Prof John Boyages steps outside of Westmead

After 30 years, breast cancer pioneer, Prof John Boyages steps outside of Westmead

Professor John Boyages, founder of the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute (BCI) and BreastScreen NSW Sydney West is leaving Westmead Hospital, to take up a new position at Macquarie University.

‘John’, as he’s best known, first started as a specialist radiation oncologist at Westmead Hospital in 1989. Since then, he’s built a team of over 70 staff, managed a $10 million budget and developed facilities to a value of over $20 million. 

In 1993, he was appointed inaugural director of the Western Breast Screening Unit (later to become BreastScreen NSW Sydney West), and over a three-year period, built the largest breast screening service in Australia. At its peak, the Unit screened over 60,000 women annually, across an area that extended from Bowral to Berowra and Auburn to Katoomba.

John and his team saw the first ’BCI sunflower clinics‘ open in 2009, located in four Myer lingerie departments in the west and north-west of Sydney, as well as four public hospitals. BreastScreen Sydney West was the first breast screening service in Australia to be able to transmit digital images from all screening sites to its central image reading centre, seconds after a woman finished her mammogram.  Last year he published his first book, Breast Cancer: Taking Control for patients and their families.

When Boyages recently announced his resignation from Westmead, and the plans for his new role with Macquarie University, he received many email responses; one administrator writing that ‘It was a real pleasure to work with a leader, clinician, manager, accountant, friend and foremost, human being with great qualities’.  John started as an intern at Westmead in 1981 and after completing his specialist training and a stint at Harvard University returned as a staff specialist in radiation oncology.

“The BCI has a great team and I know it will go from strength to strength.  My dream from 1993 was to integrate screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in a one-stop-shop breast centre. This has now been achieved,” he says. Since 1992, the mortality from breast cancer in the West of Sydney has fallen by a massive 35%.

John will continue to be linked with the BCI’s research and education unit and be available as a mentor. Mr. Danny O’Connor, CE of Western Sydney Local Health District said: “John has been an inspiration to many people around here.  He leaves behind an enormous legacy  for the next generation of doctors and other professionals at the BCI and Westmead. Most importantly though, he always defended the perspective of the patient to ensure they received the best advice and treatment”

John Boyages has been appointed founding Director of the new Macquarie University Cancer Institute and Professor of Breast Oncology at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine (ASAM).

The “MCI”, he says, will bring together health professionals and researchers, with the patient being the central focus and “encompassing the best our people and the organisation can bring together—clinical excellence, research, education with corporate and community partnerships”. “One of those natural partners will be Westmead Hospital.