fulfilment in connecting with patients and offering support when they need it most, and as a cancer nurse, I get to do this every day,” Amy expressed.  

Amy went on to work at Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia as a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse on their national telenursing service. In 2022, she joined Icon Cancer Centre Concord and stepped into the Cancer Care Coordinator role last year.  

The future of healthcare: Nurse-led initiatives 

Amy is a strong advocate for nurse-led initiatives in cancer care. 

“Nurse-led initiatives can bring a well-rounded approach to care and can help in things like survivorship,” Amy notes.  

Amy has already helped Icon establish nurse-led initiatives being part of the Steering Committee for our recent award winning Survivorship Pilot Program. She was involved in setting guidelines and rolling out the program across four Icon cancer centres, including Concord. 

“It’s been such a great experience to help establish Icon’s Survivorship Program and provide patients with continued support beyond treatment,” Amy expressed. 

“With my nursing knowledge, I have also curated a sustainable program for the nursing workforce, as we don’t have extra minutes in the day. 

“I look forward to rolling out the program at more sites over the coming year.”

Nurturing the next generation of Cancer Nurses 

In addition to her demanding role as a Cancer Care Coordinator and steering the Survivorship Program, Amy mentors early-career cancer nurses through the CNSA mentoring program. 

“It’s so rewarding to guide the younger generation of cancer nurses through their careers,” Amy said. 

“I love sharing my knowledge and experiences to help find the right path for them so they can have fulfilling nursing careers.” 

For those early-career nurses, Amy has this advice.  

“Take your time in your career. Gain life experience before moving up to ensure you have the right tools and knowledge to provide the best care,” Amy shared. 

“Next, look beyond the cancer and consider every piece of the puzzle in treatment. 

“Finally, don’t be afraid to explore different roles early in your career to find the right fit and gain diverse experiences that will enrich your patient care.” 

 Charting a Nursing Career at Icon 

Amy credits Icon’s learning and professional development culture with helping her receive the scholarship. 

“I wanted to highlight how the support of Margie (Icon’s Director of Nursing) and the whole Icon Nursing Team has helped me excel, not just with this scholarship but in my career,” Amy said. 

“I’m so grateful for their endless support and belief in our nursing cohort to achieve anything – it makes me love being a cancer nurse and working for Icon.”