June 2012 issue 2

Upcoming Events    

ISSUE

02

Breakaway's Bolt June 30th Website launch http://uths.com.au Day Centre Construction STI Screening

JUNE 2012

This issue CEO welcome P.1 Staff Profile / Bravery Award P.2

Issue 02

JUNE 2012

We visited the Ceduna Aboriginal Arts & Culture Centre. This was a great experience for both staff and clients to

be able to see what positive outcomes Aboriginal people in Ceduna are getting from this project. The centre provides new skills workshop, training and our group had the opportunity of watching a group training session for artists. The centre also provides a source of income for artists and a level of economic independence.

Scotdesco (Tjilkaba Community) which is situated about 100 km west of Ceduna near the Great Australian Bight had also a lot to offer. At Scotdesco we were met by Charmaine and her team who was very welcoming, some of our clients met with family, cousins that they had not seen in years, it was a great opportunity to reconnect and renew ties with family. Everyone loved the great big wombat that sits right in front of the buildings. We also visited their local Art Gallery were we saw the exquisite art and ceramics produced by local artists which was just fantastic.

We were guided to go and see the Scotdesco water supply, which is a small

COBRA Continued P.4 COBRA Continued P.5

Desert to Sea Kunga’s Camp 2012

On Monday 21st May 2012, 4 staff, 16 clients and 5 children from UTHSAC and Oodnadatta set off to Ceduna for 6 days on a women’s camp.

The aim of the camp was to bring women from UTHSAC Drug and Alcohol Services, Oodnadatta Substance Misuse and Bringing Them Home Programs together and focus on connecting with the land and sea, fishing, observing other substance misuse initiatives whilst being taught harm minimisation and abstinence alternatives to alcohol abuse. The camp was also focusing on renewing family connections, cultural awareness, support and positive preventative strategies.

The group did a lot of fishing at Denial Bay which were very excited and this trip brought a lot of memories to some of the clients who grew up in Ceduna but had not had a chance to visit. The group enjoyed bush tucker by Leonard Miller who provided a taste of wombat.

COBRA P.3

Visiting Specialists This Month:

Environmental Health P.6 DOCTORS:

CQI Conference/ Ear HealthP.7

4th – 8th - Dr Carlier 12th – 15th - Dr Martin 18th – 21st - Dr McDonald 25th – 29th - Dr Carlier

Upcoming Events/ Kunga’s CampP.8

SPECIALISTS:

desalination plant trailing a unique water harvesting project which can collect up to 1.5 million litres of water for the community. We visited the Scotdesco Espresso where we all warmed ourselves to a cuppa and scones a BIG THANKS to Scotdesco staff as this was well needed because of the cold weather and rain.

We proceeded to visit the Scotdesco On our way from Scotdesco we decided to pass through Koonibba Mission as some of our clients had lived there when they were younger. Everyone was amazed to see their lovely houses and living conditions. Thursday 24th May, It was fishing time again at 7.00pm all serious fishermen went to the town jetty to try their luck and those who were too cold to go out stayed at the camp. Again no one caught fish!! Maybe next time.

On closing, the trip was fully adventurous to those new to Ceduna and always an attraction to the ladies who travel there on a number of occasions. And a big thank you to the drivers, who did a wonderful job arriving to Ceduna and home again safely with the ladies. Well done Dannielle Harrison, Donna Bailes, Darlene Lennon and Julia Lennon.

25th - Endocrinologist 27th – 29th - Podiatrist 28th - Dietician 29th – Physiotherapist

Welcome back to the second edition of

you all enjoy this edition and please pass the word to check out COBRA ride on you tube and on SBS website.

Umoona Tjutagku Wangka. Firstly I would like to welcome new staff to the organisation and they are Dannielle Harrison, Dylan Dodd, Dilshan Perera and Jordan Bird. Dannielle is employed as the ATSI outreach worker. Dylan has been employed as the Healthy for Life male health worker. Jordan has taken up the IRSD traineeship.

