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GRIFFITH HEALTH QUARTERLY
HealthCheck
ISSUE 49, 2016
Promoting health, enabling communities
Being
Remarkable
Humble humanitarian
Ajitha Sugnanam
Immersive learning
First Peoples alumni
changing the world
A guiding light for
tomorrow’s health
professionals
Now Online. Subscribe at
griffith.edu.au/health-check
Griffith Health Clinics
Editor’s Check
Being
Remarkable
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Dentistry
Psychology
Physiotherapy
Speech pathology
Exercise physiology
Nutrition and dietetics
Alumnus provides tools for
men’s mental health............................ 3
Healthy active inspiration
for Queenslanders............................... 4
Griffith grad helps to create
a safer world for at-risk children.... 5
Humble humanitarian
works year-round............................... 7
Why choose Griffith?
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No referrals required
Affordable treatment costs
Personalised treatment and rehabilitation
Experienced and provisional practitioners
State-of-the-art facilities and technologies
Latest treatment techniques and research
Academic pays it forward................. 8
Home delivery improves
immunisation participation............ 10
Immersive learning
boosts student engagement......... 11
This “Being Remarkable” issue of Health Check is
a celebration of Griffith University Health Group’s
evolution to its current status as a globally respected
university for health education and research.
Griffith University has consistently recruited and retained the remarkable educators,
researchers, staff and students who make our university great.
In this edition, you will read about our world-first achievements including virtual reality
education technology (page 11) and suicide prevention initiatives (page 3).
We also celebrate the Griffith Health Clinics, which delivered 60,000 quality services to
the community last year and valuable educational resources for students (page 15).
Providing a guiding light
for tomorrow’s health
professionals...................................... 12
You will also meet remarkable students, like Ajitha Sugnanam and Jorgen Gullestrup,
who have gained Australian and international recognition, not only for academic
and professional accomplishments but for altruistic pursuits in keeping with Griffith
University’s commitment to improving health and wellbeing at home and abroad.
Quadriplegia is no barrier
to a medical career........................... 13
“Being Remarkable” provides the opportunity to acknowledge the Health Group heroes
who are an inspiration to teachers, current students and the wider community.
Students given
a sporting chance............................. 14
Professor Sheena Reilly
Pro Vice Chancellor (Health)
Health clinics offer
community value.............................. 15
Medicine graduate
first to land academic role.............. 16
Saneil Chand...................................... 17
Amelia McFarland............................. 17
Book an appointment
First Peoples alumni
changing the world.......................... 18
Griffith Health Clinics
Allied Health | Dentistry and Oral Health | Psychology
griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
1800 188 295
Unlocking the mystery
of whiplash pain................................ 19
Desire to do good
propagates change........................... 20
Page 1
Alumnus provides tools for
men’s mental health
A deep concern about high
suicide rates within the
construction industry led
Griffith University alumnus
Jorgen Gullestrup to
start up the world’s only
industry-based suicide
prevention program.
“Australian men often struggle to talk
about their feelings, which makes them
less likely to seek help for mental health
issues,” Jorgen explains.
“Every second day Australia loses a
construction worker to suicide, with men
in the industry six times more likely to die
from suicide than from a work accident.
“In fact, a study released by the Australian
Institute for Suicide Prevention and
Research (AISRAP) found that construction
workers were more likely to die by their
own hand, with young men having the
highest risk.
MATES in Construction aims to lower their
risk by harnessing the power of the great
Aussie spirit of mateship to successfully
engage workers in the construction
industry to look out for one another.
Jorgen says men are responsive to
messages about workplace safety,
so conversations that focused on risk
management around mental health helped
to break the ice on such a sensitive topic.
“Men might not be adept at expressing
our feelings but one thing we are good at
is problem-solving—give us a concrete
problem and we’ll move mountains to try
and fix it,” he says.
“So we created our program to focus on
help-offering, rather than help-seeking
and encouraging ‘gatekeepers’ within
the community to offer that help instead
of relying on intervention from outside
the industry.”
Jorgen graduated with a masters
degree in suicidology in 2015, after
“There’s no shortage
of suicide prevention
strategies available,
but we wanted to
modify existing
interventions to suit
our community because
despite all the good
ideas, construction
workers are unlikely to
seek help for mental
health issues.”
previously completing his training in
suicide prevention.
