A group of dedicated stakeholders gathered last week for an industry networking evening to celebrate the official launch of the Healthy Rivers to Reef Stewardship Magazine and 2021 Report Card.

The culmination of many projects that have significantly improved the health of our waterways, oceans, and ecosystems, these two informative brochures are packed with real life stories and results from data collected.

The Stewardship Magazine shows how local farmers have managed to reduce their fertiliser input by 30 per cent and up the organic matter in their soil to increase its holding capacity by 170,000 litres.

Other incredible projects include the work of Eco Barge Clean Seas to remove 4.81 tonnes of marine debris which was collected by 438 volunteers.

The $23.5 million Reef Assist program also saw 4,460 trees planted, the installation of 1,200 coral restoration structures across 220 sites and 35 cubic metres of marine debris collected.

Bonny Stutsel, Executive Officer of Healthy Rivers to Reef Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac said she was thrilled to see so many projects all working together to help our local environment and said the ecosystem is currently “stable”.

“These projects have shown how we can all work together by collaborating around issues such as litter, fish monitoring, wetland preservation and improving bio filters to improve water quality,” said Ms Stutsel.

During the networking event which took place at Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant on Friday night, two speakers were welcomed.

Firstly, Jason Sharon, Managing Director of Linked Group Services shared his story of operating a completely ‘off the grid’ fabrication company in Mackay.

He offered the audience ideas on how we can all reduce our carbon footprint through smart practices.

Also speaking at the event was Lisa Hutchinson from Neilly Group Engineering who discussed erosion control and how we can reduce the amount of sediment going into the ocean.

Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership Chair, Julie Boyd, said it was an exciting moment for all the partners who had all contributed to the various projects.

“It shows the partner’s fantastic work, engagement and collaboration to get great outcomes,” she said.

“It’s important to think about where water goes and how it gets out to our beautiful waterways, we all need to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect the environment.

“There are lots of ways the community can get involved through stewardship and volunteering.”
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How can you help?

78% of people in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region say they want to do more to improve waterway health.

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Here is a list of local organisations where you could volunteer:

• Eco Barge Clean Seas

• Mackay and District Turtle Watch Association

• Conservation Volunteers

• Reef Check Australia

• Whitsunday Seagrass Volunteers

• Reef Catchments

Photo credit: Julie Boyd, Rebekah Smith, Michelle Perez, Brie Sherow, Bonny Stutsel and Councillor Jan Clifford. Photo credit: Anthony Nobilia – Airlie Beach Executive Services

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I went to the supermarket today and corn was $1 per cob.  I bought eight of them!

Yes me!  Why…… because I’ve picked all my corn.  I’ve planted my next crop (yes you can plant corn this time of year too) but not in succession – my bad.

If you do not value “organically grown” or knowing where your food comes from, or knowing what it’s been sprayed with nor do you value your input into a healthier environment and sharing your produce with neighbours and friends.

If picking vegies from your garden to prepare your evening meal does not appeal to you nor do you have an appreciation for the growing process – watering each morning to nurture plants and enjoy time out and having a sense of achievement when picking the fruits of your labour, then why bother growing your own when you can buy a corn from the supermarket for $1?

My answer is – Don’t.

Growing your own food is about getting in touch with nature, understanding the importance of every aspect of your environment including the soil you grow in, the sun, the value of water and the benefits to our wildlife and beneficial insects.  

It’s about composting, worms and microorganisms in the earth and getting up each day to nurture your plants and in turn yourself.  It’s more than having food available at your beck-and-call and more than saving money when lettuce prices get to $10 each, but that certainly helps!

So, what can you start growing in your gardens right now in the Whitsundays?

The most prolific months for growing from seed / seedlings here are between April and August but there are still herbs and vegies that you can plant now.

Try Sweet Corn, this grows all year round and it’s an impressive crop to grow, Sweet Potatoes and Ginger are also happy in those 30-degree temperatures.

Basil and Lemon Basil does very well this time of year too.  

I also have lots of Parsley growing at the moment and I still like to plant salad greens, but this time of year they require a bit of care as they don’t like it when the temperature gets over 27 degrees.

