Highlighting the importance of lived experience First-hand experience at a young age taught Dr Jo River
the wisdom that comes from their lived experience,” they said. “However, it was these capacities and strengths that have supported my brother to live a meaningful life. “My relationship with him inspired me to consider and connect with people’s lived experiences. To think about how we build research knowledge that draws on the expertise of consumers and carers, as well as the expertise of clinicians and academics. “I really want to support clinicians and researchers to be able to recognise the value of people’s lives and experiences and how these can contribute to the development of research- informed services that help our most marginalised communities.” In 2021 Jo was awarded the Distilling Research Impact Award at Sydney’s University of Technology for participatory research initiating and supporting various co-designed research projects to improve health and wellbeing for consumers. “There are many amazing practitioners and researchers around the district who are trying to make positive reading time over the two week read-a-thon, finishing in second place out of 55 Australian and international hospitals. RNSH NICU Discharge Coordinator Carmel Pearsall has been organising the event
changes through their work,” Jo said. “I have been warmly welcome from the district Executive, the MHDA team and everyone I have met so far. “It’s a privilege to be here.” Jo welcomes links with researchers keen to work in collaboration with people with lived experience using co-design and co-production research approaches. Jo can be emailed at Jo.River@uts. edu.au for further discussion.
how ‘lived experience’ can help drive vital research for marginalised communities – expertise Jo is now keen to share across the district. Jo has joined NSLHD as the Conjoint Associate Professor, Mental Health Drug and Alcohol (MHDA) Nursing, working to make a positive impact on MHDA consumer/ carer well-being and
experience of services. A social scientist with expertise in community development and participatory research in mental health, drug and alcohol and social
determinants of health, Jo has also been internationally recognised for mental health research. Jo said the experience of growing up with a younger brother with an intellectual disability from childhood had motivated them to improve services for people with lived experience. “Seeing his life trajectory made me realise how people and services often see a disability as a deficit, rather than seeing the person and their capacities, strengths and
Dr Jo River
RNSH NICU win in Little Readers Read-a-thon RNSH’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) came second in the most books read category in this year’s Little Readers Read-a-thon.
at the NICU for the last four years and said year was an excellent result. “I am so proud of all our parents in the NICU for getting involved,” she said. “We won 40 new books, which have been added to our NICU library so more parents can get involved in reading to their baby. “Reading to your baby in the NICU provides bonding time, reduces some of the stress associated with being in the NICU and supports your baby’s brain development.” Life’s Little Treasures Foundation run the read-a- thon over a two week period in September every year.
Parents at RNSH NICU read 188 books and documented more than 1800 minutes of
Carmel Pearsall at the NICU’s book
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 22| 18 NOVEMBER 2022
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