Excellence Award Winner — Barbara Dhamany

Sandy Oldroyd, President 2006-07 Rotary Club Darwin Sunrise, Barbara Dhamany winner of the Excellence Award and the Remote Category and Peter Pangquee, Principal Aboriginal Health Worker, DHCS

Remote Category Winner — Barbara Dhamany

Barbara is a Yolngu woman who has dedicated her life to helping her people at Milingimbi Community in the East Arnhem. She has contributed to the wellbeing of her community through her dedicated service as a health worker for over 34 years. Barbara began her work in 1972 as a cleaner for the ‘hospital’ as it was known in those days.

Barbara has worked from 1976 to the present as a health worker. In 1974, after Cyclone Tracy, the ‘old hospital’ came under the management of DHCS and was slightly refurbished to become the Milingimbi Health Clinic. Barbara continued to work in the health clinic and much of her time was spent visiting people in their homes and providing care, education and support to people. She has fond memories of this time as she loves seeing people at home and feels this is the best way to work, communicate and help Yolgnu people understand the importance of health practices that can prevent illnesses.

Barbara has seen much change in staff and health practice and service delivery over the past 34 years at Milingimbi. She has a wealth of knowledge of Yolngu health ways and respects and appreciates how they can complement Western health practices to improve health.

Barbara is highly respected by her Community and is often called upon day and night to assist with health needs and family concerns. DHCS nurses and doctors who work here have found Barbara invaluable in assisting them with language barriers, amazed at her ability to sort out health issues with Yolgnu people and her friendly and humorous approach to situations.

Barbara has worked above and beyond the call of duty and is coming close to retirement. She will be greatly missed when that day comes.

Highly Commended — Charles Gunabarra

Charles Gunabarra, Highly Commended Remote Category and Peter Pangquee, Principal Aboriginal Health Worker, DHCS

Charles – or Charlie as his work colleagues know him best – began work with the Northern Territory Health Department in late 1977 as a Trainee Aboriginal Health Worker at Maningrida and today operates as a Grade 4 Senior Aboriginal Health Worker. Charlie speaks Jinang and English and can understand and also communicate in seven other languages.

To the Maningrida community and Outstations, Charlie has provided acute care services, primary health care services, men’s health services and Outstation “Medicine Run”. He is known and highly regarded for his work with leprosy patients; petrol sniffing and improving shelter requirements in Maningrida for Outstation people.

Charlie says his hope is that his input both at work and at home will pave the way for a brighter future for not only his own expanding family but for all people.

Urban Category Winner — Linda Bunn

:Linda Bunn, winner of the Urban Category and Sandy Oldroyd, President 2006-07 Rotary Club Darwin Sunrise

Linda is currently a senior AHW and one of two current managers with the clinic at Danila Dilba Health Service. Linda describes herself as an “old school” Aboriginal Health Worker. She’s also an army reservist. She began her career on Croker Island (Minjilang), before moving to work at the Oenpelli Health Centre. There she visited remote communities and the existing indigenous members of the Wauk (Murganella) community and Coburg Peninsular.

And she says, here she is 28 years later still in health and 15 years of that at Danila Dilba Health Service. She says she’s a survivor of this industry hopes to be around for many years to come.

Highly Commended — Jo Ahpoo

Jo Ahpoo, Highly Commended Urban Category and Sandy Oldroyd, President 2006-07 Rotary Club Darwin Sunrise

Jo has been an Aboriginal Health Worker for 10 years. She is currently the Clinic Manager for Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, an Aboriginal Medical Service in Alice Springs run by Aboriginals for Aboriginals since 1973. She is responsible for the supervision of staff employed as Aboriginal Health Workers, Registered Nurses, Medical Reception Co-ordinator, Transport Drivers and Pharmacy staff. My presentation will be an overview of the Congress clinic and the programs it drives. Jo says she’s proud to be a part of an organisation that, among so many other things, provides strong advocacy for the health of Aboriginal people.

Highly Commended — Beverley Derschow

Beverley Derschow, Highly Commended Urban Category and Sandy Oldroyd, President 2006-07 Rotary Club Darwin Sunrise

Beverley has been employed by the Department of Health and Community Services as an Aboriginal Health Worker in the specialised area of palliative care for the last 8 years. She says it’s an honour to accompany Aboriginal clients and their family on this important part of their spiritual journey, whether at home in their remote community, urban area or hospital. As a member of an interdisciplinary team of Health Professionals she helps provide positive outcomes for Aboriginal clients and their loved ones with individual cultural and spiritual needs being met based on their personal values and beliefs.

Specialised Winner — Joseph Daby

Joseph Daby, winner of the Specialised Category and Dr Chris Burn, Minister for Health

Joseph first started at East Arm Leprosy Hospital, assisting in microsurgery on Hanson disease patients. He later moved to the Royal Darwin Hospital where helped with microsurgery operations both there and at the Katherine Hospital. However, Joseph’s says his main focus is hearing and ear health, an involvement that began when his son Christopher was diagnosed with meningitis and lost his hearing at eight months old. Christopher is now 29.

An amazing career has also seen Joseph work on the eye health program, where he met a certain Dr Fred Hollows and he says he’s never forgotten what Fred taught him as he visited communities taking photos of retinas and using the fundus camera. Eventually, Joseph says he made his way into the ear health, travelling to communities doing ear health training. He now works with Dr Barbara Patterson in the Department’s Maternal, Child and Youth Health, Health Development and Oral Health area. He’s part of a team that travels to communities for Healthy School Age Children program and is also doing Trachoma & Ear screening and Men’s Health.

Highly Commended — Julie Wright

Julie Wright, Highly Commended Specialised Category and Dr Chris Burn, Minister for Health

Julie started her career with the Department of Health & Community Services way back in 1977 as a hospital assistant working with remote women and children at the old Child Health Unit in Alice Springs.

She became a registered Aboriginal Health Worker in 1994, and says over the years she’s worked in many health programs for the Department such as Aboriginal Community Welfare Worker, Aboriginal Health Promotion Officer, Aboriginal health Worker Trainer, ALWA program Community Development Officer including working in the Alice Springs Hospital.

Currently she says she’s enjoying working with Preventable Chronic Disease Program in Alice Springs as the AHW Women’s Health Educator in Central Australia, working with women and girls in remote communities and providing women’s health screening service and education.

She’s also the Department’s representative for ATSI Women’s Forum advisory committee to the National Cervical Screening Program.