With temperatures on the rise as we come into summer, on those beautiful Whitsunday blue sky days, you are going to need to protect your leafy greens.

Shade cloth or “vegetable netting” becomes essential, 25-30% shade is ideal and doubles up as protection from those pesky bugs that love your greens as much as you do.

Remember that your herbs and salad greens will go to seed quickly (known as bolting) in summer months if you don’t give them shade, keep them well watered or forget to liquid feed them.  

Stress signals a plant to go to seed, so take extra care in these coming months with these three very important growing needs.

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RECIPE – GINGER & CARROT DRESSING

I hear a lot of people describe salads as boring!

A great dressing will transform ANY salad, so I’m sharing a dressing I’ve come across that you can use on your kitchen garden pickings.  It’s quick and easy and can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Ingredients

3 Carrots – peeled and chopped into small pieces

30g Fresh ginger – Peel and chop into small pieces

15ml Honey

10ml Soy Sauce

30ml Rice Vinegar

1 Tablespoon White Miso

70ml Olive oil

30ml Lime Juice

50ml water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Simply place all the ingredients in a food processor or use a stick blender and blend until its completely smooth.

Pour over combined – Spinach leaves, sliced avocado and Lebanese cucumber, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, red onions and roasted seeds of your choice.   Or add anything you want!

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A group of enthusiastic accommodation providers are paving the way for others to follow having completed a Stay Ok In The Whitsundays Workshop, where they learnt how to reduce their impact on the environment while likely reducing their own operational costs.

Experts from the fields of sustainability, decarbonisation and disaster preparedness presented at the event and imparted practical knowledge that could assist in their business becoming more resilient.

Attendees learnt how to mitigate and adapt to climate change by adopting best practices.

Participants were treated to the latest energy saving tips for operations and shown how to calculate their carbon emissions through the free carbon footprint tool.

This allowed them to set decarbonisation goals and targets.

The event was part of the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project workshop series, working closely with ecoBiz to enable participating businesses to receive valuable business coaching in sustainability, and support with data collection for input into the carbon calculator.

Councillor Al Grundy and Councillor Jan Clifford attended the event which was facilitated by Climate Change Resilience Officer Lee Hawkins.

Council’s Disaster Management Team, led by Sandra Black, also provided information on disaster management including the steps to take before an incident to ensure effective response and recovery, what to do during and following a disaster, and how to start taking the steps to implement a disaster management plan for their business.

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Top 10 tips for sustainability, decarbonisation, and disaster preparedness:

1. Join the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project for personalised advice on reducing your carbon footprint

2. Calculate your business’ carbon footprint to identify areas for improvement. Access a complementary carbon calculator  when you become a project partner

3. Join the free ecoBiz Program which helps Queensland businesses audit their resource use and reduce costs from waste, water and energy bills

4. Investigate solar or alternative energy suppliers to get the best price

5. Reduce your dependence on the electrical power grid by installing solar and/or a battery system

6. If solar isn’t possible, look at purchasing a Green Power Agreement with Ergon

7. Save energy by adjusting air conditioning settings or switch to a remote business management system

8. Replace lighting and appliances with energy-efficient options

9. Install water efficient devices (taps, toilets, fixtures)

10. Monitor for water leaks

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The Stay Ok In The Whitsundays Workshop was held last month

For Queensland Mental Health Week, Proserpine State High School ran a series of activities for staff and students every day in an inaugural event: ‘Healthy Mind, Body And Soul At Prossie’.

For the week’s culmination, the school hosted a Thursday lunch time barbecue, combining with the official opening of its new quadrangle, and inviting guests from community organisations.

The free, whole school barbecue was flanked by organisations like headspace, Youth Space, Whitsunday Counselling and Support, Lives Lived Well, Airlie Fitness, and more.

It saw the school’s internal groups – Big Games, Anime Group, Drumming, LGBTQIA+, STEM, Indigenous Art Project and more – celebrate the opening of the new space as well as their own individuality.

Proserpine State High School Guidance Officer Karen O’Keefe was the “driving force” behind the weeklong mental health awareness event at the school which included art therapy, mindful craft and meditation, and a talk and walkathon.