He first introduced MATES in Construction
to Queensland building sites in 2008 with
a budget of $400,000.
The program now runs on a $7 million
annual budget, is available in four states
and has attracted interest from industry
leaders overseas.
“I’m a plumber by trade and was a union
official in the construction industry so I
was aware of the problems in that area and
my studies at Griffith convinced me that a
tailored program was needed,” says Jorgen.
MATES in Construction has won several
awards for successfully initiating a
conversation around suicide prevention on
building sites.
And recent data suggest that it’s having
an impact.
“During the five years since inception of
MATES in Construction the overall male
suicide rate increased slightly, but suicides
in Queensland construction workers
dropped by eight per cent,” he says.
Before that, Queensland had one of the
highest construction suicide rates and we
managed to turn that around to where we
now have the lowest rate in the country.
“While it’s not conclusive proof that MATES
in Construction is responsible for the
change, it’s a good outcome, nonetheless.”
Griffith University alumnus and founder of
MATES in Construction Jorgen Gullestrup
Page 3
Healthy active inspiration
for Queenslanders
Griffith grad helps to create
a safer world for at-risk children
Susie’s passion has been to provide
essential counselling and training services
within the child mental health sector,
as well as provide an invaluable bridge
between the not-for-profit sector and
private practice.
An exercise physiologist and dietitian with a masters
degree in nutrition and dietetics, Brady graduated
from the School of Allied Health Sciences in 2009
and quickly went on to establish a highly successful
patient-centred health service across Queensland.
“I started Healthy Lifestyles while I was still
studying at Griffith, working with medical
and allied healthcare professionals to
provide a multidisciplinary health service to
their patients,” says Brady.
“It began with a single medical centre but
word soon got around and within three
months of focussing solely on the company
I needed my first full-time employee to
help carry the workload.”
Today, Healthy Lifestyles Australia
operates in 85 centres, employs 25
staff and provides a Medicare-funded
no-gap service to patients who are
financially disadvantaged.
“My initial interests were in sports
performance and nutrition but I’ve
discovered a passion for helping people
Persistent Pain and
Rehabilitation Clinic
with diabetes, cancer, heart disease,
allergies, musculoskeletal problems and all
types of chronic illness,” says Brady.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to
see someone lose 50kg and
no longer rely on insulin or
someone who was staring
down the barrel of a major
spinal procedure using
lifestyle and diet strategies to
avoid the need for surgery.”
Brady received much more than an
education during his time at Griffith.
“The course itself was fantastic but it was
the teaching and support staff who really
inspired and motivated me to succeed,”
he adds.
Call 1800188 295
A passion for child
protection has been the
fuel behind the successful
career of Griffith Bachelor
of Psychology (Honours)
graduate Susie Upton
who is the co-founder
of Brisbane-based
counselling and
psychology service
Child Aware.
Need to talk to
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“Unfortunately a significant disparity still
exists between the private and not-forprofit sectors when it comes to mental
health. Our mission at Child Aware is to
bridge that gap in accessibility for people
who may not have the resources to get
the full range of counselling services,” says
Susie, who comes from the Gold Coast.
| griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
“So for example, at Child Aware, we have
a number of funding options that families
can access to receive services with rebates.
It takes away the complexities and stress
for them.”
To date, Child Aware has two different sites
from where it conducts around 150 client
sessions per week - one in Woolloongabba
and another in Carina which opened in
2013. The company also has a team of 25
people working for or with Child Aware in
some capacity.
“We have 13 registered psychologists and
four admin team members, so we are very
pleased with the progress we’ve made. We
have certainly come a long way from the
early days learning everything the hard
“We aim to assist
clients to navigate
their way through the
complexities of the
mental health system
to deliver knowledge,
support and equity for
people most in need.”
way and doing letterbox drops because we
had no client base!
“Long term I think we have the capacity
to grow further, but in the meantime
we are bedding down our procedures
to continue to be the truly sustainable,
reliable service that we want to be in the
child mental health space. At our heart, our
goal is always working in the best interests
of children.”
