Your cart is empty
The Champion Community: Issue 58
This issue:
- How counselling can help to enhance quality of life
- Hepatitis NSW at Yabun Festival
- Rob Wisniewski to leave Hepatitis NSW
- Help raise awareness around hepatitis – street by street
Also:
How counselling can help improve the quality of life
Illness often affects all aspects of a person’s life: physical body, abilities, relationships, work, behaviour, moods and attitudes, emotional and spiritual. Each person has different ability to adapt and cope, but one thing is certain: illness has an impact on life. Accessing informed psychological counselling is one way to improve their ability to cope with those challenges.
Receiving psychological counselling/emotional support is often not a priority for many people. While GPs can advise a patient to go see a registered psychologist with the support of a Medicare approved Health Care Plan, this often does not happen.
Other issues can emerge when someone tries to to see a mental health professional to help with the challenges related to a specific illness:
- the psychologist may be uninformed of various challenges around dealing with the illness;
- psychologists of a younger age may not feel comfortable, or be unable, to relate and engage;
- the social stigma some people feel about seeing a mental health professional;
- many clients do not like feeling they “have failed in life” nor that they “need to follow expert advice”.
There has been progress in recognising the importance of emotional and psychological health. People and their families/loved ones should be encouraged to learn more about their health condition and to access informed support. Many who receive informed psychological counselling can improve their quality of life, and their ability to cope with health issues and other challenges.
There are many different forms of counselling that can be effective in dealing with illness. Every person is unique – no approach is universal, but the most important aspect of receiving counselling support is to have a regular access to a supportive space and a caring, well-informed and skilled practitioner.
For more about Let’s Talk (Hepatitis NSW’s Counselling Service) >>>CLICK HERE
Hepatitis NSW at Yabun Festival
Hepatitis NSW attended Yabun Festival on Friday 26 January at Victoria Park. Kerrie, Maria and Brianna staffed a stall in a co-operative area along with KRC, Wayside Chappell, Play Safe and NUAA.
We reached a good number of people, delivering significant education services, and gave out 170 show bags (packed with resources and goodies), plus hundreds of other smaller resources. We also had over 50 people complete a hep B or hep C quiz, and the opportunity to discuss and inform them within the quiz process.
All up, a very successful day!
Rob Wisniewski to leave Hepatitis NSW
Hepatitis NSW Deputy Chief Executive Rob Wisniewski is to leave Hepatitis NSW at the end of February to take up a new position in a NSW Government health service – in South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.
“Rob has provided a solid foundation of support and leadership with Hepatitis NSW for the past three years, and he will be greatly missed,” said HNSW CEO, Stuart Loveday.
“While it’s sad news for us at Hepatitis NSW to lose Rob from the pivotal DCE position where he has done such great work, it’s fantastic that Rob is staying on in the blood borne virus and STIs sector and moving to South Eastern Sydney Local Health District to take up the role of HARP (HIV and Related Programs) Manager.
“SESLHD plays such an important role in the viral hepatitis and HIV responses in NSW, and with our close relationship with SESLHD, we will continue to work closely with Rob,” Stuart added.
Rob wasn’t a stranger to Hepatitis NSW when he took up the DCE reins in February 2015. Rob first joined Hepatitis NSW as our Programs Manager in June 2012 and worked for nearly two years before taking a break to manage key projects at Cancer Council NSW. In his more senior role when he returned as Deputy Chief Executive, Rob did a fantastic job managing the service delivery and office management aspects of our work. Rob contributed greatly to our client services, people management, strategic planning and high level reporting to our funders and the community.
We thank you very much and send you our hearty congratulations, Rob, and look forward very much to working with you closely in your new role. You go with our best wishes.
Help raise awareness around hepatitis – street by street
Lots of people with hep B or hep C remain undiagnosed (37% and 19% respectively).
Seventy six percent of people with hep C seem to be either unaware of current cures or are holding back.
There is a clear need to raise awareness around viral hepatitis within the community.
Can you do letterbox drops in your street?
Hepatitis NSW can send you free supplies of promotional resources. Just walk up and down your street and put one in each letterbox.
For more info please contact:
Paul
phone: 0412 885 201
email: [email protected]