U mo o n a T j u t a g ku H e a l t h S e rvi ce A b o ri g i n a l C o rp o ra t i o n ICN 7460 Lot 8 Umoona Road Po Box 166 Coober Pedy SA 5723 Ph.: 08 8672 5255 Fax:08 8672 3349 www.uths.com.au

Dilshan Perera is acting in the Position as Business Services

Upcoming events to look out for is the launch of the organisations

Manager and is doing such a great job. So a warm welcome to these new

website and the start of the building construction of the Day Centre.

employees and we look forward to working with you. This month has been exciting with so many exciting

Enjoy!

things happening, including the COBRA ride from Coober Pedy to Oodnadatta. So I hope

Chief Executive Officer

Meet the ATSI Outreach Worker health care system.

regular Health Checks,

As the Outreach Worker I am

Specialists appointments

required to be active out in the

and getting them

community liaising and

comfortable in expressing

advocating for our clients. The

any health concerns that

Hello my name is Dannielle

most important part of my job

they may have.

Harrison, I am employed as the

role is to ensure that the ATSI

I am fairly new to my

UTHSAC Aboriginal and

people of our community are

position and the Coober

Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)

getting the health care

Pedy Community, there

Outreach Worker, focussing

treatment that they need. Often

fore it is very important

specifically on our clients with

I am used as an interpreter for

that I continue to actively

any chronic diseases.

‘Medical Jargon’ from the

outreach in our community

My position requires me to

medical professionals so that

to familiarise myself with

work closely with the ATSI

my clients can fully understand

the clients so clients can

clients’ who visit our service, I

the importance of what the

know, trust and feel

encourage them to utilise other

Doctors and specialists have

comfortable with me.

services in the community

said. Helping the clients

I look forward to building

which in time will actively

understand is a big help in

good relationships with all

assist in closing the gap in the

getting them to come back for

my clients.

UTHSAC Worker receives Appreciation Award.

At a Special Ceremony Bobby Warren, Oodnadatta

the local constable was in danger from offenders.

Substance Misuse worker was honoured with a certificate of

Bobby seeing the disturbance drove to the place of

Appreciation on Wednesday 13th June 2012 at Oodnadatta Police Station.

altercation, communicated with the group of people for 20 minutes and prevented the

Superintendent Peter Anderson, Far North Police,

escalation of what had become a violent disturbance.

Port Augusta travelled to Oodnadatta to present the

The Award stated that this traumatic event happened in a

award earned after Bobby and Senior Constable Patrick Larkins protected and de-

very remote and isolated region of SA and Bobby’s assistance was very much appreciated by

escalated an altercation where

the SA police officer at that

time.

Well Done Bobby!

THE LOWITJA INSTITUTE NATIONAL CONFERENCE on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care. ALICE SPRINGS 14-15 MAY 2012 Richelle Borrett and Ann-Marie Power attended as part of their professional development (CQI & Accreditation portfolio).

The Lowitja Institute is Australia's National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) Health Research and the only research organisation in Australia with a sole focus on the health and wellbeing of A&TSI peoples. Over 200 participants attended this inaugural conference held at the Alice Springs Conference Centre that saw the bringing together of service providers (community based and community controlled), government agencies, researchers, industry and policy development departments presenting their work and research on A&TSI primary

health care.

Both days began with keynote speakers followed by a variety of concurrent sessions (presentations or workshops).

There were opportunities to share information and stories, tools and expertise on CQI and to identify gaps and CQI initiatives. Key messages from Day 1 were that number counting was not enough and that programs needed evaluation, CQI was about taking control and that CQI could be a driver of public policy. The Day 1 evening program included the launch of the One21seventy Quality Improvement Tools in Health Promotion, the poster

presentation awards and entertainment by Drum Atweme, a drumming group of Aboriginal girls from the Town Camps of Alice Springs followed by the conference dinner. Day 2 sessions continued to build on the key messages and included interactive workshops on 'Evaluating the health of your health centre: CQI using the One21seventy Systems Assessment Tool' and 'Using a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle for quality improvement'.