“It’s also great to now be supervising
Griffith psychology students that come
through our practice on placements,”
she says. “I find the Griffith psychology
programs have a very practical focus
which gives students a real edge when
it comes to working in the real world of
psychology practice.”
Professionally and provisionally
registered psychologists.
Psychological assessment and
counselling services at Gold Coast
and Mt Gravatt locations.
Allied Health | Dentistry | Psychology
Call 1800188 295
| griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
Humble humanitarian
works year-round
Most health professionals
have an underlying desire
to help others but one
extraordinary Health
Group alumnus is using
her expertise to ease
the pain of thousands
of people around the
world, even during well
earned holidays.
A 2010 graduate from the Griffith
University School of Dentistry and Oral
Health, Ajitha Naidu Sugnanam has forged
an outstanding vocation in service to her
country as well as to those less fortunate
than most.
“I wanted a career as a health clinician to
help alleviate people’s pain, so I accepted
a late scholarship with the Australian
Defence Force (ADF) to complete
dentistry,” says Ajitha.
During her time at Griffith, Ajitha
demonstrated her altruistic nature by
representing Hope4Health, the Griffith
University student initiative promoting
health equality for all.
After graduation Ajitha took up her
position within the ADF and was posted
and deployed to clinics both nationally
and abroad.
Page 6 | Health Check Issue 49
“I’ve worked in Fregon (SA) with the Royal
Australian Army through the Indigenous
outreach program Army Aboriginal
Community Assistance Programme
(AACAP) and had the opportunity to take
part in a humanitarian mission to Nepal,”
she adds.
“After completing my
minimum period of service to
the ADF, I decided to stay on
because although my work
is sometimes challenging it is
always incredibly rewarding.”
Ajitha was recently promoted to Squadron
Leader in the Royal Australian Air Force,
and is one of only four active dentists in
the RAAF to hold such a distinction.
“I’m currently working at the NATO base
in the Greater Middle East as the only
dentist caring for service members and
civilian contractors supporting 43 different
nations,” Ajitha says.
“I work seven days a week, generally from
8am to 5pm but sometimes we have mass
casualties arriving outside those hours, in
which case I help with triage and provide
auxiliary support for the medical teams.”
Even more astounding is how Ajitha spends
her spare time.
While stationed at Tindal in the Northern
Territory, she cooked for up to 150 people
every fortnight to raise funds for the 2016
trip to provide overseas aid to people
in need.
Ajitha is unsure why anyone would think
her particularly remarkable but concedes
that it might have something to do with
what she does on her holidays.
“I get four weeks off a year and I’ve
been able to spend two weeks of that
volunteering in areas where health services
are limited,” she explains.
“I would love to stay longer than that but
there’s a lot of coordination involved and so
far I’ve been funding the trips myself.”
In 2015 Ajitha spent her annual leave
establishing a temporary community
health camp in Nizamabad, India where 15
clinicians and 60 volunteers provided free
medical and dental services to more than
2,500 people.
In 2016 she provided a similar service in
Bantumilli, India to offer medical and dental
care to more than 3,000 patients.
Ajitha’s commitment to Australia and
passion for helping others is a credit to her
profession and has enabled her to make a
real difference in the world.
Her humanitarian journey started at Griffith
and will continue well into the future.
“The next step will be registering an NGO in
order to help provide greater support and
assist in funding” says Ajitha.
“There’s so much more we could do if we
had more backing.”
Page 7
Academic pays it forward
Professor Mark Forwood’s journey from a physical education teacher to becoming
Head of Griffith University’s School of Medical Science wouldn’t have been possible
without strong mentorship.
“My background in physical education
provided insight into teaching, but my
transition to an academic position was
facilitated by others’ encouragement,”
Professor Forwood says.
And now he pays it forward, drawing upon
his experiences and research expertise to
inspire students.
Professor Forwood is a distinguished
researcher in the areas of anatomy, bone
physiology and biomechanics with more
than 100 papers published in highimpact journals.
“Being invited to take up the position of
Foundation Chair of Anatomy at Griffith
in 2009 was one of my most memorable
achievements,” he says.
Professor Forwood is also instrumental in
the annual Thanksgiving Service to honour
people who bequeathed their bodies to
Griffith for research and teaching purposes.
