Roger Woodruff graduated in medicine from the University of Melbourne. As a post-graduate he specialized in clinical haematology and medical oncology and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP). He was awarded a Clinical Research Fellowship of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia that enabled him to continue his studies for two years at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Department of Medical Oncology at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London.
After returning to Australia, he became increasingly interested and involved in the field of palliative care and helped establish and develop the Austin Hospital Palliative Care Service as well as the regional community-based Mid-Eastern Palliative Care Service in suburban Melbourne. He served as Director of Palliative Care at Austin Health, a major teaching hospital of the University of Melbourne, from 1996 to 2007. Since retiring from Austin Health and the University of Melbourne, he continued to work part time as a consultant physician in private practice in the fields of medical oncology, clinical haematology and palliative medicine.
As a member of the national executive of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia (MOGA), he convened the first interdisciplinary meeting on palliative care to be held in Australia, ‘Palliative Care for the 1990s’, which was held in Canberra in 1989 and very well attended. He was a member of the committee that established the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM), and was the founding Chairman of the Palliative Care Group of the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA). He was admitted to foundation fellowship of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine (FAChPM), and served as a member of the Specialist Advisory Committee for Training in Palliative Medicine of the RACP.
The fourth edition of his textbook, ‘Palliative Medicine’, was published by Oxford University Press in 2004. He has also wrote a number of other monographs including ‘Cancer Pain’, ‘Symptom Control in Advanced Cancer’ and ‘Pain and Symptom Control in AIDS’.
Dr. Woodruff was a member of the Board of Directors of the IAHPC since its inception and served as Chairman for three years, 1998-2000, following the retirement of Dr. Josefina Magno. In 2009 he was elected, along with Doctors William Farr and Derek Doyle, as IAHPC Lifetime Board Member in recognition of his service and dedication to the organization.
Together with Dr. Derek Doyle, he co-authored three editions of the Manual of Palliative Care. He contributed regularly to the IAHPC Newsletter, writing a monthly selection of book reviews, including the popular ‘Palliative Care Book of the Month’ review.
Dr. Woodruff passed away peacefully on July 2021 in a palliative care unit surrounded by family members. He was proud of all the IAHPC was able to achieve during his lifetime dedication and work to the organization.
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How your gift supports the IAHPC mission
Achieved: $24,941
Goal: $30,000
83%
Education
Your gift funds the operational costs of our online courses taught by globally recognized experts who volunteer their time and provide educational resources relevant to palliative care topics. It also supports scholarships that enable palliative care workers to attend educational events and congresses, and allows us to maintain Pallipedia, the free, live, online dictionary.
The goal of this pillar is to implement strategies, resources and tools that will improve the competencies of the global workforce for appropriate palliative care delivery. We have two programs under this pillar plus many other resources for our members.
Your gift enables us to build and strengthen the partnerships that accelerate global, regional, and national advocacy for palliative care. We advocate for its integration into primary health care under universal health coverage and effective access to essential palliative care medicines and packages for people of all ages. Your gift supports our work to prepare delegates and participate in technical consultation meetings of the relevant UN organizations.
The goal this pillar is the integration of palliative care into primary health care within the spectrum of universal coverage to improve access to adequate care for patients in need. We offer the following to our members:
Documents on Human Rights and Access to Medicines and Care
Research
Your gift enables us to continue doing research that provides guidance and recommendations for action, based on responses from the global palliative care community. Such research includes our recent evaluation of the impact of euthanasia and assisted dying practices on palliative care workers and the use of essential medicines for palliative care. It also supports the costs of publications focused on research relevant to palliative care.
The goal of this pillar is to design and implement projects that lead to the integration of palliative care into health policies, resolutions, and key documents. Our studies help us provide guidance and recommendations, and take action based on the responses from the global palliative care community.
Your membership enables you to participate in IAHPC projects such as the:
Your gift enables us to continue our in-depth reporting and book reviews in Pallinews, as well as media campaigns that raise awareness about the need to increase access to care and support for patients and families.
We are a small organization that allocates over 80% of our budget to mission driven programs and to the maintenance of our free website. We need operational funding to continue the work.
Give a gift, get a gift
IAHPC members: When you gift a 2-year membership to a colleague in a low- or middle-income country, we extend your membership by 6 months.
