Cheese and Chats: Ending the Endometriosis Struggle

Endometriosis affects one in 7 women and girls in Australia, causing chronic pain, infertility and life-altering disruptions. Despite this, the condition is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.

Our next Cheese and Chats event brings together a panel of researchers, clinicians, patient advocates and people with lived experience as we shine a spotlight on this difficult condition.

Hear about cutting-edge approaches, from non-invasive diagnostics to personalised treatments – putting Queensland at the forefront of endometriosis innovation.

Moderator

Victoria Carthew

Victoria Carthew is a seasoned journalist, broadcaster, and MC with over 30 years of media experience. She is a presenter on Seven Network’s popular travel and lifestyle program, Queensland Weekender, and a regular voice on ABC 612 and 4BC. Carthew is also passionate advocate for women’s health, drawing on her personal experience with endometriosis. She is a dynamic event host, having MC’d conferences, awards and corporate events across health business, sports and tourism and co-hosts the QBD Book Club and Crime Club podcasts. 

Speakers

Professor Gita Mishra AO
Professor of Life Course Epidemiology at the University of Queensland (UQ) and president-elect of the World Endometriosis Society

Professor Gita Mishra is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Professor of Life Course Epidemiology at the University of Queensland. She is the founding Director of the Australian Women and Girls’ Health Research Centre, leading major studies on endometriosis and women’s health, including the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women and Non-Communicable Diseases and the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.

An internationally recognised researcher and policy advisor, Professor Mishra’s work has directly informed the Australian National Action Plan for Endometriosis and contributed to national health strategies. She has published over 500 scientific papers, led the GELLES study on endometriosis in young women, and serves on multiple government advisory committees. In 2023, she co-edited A Life Course Approach to Women’s Health and appointed Co-President of the 2025 World Congress for Endometriosis.

Dr Brett McKinnon
Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience
PhD 2008

Dr Brett McKinnon is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Queensland and holds a dual position with the Department of Gynaecology at Inselspital Bern, Switzerland.  His research is funded by grants from the NHMRC, MRFF and NIH. He is a member of the World Endometriosis Society Mid-Career Board, part of the Clinical Advisory Committee for Endometriosis Australia, a former Associate Editor of Human Reproduction, and a current editor for Frontiers in Reproduction and part of the Scientific Advisory board for Maipl Therapeutics.

His research specialises in understanding the molecular variation in endometriosis that underlies individual differences in disease and treatment response. He established the Endometriosis Research Queensland Study (ERQS), one of Australia’s largest endometriosis studies, providing key insights into genetic and cellular signatures that can guide personalised treatment strategies and pioneering patient-derived endometrial organoids—miniature ‘avatars’ that could transform the trial-and-error approach to therapy into precise, evidence based personalised care.

Jess Taylor
President QENDO

Jessica Taylor is the President of QENDO, Queensland’s leading endometriosis support and advocacy organisation, dedicated to supporting anyone affected by endometriosis and adenomyosis. Drawing on her personal experience with endometriosis, Jessica has turned her journey with the disease into action, leading a team of over 70 volunteers to deliver support services, education programs, and community outreach across Queensland.

Since taking the helm in 2017, Jessica has expanded QENDO’s services to regional and rural communities, launched innovative education initiatives in schools and for health professionals, and championed awareness campaigns that put patient voices at the centre. Passionate about empowering women and driving systemic change, she inspires others to advocate, connect, and thrive.

Gillian Gordan
Support Line Nurse for QENDO Care

Gill Gordon is a Registered Nurse specialising in endometriosis and IVF, as well as a mother of two, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Her professional work is deeply intertwined with her personal journey, as she lives with endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, and chronic pelvic pain. These lived experiences provide her with firsthand insight into the physical, emotional, and systemic challenges faced by so many individuals navigating complex pelvic health conditions. 
 
Combining her clinical expertise with her personal experience, she is deeply committed to advocacy, accountability, and compassionate, patient-centred care. She strives to ensure that those living with pelvic pain conditions feel heard, believed, and genuinely supported. 
 
Through her work and advocacy, she seeks to amplify patient voices, challenge stigma, and contribute to meaningful change in how endometriosis and other pelvic pain conditions are understood, diagnosed, and treated. She believes that empathy, education, and empowerment are essential to improving outcomes and helping individuals feel less alone in their journey. 

Associate Professor Akwasi Amoako
Clinician Conjoint Associate Professor and Principal Specialty Supervisor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Royal Brisbane Clinical Unit; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

Associate Professor Amoako is a leading Australian Gynaecologist in endometriosis and a Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery. He holds a Queensland Health Clinical Fellowship (2023 – 2026) to advance the application of molecular imaging technologies in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. He is a member of the National Endometriosis Clinical and Scientific Trials (NECST) Network Steering Committee and the Clinical Advisory Group providing clinical expertise for the pelvic pain and endometriosis initiatives and statewide fertility preservation services under the Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy.

His work has focussed on improving both male and female infertility. He co-founded the Endometriosis Research Queensland Study and is currently leading the development of the research infrastructure required to enable innovative, adaptive clinical trials in endometriosis that will hopefully deliver patients specific solutions to endometriosis sufferers.