“We’re very grateful that we’ve seen an
increase in people participating in the
Body Donation Program, as it’s invaluable
for students of Medicine, Allied Health
and Anatomy.”
An annual Thanksgiving Service
acknowledges this generous donation.
In September 2016, Professor Forwood’s
achievements in skeletal biology and
Higher Education were recognised by
election as a Fellow of the Queensland
Academy of Arts and Sciences.
“As Head of School
I’m working with an
outstanding team of
colleagues dedicated
to giving our students
every opportunity to
succeed in their chosen
health professions.”
Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic
Get ready for work
‘Next Step’ program
Group program for 16 to 19 year olds with ASD who
are preparing to leave school and enter the workforce
or tertiary education.
Allied Health | Dentistry | Psychology
Call 1800188 295
| griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
Page 9
Home delivery improves
immunisation participation
After completing nursing and midwifery
degrees at Griffith University, Gillian
Hermosilla-Silva followed her passion for
women and children’s health.
“The interactive approach provides an
amazing classroom experience and has
dramatically improved attendance rates.”
As Immunisation Co-ordinator for Logan
and Redland Council, Gillian is the driving
force behind a highly successful community
outreach service.
Under Gillian’s leadership, the Council
provides an at-home vaccination service
for children who are missing or overdue
for the vaccines that offer protection from
serious childhood illnesses.
“From January to September 2016,
we vaccinated more than 700 children
at their own homes,” she says.
When communities report low
immunisation rates, it’s often attributed
to conscientious objection to vaccines.
“But research in 2012 suggested that
low vaccine rates were not about parents
taking a stand against vaccination,”
says Gillian.
“I can only remember one or two parents
who were actual conscientious objectors;
the real reason was more to do with
difficulties accessing vaccination services.”
“In many cases it came down to
transportation issues— some families
have no car or multiple children, so getting
to their local GP is problematic.”
The success of the National Immunisation
Program saw a dramatic decline in
prevalence for vaccine-preventable
childhood diseases, so Gillian’s team also
offers educational resources for parents
who may not fear these illnesses or even
know what they look like.
Page 10 | Health Check Issue 49
Immersive learning
boosts student engagement
Griffith University has
introduced virtual reality
technology to provide a
truly immersive learning
environment for the
School of Pharmacy,
thanks to the efforts of
Dr Gary Grant.
Dr Grant, Deputy Head (Learning and
Teaching) at the School, says interactive
simulation and gamification not only
engages but also arms students with
practical real world skills.
“The technology is used as part of a
mixed-mode of delivery similar to a minilecture with the addition of virtual reality
simulation designed to have as much
value as early placement experiences,”
says Dr Grant.
“It allows students to work at simulated
dispensing stations and interact with
virtual patients in several environments
including community pharmacy, hospital
pharmacy and emergency room.
The new technology is adaptable for other
health disciplines and accessible from home
computers and mobile electronic devices.
In keeping with Griffith’s commitment to
innovation and flexibility in learning and
assessment, the School of Pharmacy is also
the first in Australia to introduce a team
simulation game called PharmG, which
allows final-year students to test their
pharmacy skills against peers.
“We started from humble beginnings
and focused on making sure we were
introducing something measurably
effective rather than just exciting and
pretty,” says Dr Grant.
“The remarkable aspect of our progress is
due to outstanding team work and Griffith’s
supportive and nurturing environment.”
Page 11
“It does take me longer than most to
get myself ready in the morning and I
need help for that, but as far as medical
duties go, I can carry out a good
medical examination and consultation
on a patient.”
Providing a guiding light for
tomorrow’s health professionals
Associate Professor Suzzanne Owen
developed and leads Go Health, Go
Griffith— a program that helps senior
high school students from a diverse
range of social backgrounds to realise
their potential as health professionals.
“Our program encourages students with aspirations and ability
to apply for university and pursue a career in health and science,”
says Professor Owen.
“We mentor and follow them all the way, from high school to
their professional degrees and help them believe in themselves to
become the best they can be.”
In partnership with Queensland Health, Go Health, Go Griffith also
provides community outreach for health awareness, professional
development for clinicians and for senior secondary school biology,
exercise and health teachers and a student peer mentoring service.
