GICS Governance Group Chair Appointment

GICS appoint Carmel O’Kane as Governance Group Chair

We’re very pleased to announce that Carmel O’Kane has been appointed to a two year term as our Governance Group Chair. Carmel commenced in the role in November 2025 and brings a positive, can do approach to not only this role, but more broadly as a Cancer Nurse Practitioner and Manager of the Wimmera Cancer Centre.

The GICS Governance Group provide leadership, vision and oversee accountability for GICS program of work, ensuring an integrated and collaborative approach to consistent high quality cancer care in our region.

Carmel has been a member of our Governance Group since 2017, and we look forward to continuing our working partnership to improve patient experiences and outcomes by connecting cancer care and driving best practice.

Carmel’s Biography

A cancer nurse since 1995, Carmel (pictured below) managed the Peninsula Health Cancer Service until 2011 when she moved to Horsham as a Nurse Practitioner. Carmel has been working in this position, an innovative role, providing education, support and clinical excellence in cancer care to the Wimmera Region of Victoria. Carmel has a particular interest in patient decision making as well as Rural Cancer Nurse education and supportive care.

In 2019, Carmel accepted the position of Manager of the newly opened Wimmera Cancer Centre, a centre which incorporates a community Palliative Care Service, Haemodialysis, Day Oncology and Infusion centre, and is working with her teams to ensure the very best standard of care to the people in the Wimmera.

Carmel is also very active in the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia, the peak Cancer Nursing Body.

More recently, Carmel was appointed in February 2025 as a Working Group member to develop a new Optimal Care Pathway for Equitable Cancer Outcomes across Rural and Remote Australia – find out more.