“This week has been all about mental health. We’ve run stress ball making, yoga, and it was all in the name of awareness,” Ms O’Keefe said.

“We’ve never done anything like it before and we’re just taken aback by the support from the community that we’ve had.”

The school’s student advisory centre – Ms O’Keefe’s team - plans to run and expand the annual event each year.

“Drawing awareness to mental wellbeing and what we can do to promote positive wellbeing was the major goal of the week,” Ms O’Keefe said.

“What we can do to help ourselves and focusing on that in a positive light.”

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Coinciding with Proserpine State High School’s quadrangle opening, the school culminated its mental health week celebrations, opening the door to local awareness organisations

Kids donned their fun socks to celebrate the final day of their mental health week event

Even the teachers got in on the fun

An impressive $120,375 was raised with donations from local businesses and individuals at the Mackay Hospital Foundation’s Giving Day that was held last Thursday.

In an action-packed day of altruism, the whole of Mackay Base Hospital was involved in various charity events which saw the eventual amount beat last years’ tally by a modest $1000.

The day kicked off with the Corporate Breakfast in the courtyard at the hospital with an opportunity for local businesses to donate.

During the breakfast, the two Giving Day ambassadors attended, sharing their stories of surviving cancer.

Kacey Sanfilippo was diagnosed with high-risk B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia as a 2-year-old and went on to endure two and a half years of cancer treatment.  

Cade Duncan was four when Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia came into his life.

He endured chemotherapy for almost four years.

Kacey and Cade formed a strong friendship during their treatment and it was a happy day when the they returned with their families to support the cause which is close to their hearts.

All proceeds from Giving Day go towards extra comforts for the eight state hospitals in our region.

While the government fund essential equipment, families often need items such as extra chairs, warm blankets, TVs and other articles we often take for granted at home.

As Giving Day progressed, more activities took place to generate money for these experience-changing items.

The Gardian Group took to the phones, using a huge database of numbers to call locals, many of which kindly contributed.

At lunchtime, Mackay Hospital Foundation and volunteers cooked and served a BBQ lunch to staff, collecting donations along the way.

When the event eventually wrapped up at 8pm that evening, there was a tally of $117,158 but by Monday morning, this figure had risen to $120,375.

In addition to the on-the-day donations, the hospital wards had all been working tirelessly in the run-up to the event, receiving sponsorship from friends, families and strangers.

In a friendly rivalry, everyone was eager to see who would raise the most this year - last year it had been a close race between the General Medical and ICU Wards.

This year Ward F2 (Medical Unit) raised the most money and were congratulated by all.

The donations will now be divided into location - whichever region the money came from, that local hospital will receive the equivalent back in invaluable items to improve patient experience.

Special thanks goes to Anglo American, Isaac Regional Council, Mackay Base Hospital Auxiliary, Moranbah Community Workers Club and all the other businesses and individuals that supported the event this year.

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Proserpine State High School students celebrated the official opening of their newly refurbished school quadrangle on Thursday, October 13, with a special commemorative ceremony honouring the remarkable efforts of its Parents and Citizens’ association (P&C).

The approximately $440 thousand dollar upgraded quadrangle, a space between the school’s buildings which creates a courtyard, has been in the works since 2016.

The new design incorporated much of what was the original quadrangle’s vision upon its opening in 1988 by the school’s bicentennial committee and P&C. That original construction period had seen the space transformed from what was once a bitumen basketball court and assembly space into an at the time state-of-the-art quadrangle.

Deputy Principal Don McDermid said the school’s completed 2022 refurbishment has attempted to capture the “original concept and design of that quadrangle” whilst bringing it into the modern era.

The quad was in part fundraised by the exceptional efforts of the P&C association, who raised a staggering $190 thousand towards the project, primarily through their running of the school’s tuckshop.

Although the space was completed in weeks prior, the day acted as an opportunity for the quad to be “utilised to its full potential” by the school community for its inaugural Mental Health Week event.

“It’s great to see this new space being utilised to its full potential,” Mr McDermid said.

“It is a perfect venue and a perfect space now. This work for our new quadrangle started in 2016, and I want to acknowledge Samantha Lang, our P&C President at that time, for her endorsement and commitment for what this wanted to achieve for our school.

