At a football carnival, there is always more happening than what unfolds on the field.
Families reconnect. Stories are shared. And between games, there is space for conversations that matter long after the final whistle.
At the Bindal Sharks carnival in Townsville, one of those conversations was about cancer — and how listening to community could help change the way people experience screening and care.
Joining Bo de la Cruz for an IN SPORT podcast conversation, University of Queensland researchers Professor Gail Garvey and Dr Condy Canuto spoke about the relationships behind their work and why community needs to guide it.
“It’s not just a one-off conversation,” Gail said. “It’s a relationship and building trust over time.”
For Gail and Condy, being at the carnival is part of that commitment. It means spending time with people, hearing their experiences and returning to continue the conversation.
Gail explained that the work begins before a research funding application is even submitted. The team asks community what matters to them, what needs to improve and what support would make a difference.
Those answers help shape the research. Then the team comes back, working with community to decide which ideas should come first and how they could work locally.
It is an ongoing process, with community helping guide each step.
At the carnival, the reasons behind that work were already clear.
Gail described people sitting down with the team and sharing stories of family members they had lost to cancer. For some, taking part in the research was a way to help create change for others.
Those experiences also help explain why screening can be a difficult subject.
Throughout the conversation, Bo, Gail and Condy spoke about fear, uncertainty and the importance of having information people can understand. Knowing what screening involves, why it is offered and what happens next can all be part of making the conversation easier.
Condy explained that how information is shared matters, too. Different communities have different languages, preferences and ways of connecting.
Understanding those differences starts with listening.
He also discussed the role of cancer connectors within participating Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Their work brings together community members, local services and organisations involved in cancer screening and care, helping people navigate the journey and stay connected with support.
For Bo, the conversation carried a personal connection. Having seen family members go through cancer, including breast cancer, she spoke about why this work matters beyond the research itself.
“This is about our families, this is about our community, about our people,” she said.
That connection runs through the entire episode.
The carnival brings people together through football. Alongside it, conversations like this create opportunities to share experiences, ask questions and help shape what comes next.
For Gail and Condy, that means continuing to show up, build relationships and let community guide the work.
For IN SPORT, it is another story of the connections that grow through sport — and the people working to make a difference beyond the field.
Watch the full conversation with Professor Gail Garvey and Dr Condy Canuto inside the IN SPORT app.