Please share a brief overview on yourself.
I am in my final semester of my Master of Public Health at Deakin, currently completing my major project on the economic and health burden of MASLD in Australia. Prior to this I completed a Bachelor of Science at Melbourne University. I have always been interested in both the clinical and advocacy sides of health and both these degrees have allowed me to explore these domains. Outside of my studies I work as an orderly, as a surf guide at a wavepool and more recently as a research assistant for a team looking at the harms of online advertising among chidren and young adults.
What inspired you to become a LiverWELL volunteer?
I first heard about LiverWELL when completing a university assignment looking at the issue of Heptitis C proliferation among people who inject drugs in prisons. Reading into the work that LiverWELL was doing inspired me to want to join and I have loved the last year and a half helping at various events in LiverWELL’s busy calendar.
Do you have a particular interest in liver health?
My interest in the liver was first piqued when completing this first assignment of my Master’s. Since then I have done a lot of other research and projects on this specific issue of HCV in prisons. This interest has further grown attending a number of adult migrant english programs with LiverWELL and seeing the tangible difference that can be made by educating people in the community about liver health. In addition, volunteering as a scribe at the symposium on MASLD late last year further ignited my passion for liver health and strengthened my drive to contribute to this evolving field. Seeing so many health professionals come together across different fields to devise a plan to tackle such a serious issue that I barely knew about really inspired me. I have since started my Master’s major project looking at the cost of MASLD in Australia which will hopefully provide useful evidence to quantify the severity of this disease in our country.
Please describe one of your favorite LiverWELL experiences or moments.
As briefly touched upon in my previous response, being able to attend the symposium on MASLD late last year was really inspiring for me. I was so amazed by the breadth and depth of knowledge across so many different fields – from clinicians to dieticians, policy makers to researchers, it was amazing to see first hand how public health can all come together under a unified front. This has been the foundation from which I have started my major project so I am very grateful for this moment.
What tips do you have for new volunteers?
I think it goes without saying, but just say yes to every opportunity you can. LiverWELL is a small team but the work that they are able to do is so impressive and can make real changes in people’s lives. Volunteering is a great way to get involved in this and get a taste for the rewarding field of public health and health promotion.
What’s next for you?
This year I am looking to complete my Master’s and continue to test out different areas of public health through my research and volunteering. Beyond this I am still working out where I will go after my graduation but I am confident that I will continue to be involved with LiverWELL and liver health more broadly.