“Secondly, I want to thank [current P&C President] Lisa Milne. Her continued support in getting this project to its final stage has been pivotal.”

Mr McDermid said the contribution was “extremely significant” both financially and in terms of dedication.

“This is an incredible space for our students for outdoor learning, school activities and events, and it provides that openness that is sometimes needed within our school,” he said.

“To have this open environment is very important.”

The quadrangle is home to multiple shaded areas, AstroTurf fake grass, newly-planted trees – which Mr McDermid said the school was “excited to see flourish” – and widespread seating.

Proserpine State High School P&C President Lisa Milne said having a space for the kids to hang out and enjoy was the perfect reward.

“That’s why we wanted to do it. It’s fabulous and looks great and seeing the kids utilising and enjoying it is just excellent,” she said.

“It is such a good asset for the school.”

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Proserpine State High School staff, P&C association members, and Whitsunday Regional Council Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson officially opened the school’s new quadrangle

The revamped quadrangle

Spend time with your children

Fortunately, with so much demand on our time, quality is more important than quantity when it comes to spending time with your children. Be present and entirely focused on your child and the activity, set aside time specifically for them and engage with something that is meaningful to you both.

Let them know you are always there

Sometimes children can find it hard to talk to their parents, especially in their teenage years but that doesn’t mean that you should avoid the difficult conversations. Always check-in with them, address issues you see and if they are not ready to talk suggest they speak with another relative they trust and remind them you are available anytime they want to talk.

Take time to explain how you are feeling

Knowing that their parents aren’t perfect is good for children who can then understand that showing weakness and being vulnerable is a natural part of life. Take care of your own emotional health, be a role-model, let them see how you navigate challenging situations. They can watch how you get upset but then pick yourself back up and carry on.

Validate their feelings and show affection

Sometimes you won’t understand the magnitude of your child’s response to a situation, in fact it might seem quite trivial to you but that doesn’t mean it gets brushed off. Listen to their struggles and don’t demean them or offer advice. Simply endeavour to understand, reassure them their feelings are valid and give them a cuddle.

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While adults can find it easy to talk about their emotions, children often feel uncomfortable when asked direct questions, they need to relax and get distracted to start sharing how they feel with others.

There is no-one who understands this more than Deb Farlow from Whitsunday Kids Counselling who finds play based therapy works best for the children she helps each week.

For the past three and a half years, Whitsunday Kids Counselling has been working closely with local kids who are living with a wide range of disabilities that can impact on their capacity to enjoy social interaction.

From Autism to Asperger’s, depression, anxiety, bullying and grief – Deb can help your child process their emotions with regular sessions that become a healing outlet.

As soon as you enter her clinic at 69 Marathon Street, the site of the Old St Catherine’s School, you are welcomed into a calming oasis.

The sounds of water flowing from a nearby water feature, the soothing tunes of meditative music and vibrant wall hangings all add together to create a relaxed atmosphere.

Children are encouraged to try Djembe drumming with an African drum, experience Sandplay with natural or kinetic sand and enjoy arts and crafts for play therapy.

The idea is that when a child is distracted by doing something fun and creative, they will be more inclined to share their feelings and when they are in that headspace, Deb is able to help them best.

In addition to one-on-one counselling sessions, families are also welcome to get advice on topics such as blended families.

Once a week, Deb also holds Wellbeing Workshops - one for boys aged 10-12 and two for girls – one for 8-10 and the second for 10–12-year-olds.

These small group sessions are available to a maximum of six kids and the group forms strong friendships that would otherwise be challenging in larger settings such as schools.

The children enjoy cooking together, beading and drumming – a popular favourite is throwing water balloons throwing your ‘worries’ against a wall and watching them burst into nothing.

Discover how Deb can help your child through play and positivity today.

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Deb Farlow from Whitsunday Kids Counselling helps children through play-based therapy

Although October has been a quieter month for the Whitsundays’ Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR), the rescue operator is still exceeding last year’s record activations by 20 per cent.

Far fewer breakdowns were recorded compared to last October: VMR’s monthly total of five breakdown activations in 2021 has lessened to zero so far, but the slack has been picked up in cases of medivacs.

