3 December 2022

Jodie joined Austin Health 18 years ago. For the past 16 years she has been working with patients at Royal Talbot’s Acquired Brain Injury Unit and the Health Independence Program community rehabilitation service. “I work in a very supportive, collegial environment within the psychology and multi-disciplinary teams. The work we do is person centred which I really appreciate and find very rewarding,” she says.

Jodie sustained a spinal cord injury some 30 years ago in a fall, which resulted in incomplete paraplegia, and now uses crutches to assist her with walking.

“In my experience negative attitudes towards disability and the physical environment can be some of the biggest challenges. Feeling safe and accepted in your workplace is so important and I feel very lucky to have such supportive colleagues. It’s been fantastic to see issues of diversity, inclusion and equality being discussed more openly across the organisation,” she says.

International Day of People with a Disability is recognised each year on 3 December and celebrates individuals of all abilities and challenges societal perceptions around disability with the aim of increasing public awareness and understanding.

“When I think about this day, it is about recognising the achievements and diversity of people with a disability. It also allows us to reflect on what needs to be done to increase acceptance, understanding and equality for people of all abilities.

“Individuals living with a disability can contribute greatly to healthcare as they can bring a unique perspective to the workplace based on resilience, tolerance and empathy. It’s physical environments, stereotypes and negative attitudes that create disability, and, by removing these factors we can focus on, celebrate, and acknowledge the unique abilities of all individuals”.