Professor Owen was the recipient of a 2016 Australian Awards
for University Teaching for Outstanding Contributions to
Student Learning.
“My job is finding remarkable young people and growing them
towards their chosen careers,” she says.
“Go Health, Go Griffith has been very successful and these young
students, many of whom are ‘first-in-family’ to attend university,
develop strong professional identity and leadership skills and often
contribute to the Go Health, Go Griffith team.”
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Call 1800188 295
Dinesh Palipana was a
focused, determined,
enthusiastic medicine
student at Griffith
University when his life
changed forever on a
rainy night in 2010.
Today, the 32-year-old remains equally
determined and just as focused on forging
a career in medicine in spite of the road
traffic accident on Brisbane’s Gateway
Bridge that left him without feeling or
movement from the chest down.
“I knew I’d been paralysed before anyone
even mentioned it to me, I just didn’t
realise it was to the extent of becoming
quadriplegic. Even in the ambulance, the
first thing that occurred to me was, I still
Comprehensive dental care
Professional and student clinic
Allied Health | Dentistry | Psychology
Quadriplegia is no barrier
to a medical career
| griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
need to get this medicine degree done
and get on with my career. That was so
important to me.”
A long road ahead
But there was a long road ahead; Dinesh’s
spine had been dislocated at the neck,
essentially squashing the cord that supplies
feeling and movement to any part of the
body from the chest down.
“Professor Harry McConnell and others
from the School of Medicine were fantastic
in communicating to me about how it could
work if I came back to my studies and
thoroughly supported me in my decision
to eventually return to year 3 medicine in
January 2015.”
Dinesh was met with warmth back at
Griffith, and if there were ever any doubts
over what he could achieve as a trainee
doctor, they were sorely mistaken. First off,
he achieved high grades in the mid-year
exams, despite having had the five-year
break from medicine.
Although classified as a quadriplegic, he
has some feeling on the outside of his
forearms. Dinesh is able to feed himself
and get around in his wheelchair without
help, having learnt various intricate ways of
getting around the lack of hand movement
over the past six years.
“I can’t however carry out a rectal
examination! And I may have typical
doctor’s handwriting!
“I am thinking now that I may specialise
in radiology. Neurology is appealing
too. Medicine is so broad with so many
fantastic options. Luckily I have some
fantastic people around me at Griffith, who
have been great advocates of me, as well
as my amazing mother (Chithrani) who has
always been there for me.
“I am pretty lucky really. Yeah I guess I
must have wanted this career pretty bad.”
Page 13
Health clinics offer
community value
With 60,000 health
services delivered last
year, Griffith University’s
Health Clinics are
possibly the University’s
largest community
engagement vehicle.
Students given a sporting chance
With the right leadership
and support, it’s possible
for student athletes to
be remarkable in both
sporting prowess and
academic achievement.
As Director of the Griffith University Sports
College, Duncan Free has been the driving
force behind a cutting-edge strategy that
has placed Griffith on the world stage.
Duncan, himself an Olympic gold medallist,
graduated from Griffith with a Bachelor of
Health Science in 1996 and represented
Australia at four Olympic Games.
Since taking up his current position in
2012, Duncan has improved retention
rates and more than doubled the number
of athletes studying at Griffith.
Page 14 | Health Check Issue 49
“We provide guidance and support for 400
athletes today, working closely with their
academic supervisors to make sure they
have the right balance of study and sport
to succeed in both areas,” says Duncan.
The motivation, vision and determination
required to excel in any area of study are
qualities already hard-wired into athletes
at the elite level and this is evident in the
accomplishments of Griffith athletes in
both classroom and sporting arena.
“Our current athletes, in particular our
sports scholarship holders, have a higher
Grade Point Average (GPA) than the
general cohort of students despite the
incredible demands to also keep up with
training commitments and travel for
competition events,” says Duncan.
“As for sporting results, 2016 saw us
named the top university in Australia for
the number of athletes competing at
the Rio Olympics and ninth globally for
Olympic gold medallists—and we were up
against the biggest and most respected
universities in the world.”
