The LiverWELL Bendigo Regional Forum 2026 – Spotlighting Stigma

Yesterday in Bendigo, LiverWELL and Thorne Harbour Country came together to host the Bendigo Regional Forum 2026, bringing people from across the BBV, rainbow, and health sectors in regional Victoria and Melbourne into one space for connection, conversation, and shared learning.

The day opened with regional health updates from the Department of Health and the Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit, setting the scene for discussions that kept returning to a central idea; that stigma in healthcare is complex, layered, and deeply shaped by identity, place, and lived experience.

Across the forum, speakers and participants explored what this looks like in practice. Harm Reduction Victoria spoke to the importance of equity-driven, community-informed approaches in regional settings, while Budi Sudarto offered a powerful reflection on intersectionality in healthcare; and how racism, language barriers, gender identity, weight stigma, and other systemic factors can combine to create real barriers to care.

We also heard from Steven Taylor, who shared his lived experience of Hepatitis C, reflecting on stigma, delayed treatment, and the importance of being able to access care without judgement.

Thorne Harbour Country spoke about the organisation’s history and the ongoing discrimination faced by people living with HIV, as well as the continued importance of LGBTQIA+ education and visibility in regional communities.

Throughout the day, attendees also spent time with the StreetShot exhibition, where young people used art to share messages and experiences relating to viral hepatitis; adding another creative layer to the conversations in the room.

One of the key moments was the Resource Design Workshop, where participants worked together to imagine what better liver health resources could look like for the Bendigo region. The focus was clear: resources need to be inclusive, easy to understand, visually engaging, and accessible in multiple languages, with a strong emphasis on encouraging testing and reducing barriers to care.

The forum highlighted that improving health outcomes requires coordinated effort, shared insight, and community-informed design.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed their time and insights, and to the LiverWELL team for bringing the day together. Special thanks to Jon Kok and Damien Stevens for leading such a thoughtful and important event.