Following on from the conference the Lowitja Institute hope to develop a CQI network.

To Ear or not to Ear, That is the question~ Otitis media (middle ear infection) is a major problem especially among Aboriginal children. This can lead to subsequent hearing problems which is a major health and development concern in children. Higher incidence of Otitis media is noted among communities with over –crowding problems, poor hygiene & other environmental health issues including remoteness of area. Our community is no different to other remote Aboriginal communities.

Recently May 8th & 9th we managed to get some assistance from Country Health SA in getting an Ear Nose Throat specialist (ENT Dr. Ron Baker) & audiologist (Dr. Judith Boswell) under the Ear Health

Program to come & provide a clinic here at Umoona Tjutagku Health Service.

Many of our clients who needed to be seen by the specialist (both children & adults) were seen for those days saving them having to go to Adelaide or Port Augusta.

Both specialist were kept busy even till 8 pm on the 8th until it was time

for them to fly off the following day. We’re crossing all our fingers & toes hoping that further negotiations will be as successful as what we have just had.

The latest Goss on Environmental Health !!

We have been promoting around town the information

about 30 dogs belonging to our people.

have also provided some green bins to client’s homes.

regarding the new law that will be taking place on July

We have also been organising the giving away

Looking ahead we are also

1st.

“Every household will only be allowed to keep 2

some of the household hardware together with some educational posters as

to households to help them

registered dogs” Every one of our owners

reference for some of the families needing that extra

are being consulted to determine which dogs they

assistance in keeping their homes tidy .

would like to keep & which ones that they would like to put to sleep.

General outdoor clean-up of some of our client’s yards have also started

We have contacted the Roving Vet from Port

with CDEP providing the physical component to the

Augusta and we are negotiating to get a quote for the de-sexing and full

project. We are continuing to work on this project.

With this momentum people

treatment & registration of

are also now keen to keep their yards & houses clean.

Within this program we

looking to provide some rake keep their yards clean & tidy.

COBRA Ride May31st- June 2nd 2012 After countless planning meetings to cover logistics such as finance, food, camp, cooking, toilets, safety, media, bikes and repairs, transport, medical, programme and back up personnel we were ready to embark on the journey. 12 brand new Apollo Summit’s and 3 new Apollo Evolution 26inch but a variety of frame sizes meant most riders had a first class bike to ride across 200km of tough corrugations. The Oodnadatta Races had just been run and the road was bad. Maybe I could ask Lyn to get the Minister of Transport to turn it into a billiard table like surface. Too late and a hint of rain coming. All we want is a Southerly breeze.

A bonding night was held the night before the ride with the Oodnadatta fellas meeting the leadership of UTHSAC and other helpers including David Laslett’( photographer and Video producer), Karen Ashford( SBS Reporter, who was coming on the first day of the journey and recording 9 hours and editing for a national and later International News Clip); Dr Stewart Clement ( Doctor of Sports Science) who would later speak at a World Conference on this concept, Russell Coulthard ( Dept. of Sport and Recreation) who was seeking to gather knowledge for another ride later in the year called the Tour Da Nunga( in the Flinders Ranges), Richard Laslett( bus driver), Paul Elliott( AHCSA who would tow a portable toilet, and

and on into the future.

had brought generator, lap top, and data projector for Drug and Alcohol sessions), Greg Clemow( Uniting Care who would tow the Junior Footy Clubs amazing Camper Trailer), and Cynthia and Adelo Avila who had stepped in at the last moment to fill the gap of nurse, cook and back up.

George Laslett, Programme Manager, UTHSAC Drug and Alcohol led an activity where back up team introduced themselves to the riders.

The adult riders included Patrick Larkins( SAPOL), Chris Warrior ( SAPOL), Ben Foley( Families SA), George Laslett, Dilshan Perera ( UTHSAC), Michael Leedle ( Families SA), Craig Curry, Russell Coulthard( Dept. of Sport and Recreation), Andrew Dingaman ( AFSS), Stephen Power, Anthony Smith ( Dunjiba Community Council), Geoffrey Mack ( Oodnadatta) and Kyle Larkins.

