My Expertise
Childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer, social wellbeing, consumer-led research and consumer engagement in research.
Biography
Dr Clarissa Schilstra is a postdoctoral research fellow within Australia's largest paediatric psycho-oncology research group: the Behavioural Sciences Unit at the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital and UNSW. Dr Schilstra's research focuses on the social impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment on adolescents and young adults, from time of diagnosis through post-treatment and survivorship. Her PhD research assessed and addressed...view more
Dr Clarissa Schilstra is a postdoctoral research fellow within Australia's largest paediatric psycho-oncology research group: the Behavioural Sciences Unit at the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital and UNSW. Dr Schilstra's research focuses on the social impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment on adolescents and young adults, from time of diagnosis through post-treatment and survivorship. Her PhD research assessed and addressed social anxiety and its impact on social wellbeing among Australian adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer. Dr Schilstra is also a two-time cancer survivor herself andis therefore a passionate advocate for consumer-led psycho-oncology research that is prioristised, planned, and conducted by people with lived experience of cancer. She led the first face-to-face Australian workshop for defining the research priorities of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, which informed her PhD research and led Dr Schilstra to develop the first-ever, evidence-based guidelines for caring for the social wellbeing of adolescents and young adults with cancer in Australia. Outside of her work with the BSU, Dr Schilstra also serves as a consumer representative for the World Health Organisation Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guidelines Harmonization Group.
My Qualifications
BA Psych (Hons), PhD
My Awards
Dean's Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis, UNSW