Psycho-oncology Chair Associate Professor Maria McCarthy receives Order of Australia honour
June 10, 2025
ANZCHOG congratulates Associate Professor Maria McCarthy, Chair of our Psycho-oncology Group, who was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in this year’s King’s Birthday honours.
Awarded for significant service to paediatric psycho-oncology research and education, the honour recognises Maria’s hard work as a researcher and leader, and her enduring passion for translating research into clinical outcomes to improve quality of life and survivorship for young cancer patients and their families.
Based at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne, Maria has spent more than two decades shaping how we understand and support the emotional wellbeing of children with cancer. She began her career in speech pathology before moving into family therapy and mental health, where she became a leader in paediatric psychological care. In 2003, Maria joined the Children’s Cancer Centre at as the sole mental health clinician, where she built an integrated psycho-oncology program and led an internationally recognised, multidisciplinary team to deliver tailored psychosocial support for patients and their families. The team focuses on clinical trials, survivorship, health services innovation, and implementation science.
Maria completed her PhD in 2010 and received an honorary Principal Research Fellow position with the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne in 2019. She also received a Victorian Cancer Agency fellowship in 2021.
Maria is currently Team Leader of the psycho-oncology program in the MCRI Brain and Mind group, Clinical Sciences theme, and a mental health specialist at RCH. She is Chair of the ANZCHOG Psycho-oncology Group and Co-Chair of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Psycho-Oncology Network.
Congratulations Maria on a well-deserved achievement and thank you for everything you do!