There were 9 young riders ranging in age from 12 to 19 years. Josh, AJ, Patrick, Elijah, Frankie, Kimboy, Jamail, Anthony, and Kyle.

The Day of the ride. 31st May 2012.

Lions put on a barbecue and between live crosses to ABC News, meet the sponsors, find a porta-loo, get everyone into formation and smile for the cameras COBRA was there soaking in the admiration of the townsfolk. ‘ Will we get to the Dog Fence’ I wondered; ‘the longest we’ve ridden is 25km together and we are expecting 2 days of 74 km and one of 52km across corrugations’. Patrick encouraged’ we’ll just pace ourselves’; Chris added ‘we’ll ride at

the pace of the slowest rider’. I suddenly felt safe to be amongst such calm heads. And so with the cheers of onlookers COBRA headed out from the Coober Pedy Oval. 18 riders bedecked in matching sponsor covered white T - Shirts, followed by a towed toilet, camper trailer, nurse and driver, spare bikes, photographers and the bus with more bikes bringing up the rear.

What a spectacle , like a slithering white serpent, winding its way across hard bitumen, soon to be replaced by its native munda ( dirt). Well wishers tooted their horns at Caltex but the town centre was disappointingly quiet. I felt like halting the riders and blocking the main roundabout and stating “Here we are” but my colleagues, for good reason, said “Let’s push on”. Down the main street, past Drug and Alcohol and

IGA and off into Seventeen Mile Road (a road that led many opal miners out to fortunes; would it do so for us??). I’m on my mobile phone still making last minute arrangements but put it away just in time not to be filmed on SBS. The ride straggles out along the bitumen part of Kempe Road to the Rubbish dump where Patrick Larkins, now COBRA leader addresses the ride. Last minute lessons on gears; admonitions to hydrate; group photographs; a motivational gee up by CEO, Priscilla Larkins and the adrenaline is there for something momentous. It is easy to see there are the ‘guns ‘who will eat this and the steady riders who will bring up the rear, but Chris’s ‘at the rate of the slowest’ are settled in my heart and tempo.

About 20 kilometres from the first camp COBRA stopped for a break and it was amazing that the first item looked for was a footy.

There on the soft dirt amongst the stones the young men shot out bullet like stab passes. I was standing up ok but my legs were like jelly when trying to connect with a footy. Refreshed we got on the bikes and hit that last remaining distance to Algebullculllia Creek where we set up camp next to a waterhole and got the billy going. One comical moment was when Patrick and Chris convinced Karen Ashford that they would demonstrate lighting a fire traditionally. She prepared her

cameras for this scoop. Carefully she zoomed in on the waiting leaves while someone flicked Chris a cigarette lighter. We collapsed in laughter. After 74 kilometres the riders were tired but happy. My favourite moment was driving in to Mt Barry with 5 Aboriginal young men for hot showers and sharing stories, seeing a pack of 3 dingoes and forging great friendships. Tony Williams, Mt Barry Station, true to his word had provided us all with 2 T Bone steaks each. Karen left to return to Coober Pedy to edit the 8hours filming for 3.5minutes on Saturday night and Dr Clements headed back after being an amazing help. During the evening some of the young men received informal drug and alcohol minimisation information but generally great relationships were developed.

Next day after bacon and eggs we headed out in misty conditions to push onto Mt Barry Station where station owner Jackie Williams was waiting with drinks and chocolate cake. These station folk have great hearts and know how to cook. The track now was getting worse with endless corrugations. Russell stated ‘at least with bikes you can go to the side of the road and often go around the ruts’ and riding often was a focus on finding that track through or around the corrugations.

Mining convoys proved hazardous as often they travelled in each other’s dust making it difficult to see anyone else in the blurred conditions. Later on the second day against a brewing dark sky and an amazing rainbow we were surprised by the

gyrocopter of Lochie Payne , mustering on Mt Barry Station and he dropped down to urge us on with masterful flying. After stopping for drinks Patrick urged us to ride on another 10kilometres to rest at Fish Hole Creek. The guns sped off and after 9 kilometres were getting apprehensive. Where’s the creek.