Compared with last year, VMR has taken to the water three times for medical evacuations, contrasting with last years figures of just once.

From 2019, activations have steadily increased on an annual basis in all facets: breakdowns and medivacs. The local VMR has even been noted as the second busiest coastal rescue service in terms of medivac in the state, only pipped by Brisbane.

Medivacs have become a large part of the volunteer services daily operations.

President of VMR Whitsunday Mal Priday said the ramping up of medivacs was obviously disconcerting, but VMR was “happy to be providing the valuable service for the community.”

“We’re coping, and we now make sure we have a dedicated skipper each night for medivac in the boat designed specifically for medical evacuations,” Mr Priday said.

The operations are performed at the request of the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).

When a triple zero call comes in, the duty QAS supervisor considers all aspects on a case-by-case basis: the seriousness of the injury or illness, whether a medivac is necessary, and whether it is best performed by helicopter or by sea.

Mr Priday said the callouts can “be at any time, day or night,” and that VMR are always accompanied by at least one and sometimes two QAS Paramedics on board when medivacs are deemed necessary.

“We have assisted about 320 people on medivacs so far this year,” Mr Priday said.

Mr Priday and other volunteers believe the increase in activations – which was at its height in September with, on average, an activation per day – is due to education around boat safety, as well as an uptick in boat usage due to the pandemic.

October may be a quieter month, but Mr Priday said the service is still averaging those September numbers of an activation per day.

VMR membership is “a cheap insurance”, costing just $80 and can be joined at https://vmrwhitsundays.com.au/join/

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For Jo-Ann Clout and Jodee White, the Shitbox Rally has become a regular event.

“We thought it’d be a really good thing to get involved in because it raises money for cancer but also you get to say ‘shitbox’ all the time,” laughed Jo-Ann.

“It just entertained me that I could run around saying ‘shitbox’ all the time but for a really good cause.”

Jo-Ann and Jodee are a pair of fun-loving friends who love a laugh, a challenge and an adventure, but the Shitbox Rally is also a cause extremely close to their hearts.

Both of their lives have been rattled by cancer and they’re out to do what they can to help.

Shitbox Shenanigans For Cancer Research

Image: Jo-Ann and Jodee will venture from Mackay to Darwin in their Toyota Camry they’ve named ‘Brictoria’. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

When a friend of Jo-Ann Clout mentioned a change in the freckle on her nose, she thought little of it.

She briefly mentioned it the next time she went to the doctor who also thought little of it but referred her for a biopsy.

The freckle had pre-cancerous cells for a very aggressive cancer and, had Jo-Ann’s friend not spoken up, she could have lost her life.

Since then, too many people in Jo-Ann’s and co-driver Jodee White’s lives have faced the battle.

“Too many are lost, and we all need to do as much as we can to change that,” said Jo-Ann.

Jo-Ann and Jodee are ‘Not Lost, Just Looking’, and they will embark on their third Shitbox Rally tomorrow, Saturday, October 15, when the rally departs Mackay on a seven-day journey to Darwin.

The Shitbox Rally has raised over $31 million for the Cancer Council since its inception in 2009.

“It’s events like this that raise money that goes towards cancer research that really make the difference to people’s lives,” Jo-Ann said.

Mackay locals, Jo-Ann and Jodee became friends through their involvement in the local SES and completed their first rally in 2019, driving across the country in 10 days.

“We lost the starter motor on day three, we had no shockies, no air con, four songs on our playlist – it was an adventure,” Jo-Ann said.

“At the end of ten days, we just said we’re never doing another rally, we’re done.

“Then they announced the Mackay to Darwin route, and we thought it was a sign.”

They’re about to hit the road on their third rally in a Toyota Camry that they’ve painted and named ‘Brictoria’.

“We paid $400 for it, and we’ve had to do a little bit of work to it but it’s running like a treat now,” Jo-Ann said.

The Shitbox Rally is usually made up of 500-600 passionate people and Jo-Ann said she loves the camaraderie of the event.

“Our buddy group on the last rally were amazing,” she said.

“We’d sit down at the end of the day and just chat and share stories.

“They were just such lovely people, from South Australia, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle.

