Professor Billie Bonevski awarded prestigious TSANZ award
The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) has awarded Professor Billie Bonevski with the prestigious TSANZ President’s Award.
This accolade is highly coveted, and is awarded to those who have had significant impact when promoting respiratory health in the community.
Professor Bonevski is the leader of the NHMRC-funded Tackling Nicotine Together (TNT) program, which aims to reorient drug and alcohol treatment services and provide people with the support they need to quit smoking.
People who are in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction have much higher smoking rates than the general population – with between 70 and 100 percent of centre clients also tobacco smokers.
A collaborate endeavor between UON, The Cancer Council NSW, The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (UNSW) and the Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies focuses on building the capacity of centre staff to provide support for clients so they can quit smoking.
For the past five years, Professor Bonevski’s work has focused on priority groups who have traditionally been ignored in national health initiatives. By focusing on those with chronic illness, or people who are socio-economically disadvantaged, it helps these people deal with unique challenges.
With a background in psychology, Professor Bonevski has a focus on improving people’s health by helping them modify their behavior for long-term change.
Professor Bonevski’s novel work in smoking cessation has been implemented by Cancer Councils across the nation; her Newcastle research team’s work is leading the nation and setting the agenda nationally.
The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) is an organisation committed to improving the knowledge and understanding of lung disease, preventing respiratory illness through research and health promotion, and improving health care for people with respiratory disorders.
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