2026 State Palliative Care Awards (SA)
The 2026 State Palliative Care Awards celebrate the individuals and teams contributing to palliative care across South Australia. Congratulations to all of our 2026 winners, announced at our Awards Ceremony on Monday 12 October 2026.
Our judging panel was presented with an exceptional field of nominations and, after careful deliberation, found it impossible to separate the leading nominees in two categories. In recognition of their equally outstanding contributions, the Outstanding Work by an Individual in Specialist Palliative Care Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award have each been shared between joint winners.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination, to all of our finalists, to our judges, and to our award sponsors: Fulham Funerals, Adelaide Cemeteries, Kleemann Funerals, Wallmans Lawyers, Clelands Lawyers and William Buck.
2026 State Palliative Care Award Winners
Congratulations to all of our 2026 winners. Tap "About this award" on any card to read the award criteria.
Team Award Winners
Outstanding Work by a Team in Specialist Palliative Care
🏆 WINNER
Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network (FUNLHN) Palliative Care Service
This team has expanded access to specialist palliative care across rural and remote South Australia, working as one service across Whyalla and Port Augusta and supporting more than 350 referrals each year.
About this award
This award recognises a team or organisation that has initiated an innovative practice, project or service that enhances the delivery of palliative care. The team's work can have taken place across any setting of care, so long as it has enhanced the delivery of palliative care (including specialist level 4-6).
Award sponsored by Fulham Funerals
Outstanding Work by a Team in Generalist Palliative Care
🏆 WINNER
Dementia Australia – Nightingale Program
The Nightingale Program provides dementia-specific palliative care to people living with late-stage dementia, their families and carers, with a Clinical Nurse Consultant as a single point of contact across home, hospital and residential care.
About this award
This award recognises a team or organisation that has initiated an innovative practice, project or service that enhances the delivery of palliative care across any setting of care, including acute hospital settings, primary care, aged care and disability care.
Award sponsored by Adelaide Cemeteries
Outstanding Achievement by a Team in Palliative Care Community Capacity Building
🏆 WINNER
Mt Gambier In Home Hospice Care Inc.
This team delivered carer education and volunteer training across the Limestone Coast, training more than 40 care support volunteers and supporting more than 200 individuals and families across 15 communities.
About this award
Community capacity building seeks to strengthen the skills, knowledge, resources and confidence of communities so they can better support people experiencing serious illness, dying, death, grief and caregiving.
Award sponsored by Kleemann Funerals
Outstanding Achievement by a Team in Palliative Care Fundraising
🏆 WINNER
HAS Foundation
HAS Foundation supports children receiving paediatric palliative care and their families, and has raised more than $2 million over eight years, including more than $150,000 from its annual Mother's Day Fundraising Luncheon.
About this award
Fundraising plays a vital role in strengthening palliative care services, programs, research and support for patients, families and communities. This award recognises a team or organisation that has demonstrated outstanding achievement in fundraising leadership, resulting in meaningful and sustainable contributions to palliative care in SA.
Award sponsored by Wallmans Lawyers
Individual Award Winners
Outstanding Work by an Individual in Specialist Palliative Care
🏆 JOINT WINNER
Chelsea Sporn
Southern Adelaide Palliative Service
Chelsea is a Quality Improvement Facilitator recognised for her leadership in quality improvement and clinical governance, including Patient Journey Boards that improve visibility of palliative care patients across settings.
About this award
This award recognises a person who has displayed excellence in delivering palliative care. Characteristics of excellence include innovative practice, outstanding mentorship, inspirational behaviour, support and passion for their work, commitment to working in partnerships, excellent teamwork and respect for others. The recipient of this award will show excellence in delivering specialist palliative care and be a champion for others in the specialist palliative care sector.
Our judging panel was presented with an exceptional field of nominations and, after careful deliberation, found it impossible to separate the two leading nominees. In recognition of their equally outstanding contributions, this award was shared.
Award sponsored by Clelands Lawyers
Outstanding Work by an Individual in Specialist Palliative Care
🏆 JOINT WINNER
Dr Mary Cossich
Women's and Children's Health Network
Mary is Unit Head of the statewide Paediatric Palliative Care Service, with almost 15 years in the service, and is recognised for her leadership, advocacy and family-centred bereavement support.
About this award
This award recognises a person who has displayed excellence in delivering palliative care. Characteristics of excellence include innovative practice, outstanding mentorship, inspirational behaviour, support and passion for their work, commitment to working in partnerships, excellent teamwork and respect for others. The recipient of this award will show excellence in delivering specialist palliative care and be a champion for others in the specialist palliative care sector.
Our judging panel was presented with an exceptional field of nominations and, after careful deliberation, found it impossible to separate the two leading nominees. In recognition of their equally outstanding contributions, this award was shared.
Award sponsored by Clelands Lawyers
Outstanding Work by an Individual in Generalist Palliative Care
🏆 WINNER
Paula Hunter
Country and Outback Health
Paula is an Aboriginal Palliative Care Project Officer and Care Coordinator, recognised for culturally safe, relationship-based care through the Aboriginal Palliative Care Navigation Service and the 'Yarning Together for Decision Making' sessions.
About this award
This award recognises a person who has displayed excellence in delivering a palliative approach to care. Characteristics of excellence include innovative practice, outstanding mentorship, inspirational behaviour, support and passion for their work, commitment to working in partnerships, excellent teamwork and respect for others.
Award sponsored by William Buck
Outstanding Work by an Individual in Palliative Care Volunteering
🏆 WINNER
Megan Odgers
Volunteer with HAS Foundation
Megan volunteers as Board Member and Treasurer, giving her professional expertise and time so that funds raised for paediatric palliative care families are carefully stewarded.
About this award
This award recognises the exceptional contribution of a volunteer or Volunteer Coordinator in improving the experience of South Australians experiencing a serious illness, dying, death, grief and/or caregiving.
Award sponsored by Fulham Funerals
Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
🏆 JOINT WINNER
Liz Fallas
Liz has dedicated more than 15 years to palliative and end of life care in regional South Australia, including as the inaugural Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner in the Limestone Coast Local Health Network. Her work helped expand the Regional Hospice in Residential Aged Care Homes Project to 56 aged care homes.
About this award
This award recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual in either delivering outstanding palliative care to South Australians experiencing a serious illness, dying, death, grief and/or caregiving, and/or designing quality and enduring palliative care services, supports, education, research or strategy over an extended period of time.
Our judges faced a decision they simply could not make. Both leading nominees demonstrated such remarkable commitment and impact that the panel agreed they deserved to share this honour.
Lifetime Achievement Award
🏆 JOINT WINNER
Professor Jennifer Tieman
Jennifer is Director of the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying at Flinders University and leads CareSearch, palliAGED and ELDAC. For more than two decades she has advanced palliative care research and knowledge translation in South Australia and nationally.
About this award
This award recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual in either delivering outstanding palliative care to South Australians experiencing a serious illness, dying, death, grief and/or caregiving, and/or designing quality and enduring palliative care services, supports, education, research or strategy over an extended period of time.
Our judges faced a decision they simply could not make. Both leading nominees demonstrated such remarkable commitment and impact that the panel agreed they deserved to share this honour.
2024 Award Winners