“We all come from different places, but we all have a common goal.

“They call it the rally family, and it really is,”

Not Lost, Just Looking has raised funds with the assistance of not-for-profit service organisation Education Service Association (ESA), other local sponsors and by running paint-and-sip evenings and Jo-Ann has thanked the Mackay community for their support.

“They’ve supported us over three rallies now, just for turning up for our fundraising events … and the interest that we get on our social media,”

To follow Not Lost, Just Looking’s journey or to donate, find their page on Facebook.

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I play social mixed netball for a team called the All Ballerz and, on Monday, we won our first grand final.

Looking back, I think it’s one of the only grand finals I’ve ever won playing sport.

While our celebration was modest, it felt good, a feeling amplified by an extremely fun and fast game of netball played in the right spirit.

I love social sport and when I moved to Mackay, it was one of the first avenues I explored to meet new people.

Now playing netball, tennis and oztag, I can see how many options there are for people interested in keeping fit, making friends and having fun; some more well-known than others.

Make sure to check out page 26 where we chat about one of the more niche sports I’ve ever tried: disc golf.

Like me, a lot of people in Mackay are sport mad.

It’s evident in all sports I’ve participated in since moving here, all sports I’ve covered for the newspaper and all sporting events I’ve attended.

With the AFLW recently coming to town and the WBBL kicking off last night and running over the weekend, Mackay is establishing itself as a destination and a market ready for world-class sport.

Moreover, the talent coming out of Mackay is truly proving itself on the world stage.

On page 11, we chat with Declan Fraser, a young Mackay man who made his Bathurst 1000 debut over the weekend driving alongside icon of the sport Craig Lowndes.

We’ve also recently had Mackay Cutters’ Hooker Kyle Schneider announced in the Scotland Rugby League World Cup squad; you can read that story on page 27.

With the help of some excellent contributors, Mackay Life does its best to cover as much sport as possible but if something is happening that you think we should know about, please get in touch.

To the All Ballerz and everyone out there giving social sport a red hot crack: keep it up.

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Last weekend, two Mackay Multicultural Women’s groups were welcomed to the Swimming Skills for Safety - a safer summer program - for one inspiring morning in the pool.

It was the first ever swimming lesson for some and the ladies were nervous, excited, curious and happy to meet new friends and get started.  

Participants focused on putting their heads in the water, blowing bubbles, floating and feeling the water.

The pilot program was made possible by a collaboration between the Neighbourhood Hub, Paradise Swimming & Fitness and The Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club and with the support of part-funding from Refugee Health Network Queensland.

“We are ambitious to assist our multicultural community gain knowledge and skills in water safety so that they can enjoy a safer summer in our local Mackay water ways,” the Neighbourhood Hub said.  

“From public swimming pools, the Lagoon to the beaches - these women are keen to feel more confident to spend time in these amazing local spaces with their families.

“We are looking forward to checking in with the second group soon and seeing how they all progress and grow in confidence!”

Paradise Swimming & Fitness added that they are proud to be a part of the program.

“(We) are excited to see the progress and confidence these ladies will achieve during this 10-week program.”

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Dr Stephens And Mr Lang: Their Full Story

The traumatised widow of David Lang who passed away from bladder cancer and leukemia in June last year has come forward to raise her concerns about her husband’s diagnosis in February 2019.

Kate Drake alleges that if Dr Daryl Stephens had performed a biopsy on a lesion found in her husband’s bladder, he may still be alive today.

Ms Drake reported that she believes the case was mishandled from the start recounting that Dr Stephens reassured all was fine with her husband’s health.

“He said my husband was fine and we could keep travelling,” said Ms Drake.

“I also double-checked with the Registrar, and she confirmed there was no cancer and that we could continue with our travels.”

In contrast to this account of events, Dr Stephens says that following the initial cystoscopy, the surgical team did want to perform a biopsy but alleges that Mr Lang was very nervous and walked out of the practice before they were able to speak with him.

“Mr Lang was very anxious, and our surgical team told him there was something going on but when I looked at his bladder I could see nothing,” said Dr Stephens.

“There really needed further investigation to be done but before I could talk about a biopsy, he left saying he would be seeing a specialist in Sydney on Thursday.