We got there after 19 kilometres laughing, tired but wondering if the black sky meant a drenching.

Another great stew meal from Cynthia , our cook and a night of sharing around a roaring fire before sleeping under a drizzling sky.

The mist slowly lifted and next morning we pushed on through a headwind, hillier terrain, constant drizzly rain and a slippery track. Determination on the rider’s faces and some resting for the final assault we ground down those last 15 or 20 hills till the road works at Hooky's Hole came into view from the last hill. Those hills were a challenge but some walked, geared down or just got encouragement from our visitors including Lyn Breuer and Priscilla till we got to the billabong. I personally have never been happier to see a Road Sign saying ‘PREPARE TO STOP’. OK. Hugs and congratulations we pushed on after waiting for everyone to regroup and we worked over the workmen for donations for Diabetes SA. Again regrouping at the Oodnadatta Racecourse COBRA

rode slowly, steadily and triumphantly into Oodnadatta to the sound of car horns, claps and cheers.

We made it; a huge goal of 200kilometrs broken down into 3 days of 60 or 70 kilometre and stages of 12-15 kilometres, great support and back up were a picture of how in life the most difficult things or biggest challenges can be overcome in bite size chunks with others helping each other. On my GoPro I felt inspired that this was what Reconciliation Week was really about; 10 adults and 10 young Aboriginal men riding together to achieve shared goals and personal dreams, having fun, celebrating and acknowledging our cultural uniqueness yet riding together and supporting each other through the challenges of the road.

It’s not that complex or difficult.

On the ride there was no fights, no alcohol, no strife; just the unity of reaching that goal together.

And there at the end, as promised was Lyn Breuer with driver Garry; under

inclement skies, she was there to present 30 certificates of achievement to riders and back up crew. In many ways her contribution, drive and advocacy helped secure funding and resources but more than this her commitment to Regional and remote Australia is exemplary and amazing.

Craig Rigney at SA Health, Closing the Gap and Minister John Hill SA Health has provided the needed resources to continue.

Also Priscilla Larkins, CEO, Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation was there, on her birthday to congratulate the riders. It was her courage when funds were faltering to back the COBRA ride. UTHSAC’s commitment to innovative and creative ways to deal with substance abuse, depression, anxiety and primary health issues is awesome.

Thanks to Karen Ashford SBS whose 3.5 minute summary was shown across Australia on SBS News see www.youtube.com/watch% 3Fv%3DSDLZfSrS8FA and also local ABC www.abc.net.au/news/2012-0601/outback-cyclists-dirt-roadsride/4046638?section=sa and a DVD on the way. I heard we even made CNN and spent a sleepless night waiting for David Letterman to call.

Crossing that finish line for many of us gave a sense of

relief, accomplishment and pride; but also some sadness that the adventure was over. An amazing feeling.

Realisation that this showcase event was a precursor for annual COBRA rides, the Breakaway Bolt ,Tour DeNunga and now the emphasis would switch to a weekly, permanent, growing COBRA Bike club in Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta.

We now have the bikes and the mates to ride with.

Umoona Tjutagku Health service would like to make a big THANK YOU to Mark Comas of Ceduna, IGA Tim Carter, FACSIA, Lyn Breuer, Oz Minerals, IMX, Opal Fuels, Coober Pedy Police, Closing the Gap, OATSIH and Change Cycle. Thanks again for your kind donations to make this adventurous trip happen. Thanks again to Patrick Larkins and Chris Warrior for initiating an adventure of a life time, George Laslett for the non stop enthusiasm and Priscilla Larkins CEO of UTHSAC for allowing this initiative to happen. For all those that we haven’t mention THANK YOU! Well done COBRA, UTHSAC, back up, sponsors, Lyn Breuer and SA Health. Let’s ride off together into a better future.