We are proud to celebrate the exceptional achievements of three outstanding members of the Monash Health community who have been recognised in the 2025 Australia Day Honours.
Professor Allen Cheng AC
Professor Allen Cheng (pictured above) has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his extraordinary contributions to medicine, infectious and communicable disease research and education, and to national and international public health policy.
As a distinguished epidemiologist and infectious diseases physician, Professor Cheng played a pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing expert guidance that shaped Australia’s response. His dedication to improving public health has left an indelible mark on our community and beyond.
‘This honour is really unexpected as I thought everyone had forgotten about the pandemic,’ Prof Cheng said.
‘To be honest, I’d rather we never had a pandemic and I had remained an obscure public health epidemiologist, but that isn’t the case.’
Professor Cheng was one of the six recipients of the prestigious AC honour.
Associate Professor Susan Mathers AM
Associate Professor Susan Mathers has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her significant service to medicine as a clinician, and to neurological research.
Dr Wally Ahmar OAM
Dr Wally Ahmar OAM has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his dedicated service to medicine, and in particular, cardiology.
We also recognise honour recipients Dr Kym Jenkins AM, who previously cared for patients at Monash Health as a psychiatrist, and Debbie Van Corler OAM who supported patients at Monash Children’s Hospital through her charity Made with Love Chemo Turban Project.
These recognitions highlight the incredible work being done by teams across Monash Health to care for the community, improve lives and advance healthcare.
Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2025 Australia Day Honours for their outstanding contributions to our nation.