“He walked out and I never got a chance to talk to him.”

The couple had booked a specialist appointment in Sydney which was due to take place two days later, but Ms Drake said that when they received the all-clear they cancelled.

It was June 2019 before Mr Lang’s symptoms returned and he went to see the specialist in Sydney.

This time he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and went through an intensive course of chemotherapy.

He was then diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia and passed away 16 months ago.

“The Urologist in Sydney said that if we’d got onto this early enough, we could have just gone in and scraped it out,” said Ms Drake.

“We would not have cancelled his specialist appointment if we thought there was a glimmer of a chance that David had cancer.”

Ms Drake said she believes the broader system is failing and she is frustrated that the case has not been thoroughly investigated.

Caption:

1: Kate Drake says the late diagnosis killed her husband David Lang

2: Dr Daryl Stephens says Mr Lang was told additional investigation was required

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The recent stories surrounding Urologist Dr Daryl Stephens who works at the Mackay Base Hospital have shocked many, but surely not as much as the Obstetrics and Gynaecology investigation which saw five staff members suspended, three babies die, 81 cases filed, and 162 patients involved.

The Obstetrics and Gynaecology report, which was released by Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath two weeks ago, identified multiple examples of substandard clinical care and the five clinicians involved in the investigation are no longer employed by Queensland Health.

Meanwhile it is Dr Stephens’ alleged ‘nose blow’ and ‘trouser drop’ incidents that continue to domimate headlines and cast his professional ability into question.

Where have the five suspended staff members in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology report gone, what did they do and why have their names not been leaked to the media?

Is Dr Stephens’ case being used as a scapegoat to take the heat off a much bigger story that is currently being swept under the drapes?

A colleague who has requested to remain anonymous has suggested this could be the case.

“I agree with the sentiment that I am perhaps being used as a distraction,” said Dr Stephens.

“They [the gynaecology and obstetrics investigations] were terrible circumstances, in fact I performed emergency surgery on six patients from the gynaecology ward to fix-up mistakes.

“I remember having to drop everything in the middle of the night to attend these emergencies and myself and other surgeons had been concerned for some time about what was happening in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department.”

Dr Stephens said it was now “ironic” that he is being scrutinised for two minor hygiene allegations when he was the one to have” fixed” issues on the much larger cases.

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A total of 30 local businesses came together at Harrup Park last week for the Mackay Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting, during which the new committee was formally announced.

Ash-Lee Johnson (Mackay Regional Council), Maree Sturdy (Treadwell Tyres), Katie Duncan (McKays Solicitors), Geoff O’Connor (SBB Partners), Madeleine Connors (NE Foods | The Dispensary), Elizabeth Dent (DGL Accountants), Cathy Sullivan (Mount Pleasant Centre), Vicki Smith (Concept Consulting) and James Wortley (Enlightened Financial Solutions) are now on the committee.

This year, Mackay Chamber will say goodbye to two outgoing committee members: Scott Jamieson and Sarah Miotto, both were thanked for their dedication at the meeting.

“These committee members are long serving, and passionate,” said Chamber President, Geoff O’Connor.

“Scott and Sarah have both made amazing contributions to the Chamber in their tenure, and they will be missed.

“It was a hotly contested election with many high calibre nominations. We wish to thank all those who nominated and especially those who were unfortunately not elected. We appreciate you putting up your hand.”

During the meeting, Mr O’Connor delivered the year in review, outlining the Chamber’s proactive approach to advocacy.

“We want to make sure we have an ear to the ground on exactly what is happening in the region, and ensuring we have a seat at as many tables as possible is key to this,” he said.

“At the same time, we are continuing to drive the rejuvenation of the City Centre, our passion project, with the establishment of a subgroup of Chamber that will assist with delivering the strategic vision for the Mackay City Centre and Waterfront.”

Mayor Greg Williamson wrapped up the afternoon congratulating the Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce on their commitment to the success and prosperity of local businesses.

Caption: The new committee: Ash-Lee Johnson, Maree Sturdy, Katie Duncan, Geoff O’Connor, Madeleine Connors, Elizabeth Dent, Cathy Sullivan and Vicki Smith

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