Pain Foundation Ltd - Australia

31/01/2026

Pain Foundation Limited extends its heartfelt thanks to Geoffrey Verco, who retires after more than a decade of dedicated support, having been involved with the Foundation since 2012.

Geoff, together with his late wife Shaan Verco, has played a vital role in fundraising and advocating for chronic pain and pain research for over ten years. In 2025, we sadly lost Shaan, who is remembered for her warmth, enthusiasm and tireless energy.

We are deeply grateful for the lasting contribution Geoff and Shaan have made to the Pain Foundation community.

We wish Geoff all the very best in retirement and thank him for his extraordinary commitment and support.

Warren McLeland
Chair

29/01/2026

TOMORROW'S MEDICINE TODAY – DECODING PAIN IN THE BRAIN
Kolling Institute researcher Caitlin Fenech talks with James Elliott and Matthew D. about how the brain processes pain, what changes when it becomes chronic, and how understanding these circuits could transform treatment.

🧠 TOMORROWS MEDICINE TODAY – DECODING PAIN IN THE BRAIN 🧠

Chronic pain affects so many of us - but could a small network of neurons in the brain hold the key to better treatment?

PhD researcher Caitlin Fenech talks with Prof James Elliott and Dr Matthew Doane about how the brain processes pain, what changes when it becomes chronic, and how understanding these circuits could transform treatment.

🎧 Listen to this fascinating interview here: https://bit.ly/4k14owg

🎙️ Or on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4aeBoxP
Kolling InstituteNorthern Sydney Local Health DistrictSydney Health

19/12/2025

The University of Sydney has published a new article highlighting OPEN and the collective effort underway to strengthen pain education across Australia’s health workforce.

The piece features insights from Prof. Michael Nicholas and Prof. Fiona Blyth, reflecting on the challenges of pain care, the need for more consistent, evidence-based education, and the role OPEN plays in supporting clinicians to deliver contemporary, person-centred care beyond specialist settings.

💬 “Despite repeated calls for national action, OPEN represents the first real attempt to provide the same core training in basic pain management skills across all healthcare professionals and students in Australia. This will make it possible for people seeking help with their chronic pain to be able to access recommended, evidence-based help wherever they live.” — Prof. Michael Nicholas

We are also grateful for the University of Sydney’s ongoing support, including the contribution of experts who have played a significant role in shaping OPEN: Prof. Michael Nicholas, Prof. Fiona Blyth, Dr. Simone De Morgan, Dr. Duncan Sanders, Pippy Walker and A/Prof. Liz Devonshire.

Read the full article here 🔗 https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/news-and-events/news/2025/12/17/reimagining-pain-care-in-australia.html

12/12/2025

11/11/2025

Pain isn't all in your head - but..... psychotherapy can help!

30/10/2025

Leading pain specialist Professor Chris Vaughan is stepping down as a principal hospital scientist. Chris has successfully juggled roles as a researcher, mentor and educator at Royal North Shore Hospital, the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney. He has had a profound impact on the field of pain research, advancing our understanding of the mechanisms that control pain, and cannabinoid actions in the brain.
See the article on page 5.

NEWS NORTHERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT NSLHD LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT Main story Short blurb Next generation of researchers to build on remarkable legacy Rea

30/10/2025

29/10/2025

Over the weekend at the APASC25 Scientific Conference in Adelaide, Prof. Helen Slater presented ‘Listen to me, Learn from me: supporting high-quality person-centred pain care through evolving health professional pain management training'.

Her presentation explored how education and training can strengthen clinicians’ ability to deliver consistent, evidence-informed pain care that truly centres on the person.

The Listen to Me, Learn from Me Framework, developed in partnership with people living with pain, carers, and clinicians across Australia, sits at the heart of OPEN’s Clinical Pain Management Program, guiding how clinicians build the skills that matter most to people experiencing pain.

Learn more at https://openpaintraining.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=facebook_posts
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OPEN’s ‘Listen to me, learn from me’ framework is adapted with permission from Slater H, Jordan JE, O'Sullivan PB, Schütze R, Goucke R, Chua J. Browne A, Horgan B. De Morgan S, Briggs AM. "Listen to me, learn from me”: a priority setting partnership for shaping interdisciplinary pain training to strengthen chronic pain care. Pain. 2022 Nov 1;163(11):e1145-e1163. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002647. Epub 2022 Apr 6. PMID: 35384928; PMCID: PMC9578532.
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17/10/2025

💡 Did you know that 97% of Australians over 40 carry the virus that causes shingles from a previous chickenpox infection? 🦠

Our CEO Monika Boogs joined comedian and TV star Julie Morris in Sydney to unveil an installation at Sydney Harbour raising awareness of the impact of shingles — which is too often underestimated.

Shingles is more than just a rash. In some cases, it can cause terrible, long-lasting nerve pain 😣 that disrupts the lives of many consumers.

14/10/2025

"Discovery and Implementation through Collaboration."

Kolling Symposium 2025 | We are pleased to announce award winning broadcast journalist Sophie Scott will be our keynote speaker at this year’s Kolling Institute Symposium.

The event will be staged in the Kolling auditorium on Thursday November 27th – with the theme this year - Discovery and Implementation through Collaboration. Sophie will discuss how to tap into your expertise for thought leadership.

Registrations are now open for the free event.
http://bit.ly/4gwbFCp Northern Sydney Local Health District Sydney Health Royal North Shore Hospital

12/10/2025

Pain Foundation proudly supports this initiative and it pleased to share the news that OPEN in now live!

When you enrol in the OPEN Clinical Pain Management Program, you’re doing more than building your own skills. You’re helping drive a national shift in how Australia approaches pain care.

OPEN is a not-for-profit, funded by the Australian Government and philanthropic partners. Every enrolment helps fund new education and research, expanding access to evidence-informed, person-centred training for health professionals across the country, including those in rural and remote communities.

Every enrolment helps shape the future of pain care.

Learn more at https://openpaintraining.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=facebook_posts

27/09/2025