Consumer Advisory Group (CAG) -

Consumer Advisory Group (CAG)

Ms. Annie McPherson (Chair)

Mr. Geoff Ryan AM

Dr. Danielle Berkovic

Mr. Gary Cantwell

Ms. Sandra Crone

Ms. Kerry Mace

Ms. Annie McPherson (Chair)

Annie McPherson has been living with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) for over 50 years. This inflammatory arthritis condition affects her mobility and flexibility including her back, neck and peripheral joints. After complications from her AS, related osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, Annie was forced to retire aged 47 years. In 2005, Annie co-founded the Ankylosing Spondylitis Victoria Inc. peer support group and remains President. Annie has been a consumer representative with the ANZMUSC network for over 5 years. She is passionate about health advocacy, awareness and supporting people with Axial Spondyloarthritis (ax- SpA). She has been involved in health consumer representation, advocacy work, medical student education and research within the Musculoskeletal community in Australia for over 15 years, including as a consumer representative on local and international health advisory committees, projects and seminar presentations for over 10 years.

Dr. Christine Beanland

Dr. Christine Beanland (RN, BSc (Hons), PhD (Monash)) has lived with severe active Rheumatoid Arthritis since the mid-1980s, which has impacted upon every aspect of her life and work. Chris trained as a nurse and, following her RA-diagnosis, studied science at Monash University graduating with an Honours degree in physiology and a PhD. She held academic positions in nursing for many years and undertook funded research into nursing interventions to improve patient care and also innovative models of medicines management in primary and acute care settings. In addition, she worked in health practitioner regulation and for a private health insurance provider, giving her a broader perspective on the provision of health services. Chris retired for health reasons in 2016 and lives with her husband and son in Melbourne.

Dr. Danielle Berkovic

Dr. Danielle Berkovic has lived with psoriatic arthritis for the past 10 years. Due to living with the condition for some time Danielle became passionate about arthritis and musculoskeletal research. She undertook a consumer-led PhD from 2018 – 2021 examining arthritis-related issues specific to working-age adults, such as the work and financial impacts. Professionally, Danielle continues to prioritise consumer and community involvement in the musculoskeletal sphere. Personally, she is passionate about health advocacy and raising awareness of the impacts of arthritis and other musculoskeletal issues on younger populations. Danielle is part of the consumer advisory group for ANZMUSC, and is contributing to the Australian Living Guidelines for the Pharmacological Management of Inflammatory Arthritis as a consumer as well.

Mr. Gary Cantwell

Gary’s interest in musculoskeletal research originates from his need for medical care and management over the last 45 years. This stems from sporting injuries and a traffic accident. Gary lives with Acquired Cerebral Palsy and permanent physical impairments. For the past 5 year he has also been managing Osteoarthritis in both knees. Over this time he has witnessed the advances in technology and methodologies in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. All of these changes in treatment have come from research. Since being diagnosed with Osteoarthritis he has participated in half a dozen trials relating to alleviating Osteoarthritis and pain. The last 31 years of employment Gary worked in the energy distribution field, in business and IT analytical roles, business systems advisory, strategy development and project and contract management. Since retirement has several volunteer roles with his local government area (LGA) and local Community houses relating to advisory committees and improving opportunities and services for older and isolated community members. Gary also has been trained by the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) in the use of the Seniors Exercise Parks equipment that its being introduced into his LGA. He plays bowls and is a member of the Bowls Victoria Disability Support Committee.

Ms. Sandra Crone

Sandra has a legal background and holds a BA, LLB(Hons) and LLM. In more recent years she was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Government Law. Her work experience has centred on grants administration and legal policy in State and Commonwealth government agencies. From 2008–2017 she volunteered as a community lawyer advocating for vulnerable members of the community in criminal, family law and civil law matters. Her lived experience of musculoskeletal issues involved caring for her elderly mother who suffered from osteoarthritis and dementia. She has a passion for raising awareness of musculoskeletal issues stemming from the difficulty she experienced accessing assistance, in the form of support and information, during that period. Her own experience has been as a participant in several CHESM studies. As a participant in one clinical study she was very fortunately diagnosed with osteoporosis. As a result, she was able to adopt easy lifestyle changes including strength and resistance training that have reversed her condition to osteopenia. She likes to keep active and in her spare time you’ll find her at the gym, enjoying the outdoors bush-walking with friends, lots of walking, and occasionally cycling.

Ms. Kerry Mace

Kerry Mace has been living with Arthritis for about 50 years, starting around 10 years old, misdiagnosed at 15 with Lupus, changing to Sero Negative Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 21, her journey has been one of medications and surgery over the years. Kerry has been involved with support groups with Arthritis & Osteoporosis WA (AOWA) for almost 30 years, her involvement with AOWA lead to becoming a peer leader with Camp Freedom, their camp for kids 7-17 with all forms of Musculoskeletal conditions, she has hardly missed a camp in 24 years and for the past 9 years has been the Camp Coordinator, presenting a Consumer paper at the 2016 EULAR Conference in London on “25 years of Camp Freedom”. Her passion for change in the health system led to involvement with various organisations as a consumer representative, being a member of the inaugural Fiona Stanley Hospital Consumer Advisory Council for 6 years, chairing for the last 4 years of her tenure. Her consumer representative activities led to a position with the Consumer & Community Involvement Program, a platform for the WA Health Translation Network, connecting Consumers with Lived Experience and Researchers to work together in research projects. Kerry is also a member of the Arthritis Australia Consumer Advisory Panel.

Mr. Geoff Ryan AM

Geoffrey (Geoff) Ryan has spent his working life in the School Education sector. He developed an interest in Musculoskeletal Health after developing osteo-arthritis in both knees and shoulders. He has taken part in several research projects run by Melbourne University examining the relationship between exercise, weight, and diet. Geoff lives in Melbourne.