Executive Officer Peter Westwood says
services are offered across three sites
– Griffith’s Gold Coast and Mt Gravatt
campuses plus the Warwick Hospital.
Plans to open a trainee dentistry clinic at
Kingaroy during 2017 are also underway.
Disciplines are as varied as psychology,
dentistry, physiotherapy, nutrition
and dietetics, exercise physiology and
speech pathology.
“At our Gold Coast dentistry clinic alone,
we see around 1,000 patients per week,”
Mr Westwood says.
“The primary drawcard isn’t service
affordability – although we do offer
remarkably affordable healthcare options
– it’s the quality of our services, our state
of the art facilities, the fact we embrace
latest techniques, employ world-renowned
researchers and offer best practice
teaching methods.
“We have leading teaching clinicians
supervising the treatment delivered by our
students, many these staff also run private
practices through our clinics which link to
Medicare, concession cards and private
health insurance.”
World class facilities and staff aside, Mr
Westwood says the clinics’ greatest asset
is the students.
“Their dedication,
knowledge, skill and
passion contribute to
an incredibly positive
experience for our
community members,
who keep returning.”
Partnership with elite coaches and sporting
associations including the Queensland
Academy of Sport, the Gold Coast Titans,
Brisbane Roar, Gold Coast Suns and several
Olympic and Commonwealth sporting
bodies is one of the reasons Griffith
student athletes are doing so well.
“Time management and flexible schedules
are important because our athletes do tend
to travel and some take longer to finish
their studies,” Duncan explains.
“We’re also very lucky to have Naomi
McCarthy, a Griffith graduate and Olympic
gold medallist, as Manager of the Sports
College and Elite Athlete Program.
“We both speak the same language as our
athletes and have a personal understanding
of the pressures associated with sport
and study.”
To book appointments, call 1800 188 295
or visit www.griffith.edu.au/health/clinics
Page 15
Medicine graduate
first to land academic role
Dr Lisa Amey completed
her medical training
at Griffith’s School of
Medicine in 2010 and is
now the first medicine
graduate to achieve an
academic position at
the University.
Dr Amey’s remarkable academic ability and
willingness to teach led to her appointment
as Associate Academic Manager for the
graduate-entry medical program, the
Doctor of Medicine (MD).
Dr Amey will guide medical students in
years three and four through the peaks
and troughs of learning.
“Students need encouragement, support
and tools to get through and I really hope
I can share some of my own learnings to
ensure their experience is a positive one,”
she adds.
“I also greatly respect Griffith’s approach to
teaching medicine.
Saneil
Chand
Amelia
McFarland
“We’re modern, collaborative,
multidisciplinary and this is
the reason we’ve earned such
a great name in a relatively
short period of time.”
Already, Dr Amey has helped implement
changes to assessment tools and facilitated
the expansion of the clinical reasoning
curriculum at the School of Medicine.
Dr Amey’s work to date has enhanced the
course structure and will allow students
to improve their diagnostic skills in
clinical practice.
Saneil Chand with his family at the
Lord Mayor’s Multi-Cultural Business Awards
After graduating from the Griffith University Master of Pharmacy
program, Saneil bought his own pharmacy at the age of just 25
and worked every day for two years to establish a respectable
business and quality service to the people of Buranda.
By his 26th birthday he had purchased three more pharmacies
and also went on to grow an impressive investment portfolio.
The recipient of the 2015 Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Multi-Cultural
Business Award, Saneil embodies the concept of working hard
and working smart.
Saneil’s business sense and determination to succeed is driven by
a love for family.
“I took inspiration from both my grandfathers; Mr Mani Ram who
was a successful sugarcane farmer in Fiji, and Mr Thakur Prasad
who had a successful taxi business.
“The courage and hard work from these important people made
them the main breadwinners for our extended family even in the
very hard times.
“I really enjoy interaction with students
and they can relate to me because I’m a
recent graduate.”
“My parents and siblings are all in science-based professions and
have always worked in hospitals, so I wanted something that
combined science and business.
“Pharmacy was the best option for me because it’s a niche market
and with the right skills and knowledge I knew I could do well.”
Buying his first pharmacy in 2010 and more than doubling its
value since then has been a major accomplishment.
