May 2008 RDU online (pdf) - Rotary Down Under

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AUSTRALIAN ROTARY HEALTH RESEARCH FUND ARHRF People Rural Nursing Scholar – Janet Paine “Cuts, dressing changes of wounds, fractured limbs, motor vehicle accidents and falls of elderly people.” These are a few of the presentations Janet Paine, recipient of an ARHRF Rural Nursing scholarship valued at $12,500, was exposed to during her third year major clinical placement at the end of 2007 in the busy Emergency Department of Broken Hill Hospital. “Numerous people were brought in by ambulance with chest pain, as well as by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). “The outlying towns around Broken Hill rely heavily on the RFDS,” said Janet. Janet was thrilled to also gain a postgraduate nursing position in Broken Hill for 2008. She is thoroughly enjoying the social side of the town and putting her people skills to good use as a nurse there. Applicants for the scholarship were required to submit a 500-word essay, two references and undergo a four-panel telephone interview. ■ Rural Medical Scholar – Jacinta Spry Jacinta Spry was awarded a 2008 ARHRF Rural Medical scholarship, valued at $5000, to assist her in completing a year of clinical placements in Katherine and outlying areas in the Northern Territory. This is a poem Jacinta wrote in March “after seeing some really strong culture and strong country here in North East Arnhem (a people collectively known as Yolngu)” while on an eye health screening placement. 30–––Rotary Down Under, May 2008 I have memories in my heart of strong and wise women, living, smiling, teaching . . . right Yolngu way. I have pictures in my mind, of caring and courageous men, watching, listening, leading, hunting . . . right Yolngu way. I have photos on my computer of happy children, testing, playing, growing, loving . . . right Yolngu way. I don’t always understand - and still I have so much, because you shared, and showed it to me . . . right Yolngu way. ■ Funding Partners Research Grant Youth Ambassador – Brittany Slezak Brittany Slezak, 17, is in her final year of college and is one of 160 Youth Ambassadors across Tasmania who have been trained in sharing web-based mental health information with their peers as part of the University of Tasmania’s YShareIt project. Brittany said that her involvement in the program has enabled her to help friends who are facing mental illness. “It is a large problem, a lot of young people are constantly down and depressed, even suicidal,” Brittany said. “There are issues with relationships, family, body image, and stress with school. “Before getting involved in the program I wasn’t aware about all the help you can get. “Young people can find it really hard to talk about their issues but they often use the internet so discussing and promoting websites where people can get help is of great benefit,” Brittany said. The YShareIt project was funded by ARHRF and Sally’s Ride (Rotary Club of Central Launceston). ■ Mental Health Forum Advocate – Bob Erskine Bob Erskine has been in Rotary for 28 years and has a long history of volunteering for Australian Rotary Health. He was appointed Mental Health Forum Advocate for Sydney’s District 9680 last July and is one of 23 Forum Advocates across Australia. “My role is to sit in on the mental health forum committee meetings and liaise between Cheryl [Australian Rotary Health programs coordinator] and the committees,” said Bob. “Rotary Club of Chatswood Sunrise run two forums a year with anything between 80 and 300 people attending. In April they had a forum focusing on drug and alcohol use with relation to mental health,” said Bob.
Bob was also responsible for fundraising $35,000 from the District 9680 conference this year for an ARHRF Funding Partners PhD scholarship for research into diabetes. $6,000 of this came from his own Rotary Club of Gladesville. ■ Ian Scott Scholar – Magenta Simmons “If you were to think of two groups that don’t get heard – it would be young people and those with mental health problems.” This is according to Magenta Simmons from the ORYGEN Research Centre and the University of Melbourne, who has been awarded an Ian Scott PhD scholarship ($26,000 p.a for three years) to develop and evaluate a Shared Decision-Making (SDM) tool for doctors to use when prescribing treatments for young people with depression. “Shared Decision-Making is about engaging patients in treatment decisions, it is currently used with breast cancer and arthritis,” said Magenta. “There is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of antidepressant