24/07/2026
The last segment of my short talk at the Uni Melbourne - Medical Doctor’s Student Conference from June 23.
Honoured to be asked to appear part of the affirmative camp of the debate ‘Should Australian Medicine Integrate T&CM? (Traditional and Complementary Medicine)’ alongside esteemed Professors Zhen Zheng – [Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor heading the PANDA Project now using acupuncture in the Emergency Department] and Professor Ian Brighthope – [global pioneer of nutritional medicine - launched Nutrition Care over 40 years ago].
This precise subject is one I have explored exhaustively through several circumstances during my lifetime
Breakdown 2021-2022
This trauma is difficult to clearly define. When does one ‘break down’?
And when does one complete the process? I feel this latter journey is one in which I am yet in progress.
What is certain is the marginalisation experienced for taking my past brush with late-stage cancer and subsequent investigations of health into serious consideration in refusing to be ‘voluntarily’ inoculated against the Covid infection, destroyed my career in the national disability arts and advocacy sectors dedicatedly built over the decades before Lockdowns.
The disability sector took the dire warnings of Covid times seriously.
It is understandable. If there is one group that inherently understands the challenges of being seen as of little value, even expendable, it is the disabled. Also, a group requiring safety in their surroundings and hygiene in practices, being told over and over again there was a toxic bug going around set alarm bells screaming.
Quite simply, my being seen as a danger for not being vaccinated caused ruin; in that sector anyway!
The destruction of my career and, as a result, my professional Self in the disability sector, is something that no longer keeps me awake at night. Those times are past, thankfully.