As an early career academic and researcher, Amelia McFarland
has already made a significant contribution to her chosen field of
neuropharmacology.
Her publishing track record began early, with her Honours work
on pseudomonal central nervous system infections published in
reputable journals including Archives of Toxicology.
Amelia has also co-supervised Honours students who have gone
on to successful careers in research and clinical pharmacy.
Besides her teaching, mentoring and research roles at Griffith,
Amelia also works as a community pharmacist.
Q: What does it take to be remarkable?
A: “I have a focused and curious personality with a passion for
neuroscience. The environment and culture at the School of
Pharmacy encourages excellence and dedication, so I think my
success so far has been a combination of both factors.”
Q: What inspired you on your career path?
A: “I’ve always been fascinated by the brain because it’s an
area of science where there’s so much more to learn. I initially
considered a medical career specialising in neurology, but
after fainting during anatomy classes I changed focus to
neuropharmacology, and have loved every second.
“The research I’m doing now is so exciting, and being able to
foster enthusiasm for neuroscience in the next generation of
students is extremely rewarding.”
“A more recent standout career highlight was receiving the Lord
Mayor’s award in the presence of my family and 500 business
people,” he says.
Page 16 | Health Check Issue 49
Page 17
First Peoples alumni
changing the world
The First Peoples issue of Health Check featured two outstanding alumni who have
made extraordinary impacts in their chosen professions.
We reconnected with Brisbane GP Dr Samarra Toby and Toowoomba dentist
Dr Michael Baker to ask them about their journey to being remarkable.
Dr Toby is an Indigenous GP who graduated
from the Griffith School of Medicine in 2008
and established a career in rural health.
When her son, Arty, was diagnosed with autism Dr Toby moved
to Brisbane and not only focused on ways to help her own child
but also to create affordable resources for others.
The result was www.theautismtoolkit.com and provides
resources including an app for children living with autism and
their families.
Q: What are your proudest accomplishments so far?
A: Graduating with a medical degree and being an autism
mummy. My studies gave me the research skills to make life
better for Arty and having a child with autism has allowed me to
meet the most amazing autism parents all over the world.
Q: How else did university help you become remarkable?
A: Griffith provided a rigorous medical and surgical training
program with culturally appropriate and inclusive learning and
support. I was blessed and would like to acknowledge Uncle
Graham Dillon for his role in supporting me through my studies.
Without Griffith and
my medical degree
the amazing life I
have now would not
have been possible.
Page 18 | Health Check Issue 49
Inspired by a desire to make a difference
to First Peoples health, Michael Baker
was nationally recognised for his efforts
even before completing his studies in both
business and dentistry at Griffith University.
Michael and his brother David, also an award-winning alumnus,
were instrumental in setting up a free dental clinic in remote
Cherbourg through Hope4Health and now run a successful
dental practice in Toowoomba.
Acknowledging the importance of quality education and a solid
business plan, Michael has worked hard and smart to achieve
his goals.
Q: What are your proudest achievements to date?
A: One of my proudest achievements to date was being accepted
into the School of Dentistry and Oral Health after successfully
completing my Bachelor of Business degree with Griffith.
Another was being nominated and selected as one of four state
finalists for the Young Australian of The Year Awards 2015.
Q: How did your education set you up for success?
A: My eight consecutive years of
full-time study at Griffith helped me
grow and shape me into the confident
person I am today.
The training I received during my
studies at Griffith dental school was of
a high standard and prepared me for
the real world of dentistry.
Unlocking the mystery
of whiplash pain
After 20 years of practising as a physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal pain,
Professor Michele Sterling noted similar injuries didn’t equate to similar recovery
patterns when it came to whiplash.
Professor Sterling’s dedication to whiplash
recovery has led her to complete a Masters
and a PhD as well as become a Professor in
the Menzies Health Institute Queensland
and the School of Allied Health, Director
of Recover Injury Research Centre and
a council member of the International
Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
Thanks to a NHMRC grant, Professor
Sterling is undertaking a study that
aims to investigate early intervention
approaches to prevent chronic pain among
whiplash patients.
“One theory is that incidents that cause
whiplash – most frequently motor vehicle
accidents – also impact on the way a
patient’s central nervous system (CNS)
processes pain,” Professor Sterling says.
