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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 Premium health services at affordable prices for the public » » » » » » 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? » » » » » » 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 someone about anxiety? Personalised and multidisciplinary approach to achieve pain relief and restore your physical function. Allied Health | Dentistry | Psychology “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.” Free check-ups for adults and children* *Conditions apply. See website for details. 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