medication for adolescents. “It’s a murky area, and this is because there is not a clear understanding about what is the standard best care,” said Magenta. According to Professor Anthony Jorm, one of Magenta’s supervisors, a recent Cochrane review does not support the use AUSTRALIAN ROTARY HEALTH RESEARCH FUND of antidepressants as a first-line treatment in this age group; however GPs continue to prescribe them widely. “Some people think that if you tell patients about the risks and benefits you’ll scare them off treatment – but studies have found this not to be the case – people feel more positive if informed and more likely to adhere to treatment whether that be engage in therapy, take their meds, or both,” said Magenta. ■ Indigenous Scholar Update – David Copley David Copley was featured in the 2007 May issue of RDU. The 55-year-old father of two benefited from a $5000 ARHRF Indigenous Health Scholarship which helped him complete a Nursing degree at Flinders University last year. His final marks are a credit to his hard work and dedication with a high proportion of Distinctions and High Distinctions. David was only the third Indigenous man to graduate with a Bachelor of Nursing from any university in South Australia and he is now the first Indigenous male to undertake a post graduate qualification in Mental Health in SA. He has recently been appointed Aboriginal Mental Health Shared Care Clinician and is also doing some teaching at Flinders University in Aboriginal Health. “I’m very grateful to Rotary for the scholarships, and also to my employer, the Southern Division of General Practice as without their support my Post Grad Year and current work with Aboriginal clients would not be possible,” said David. ■ WA KidsMatter Coordinator – Cate Engelbrecht KidsMatter is designed to help schools better coordinate mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention. This is an area which teachers and schools find difficult and are often unsure if they are working in the most strategic and effective way. “Part of my role is facilitating links between schools and local agencies to help them access good services and information for their school community,” said Cate Engelbrecht, a former school psychologist who is the KidsMatter Project Officer for WA. One school in Esperance held a sports carnival recently where several agencies including WA Police, Foster Carers WA, Department for Communities & Centacare came along and set up stalls with give-aways. “Some parents took home DVDs on separation and divorce and some kids took brochures on ‘Anger management’ and ‘Living with Parents’. “Building relationships between schools and agencies reduces the stigma associated with families getting help . . . it makes it a lot easier for parents to get advice on parenting and also gives support to teachers in their work with students and families,” said Cate For more information on KidsMatter check out http://www.apapdc.edu.au/ kidsmatter/ ■ Ambassador – Dick White Dick White is one of 17 Ambassadors who are charged with the mission of representing and promoting Australian Rotary Health. In April he was awarded District 9690’s “Service Above Self ” Award and he is both a Life Member and Companion of the Fund. He has served as a Director of the Board, Regional Coordinator and was committee Chairman of the extremely successful Rotary Health Safari which involved a Winnebago travelling around Australia promoting mental health awareness. Dick is currently heading up the Great Australian Bike Ride committee. ■ Rotary Down Under, May 2008–––31
Page 1: Check us out: www.rotarydownunder.c
Page 4 and 5: Staff & Contacts Managing Editor: B
Page 6 and 7: The Rotary Foundation ��
Page 8 and 9: NEWS N BULLETIN World Water Day cam
Page 10 and 11: NEWS N BULLETIN Parkes Rotaractors
Page 12 and 13: MAILBOX MAIL It’s fellowship, not
Page 14 and 15: Cover Story ARHRF’s new companion
Page 16 and 17: KIDS TEE SHIRTS for the Grandchildr
Page 18 and 19: Rotary looks ahead Leadership devel
Page 20 and 21: Before ROMAC After ROMAC ROMAC Rota
Page 22 and 23: Public Relations Take it as `GRANTE
Page 24 and 25: Protecting the Environment Stewart
Page 26 and 27: Zones 7A & 8 Institute Christchurch
Page 28 and 29: AUSTRALIAN ROTARY HEALTH RESEARCH F
Page 32 and 33: Rotary Club of Campbelltown NSW FIF
Page 34 and 35: NEW SOUTH WALES FORSTER/TUNCURRY Lu
Page 36 and 37: 36---Rotary Down Under, May 2008 TH
Page 38 and 39: Notices Two great men of Rotary PDG
Page 40 and 41: DIRECTORY • To advertise call Sam

May 2008 RDU online (pdf) - Rotary Down Under

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