“When the CNS winds up, pain can be
perceived as being disproportionate
to the original injury and becomes
more widespread, but still equating to
chronic pain.”
Professor Sterling is working with
physiotherapists and clinical psychologists
in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Mackay and
Toowoomba to help identify patients at
risk following a whiplash incident.
“It’s unlikely people will seek the help of
a psychologist within the first few weeks
of an accident, but they will often see a
physio,” Professor Sterling says.
“We’re hoping to better equip
physiotherapists to offer
psychological support.”
“Causes are multi-factorial and need to be
addressed from a bio-psycho-social model,
not just a biomechanical one.”
Page 19
Desire to do good
propagates change
It was Professor Claire
Rickard’s motivation to
be a “good nurse” that
led her to investigate
the best ways to care
for intravascular (IV)
devices that deliver
medicines and fluids into
the bloodstream.
Prostate cancer survivorship
Prostate cancer prevalence has increased by 75 per cent in Australia over the past decade. One in nine Australian men aged
65 and over is a prostate cancer survivor.
Professor Suzanne Chambers from the Menzies Health Institute Queensland, along with the nation’s top prostate cancer
experts, will lead the world’s first multi-disciplinary survivorship centre set to benefit the more than 10 Australian men
diagnosed with prostate cancer every hour.
Fast-forward 20 years and Professor
Rickard now heads the Griffith-based
Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and
Research (AVATAR) – the largest research
group in the world looking at IV therapy
and devices.
Researchers from Griffith University, Cancer Council QLD, Edith Cowan University, Cancer Council NSW, Monash University,
University of Adelaide and University of Queensland have collaborated to establish the Centre for Research Excellence in
Prostate Cancer Survivorship to target critical problems in survivorship after prostate cancer.
“We’ve just completed the One Million
Global (OMG) Study with 41,000
patients across 51 countries throughout
416 hospitals, all of whom voluntarily
participated because they value improving
IV device care,” she says.
Three of every 10 men diagnosed will also suffer from clinically high distress and long-term unmet psychological needs.
Eight will be overweight or obese. Most will experience sexual morbidity and half will have long-term unmet sexual
support needs.
At a national level, the Centre for Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship will provide a unique and crucial
pathway to connect research to translation and action across four main areas:
“Our research doesn’t cure cancer, but
even if tomorrow there was a cure for
cancer, people couldn’t access it without
a functional IV device – that’s where we
come in.”
Statistic
Issue
22% of dressings on IV devices were not clean, dry and intact
Risk of deadly bloodstream infection or device dislodging from the vein
69% of devices were not placed in the forearm veins
The hand or elbow have far higher complication rates
37% had no documented assessment within 24 hours
Invasive devices should be monitored every 8-12 hours
14% of devices were unused
Besides infection risk and discomfort, without use, blockage is common
10% had symptoms of complications (redness, pain, discharge)
Discomfort for patients, and risk of infection
Globally, nurses inserted 71% of IV devices. In Australia, this was
just 26%
Need for better training and expansion of nursing role within Australia
»» psychosocial and psychosexual health
»» the economic costs of prostate cancer
»» exercise medicine
»» geographic inequalities in prostate cancer outcomes
How you can help
Donate to research | Leave a bequest | Create a legacy
Your support is truly appreciated for the ongoing vital research, achieving new discoveries and making a lasting and valuable
contribution to the health and quality of life for generations to come.
Donations add up to significant support - funding specific research projects as well as providing scholarships or fellowships,
purchasing specialised equipment and supporting infrastructure. All gifts over $2 made to the Menzies Health Institute
Queensland through the Griffith University Fund are eligible for tax deduction.
Leaving an endowment or bequest in your will is an extremely effective way to show your support for Griffith
Health research.
Contact Gillian Rumpf on:
+61 (0)478 494 900 or
[email protected]
griffith.edu.au/development-alumni/giving-to-griffith
Page 20 | Health Check Issue 49
menzies.griffith.edu.au
Griffith Health will, through leadership and innovation in teaching, research and
community engagement, create sustained improvement in all aspects
of health and healthcare for local, national and international communities.
griffith.edu.au/health
@Griffith_Health
/griffithhealth