Health

Well known Summernats competitors Jake Myers, Amy Myers, Deby and Gary Myers and their team raised $4500.80 for the Neuroblastoma Foundation at this year’s Summernats car festival in Canberra ACT. Jake Myers owns the famous S1CKO 1966 Mustang which he had white vinyl wrapped for his wedding back in October 2024 and decided after the wedding to leave the white on and let people sign it at Summernats with a twist.

The Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) continued to improve planned surgery performance during the July to September 2024 quarter, despite hospitals with the locality experiencing some of the highest activity levels on record.

Hay Shire Council is continuing its efforts in attracting medical staff to Hay with a commitment to the Bush Bursary program.  Current recipients are Zali Beuzeville and Charlie Jackson, pictured with Lyla Quinn during their placement at Japp’s Pharmacy last week.  

The loss of a parent is devastating. Losing both is unimaginable, but photographer and horse lover Sarah Wheeler is turning her grief into hope for others suffering from liver, pancreatic, stomach, bile duct and oesophageal cancers.

Serena Kirby. Denmark GP Alex Sleeman is learning to walk again after sustaining serious spinal injuries from a tractor accident on his property last September ... “I plan to do everything I used to do but I’ll just do it a bit differently and good luck to anyone that tells me I can’t do something.”

When soldiers put their lives on the front line, long-term health challenges are almost inevitable, but assistance dogs are improving both the physical and mental wellbeing of those in need. Birchip resident Mr Jonathan (Jonny) Kemp has recently completed training with Integra Service Dogs Australia, becoming the custodian of an Integra-owned assistance dog named Capri.

Many essential service providers, including the government, are “abandoning” rural towns like Naracoorte in South Australia … We asked Naracoorte Lucindale Council mayor Patrick Ross, Minister for Regional Development Clare Scriven, Shadow Minister for Regional South Australia Nicola Centofanti, and Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin why our towns are losing essential service providers and what needs to be done to help our frustrated communities.

The group of riders known as Maldon Cycling has raised funds to purchase a trishaw for the residents of Mountview Nursing Home at Maldon Hospital, who are enjoying the opportunity to view the local neighbourhood at cycling pace … The residents, who simply nominate to have a ride and take turns each Thursday afternoon, are loving the trishaw.

Narrandera is said to be losing patients to adjoining towns for medical services due to a problem in recruiting doctors to the town. The Narrandera Shire Council has now stepped in to help overcome the problem by endorsing the actions of its Mayor Neville Kschenka in offering a recruitment incentive of $35,000 to the Medical Centre to cover the cost of subsidised rental of a suitable dwelling and enrolment fee for the next phase of doctor training.

Healthcare workers in the Murrumbidgee region are set to benefit from key worker accommodation, with new units at two hospital sites now complete. The modern accommodation units in Narrandera (pictured) and Finley have been installed on-site, with final touches being made to ensure the units are ready for the first residents to move in early next year.

Robyn Schinckel. Fact: At least twice a day a RFDS crew will land in the Limestone Coast to airlift a patient. Fact: Today, the RFDS deliver more than 380,000 episodes of care across Australia every year - equivalent to assisting someone every two minutes. The Foster Street Garden Party was an absolute triumph – a collective effort that raised $21,830. hese vital funds will help keep the RFDS flying.

What does fifty million dollars’ worth of hope feel like? Just ask Allora’s Benjamin and James Mason who, along with parents, Hayley and Mark, recently joined a national delegate of one hundred brave Type 1 Diabetes advocates as part of JDRF’s "Kids in the House – KITH" program, to address members of parliament in Canberra.

A new venture, Oxitec Australia, is taking on two of the deadliest virus-carrying mosquitos in the Pacific region – Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – to fight the spread of diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives globally each year.  Launched today, Oxitec Australia is a collaboration between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and UK-based Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests.    

Bovaer is getting a lot of attention – and not the good kind. Bovaer is a feed additive for cattle – including some used to supply milk and beef sold at Coles supermarkets. Why? Because Bovaer reduces cattle methane emissions (in burps) significantly. Bovaer is made using silicon dioxide, propylene glycol and the organic compound 3-nitroxypropanol (known as 3-NOP).

Together with family members, hundreds of friends and admirers packed the Donald Anglican Church and surrounds ... for the service celebrating the remarkable life of legendary sports therapist, the late Pat Allen. The service was conducted by the Rev. Judi Bird, who spoke feelingly of the difference made by Pat to the lives of people from near and far.

A West Wimmera Shire Council survey on maternal and child health and support playgroup services has highlighted the overwhelmingly positive experiences from families in the community. The survey, which gathered responses from parents and caregivers from across the shire, showed strong satisfaction with the support and care currently provided.

The Rural Applied Drug and Alcohol Research group (RADAR) will tackle the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse in Western NSW, which is higher than most other parts of NSW ... Core priorities of RADAR include addressing the specific, geographical issues those afflicted by substance misuse in western NSW often experience.

The butchers at Metcalf Quality Meats in Evans Head, Tom Karry, Jacob Lane, Mark Simeoni, Riley Stothard, Nathan Scully and Wade Goldthorpe, grew moustaches to raise money for men’s mental health. Wade said the young fellas didn’t stand a chance in the moustache-growing race.

Allora born and bred Geoffrey Smith, was named Queensland Australian of the Year at the recent awards ceremony held in Brisbane. Proud parents Debbie and Alan Smith said Geoffrey was born in 1989 and went to Allora Kindergarten, Allora Pre-School and Allora P-10 School until Year 7 when he moved to Toowoomba Grammar.

MS Australia is bringing together the nation's top researchers to unlock the complex link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS); with the potential to revolutionise how we treat, prevent, and ultimately cure MS. The EBV in MS National Collaborative Platform, launched today at MS Australia's inaugural Frontiers in MS Research Symposium at the University of Sydney, aims to unify and strengthen Australian research efforts into EBV and MS.

Emeritus Professor of Oncology at St Georges, University of London and Principal of The Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy (ICVI) Professor Angus Dalgleish didn’t mince his words this week in response to Australia’s response to Covid. “Why on earth did they do this?” said Professor Dalgleish in an interview on Sky this week.