Legends of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare bid goodbye

Colleagues and friends gathered at Townsville University Hospital to celebrate the retirement of Indigenous cancer coordinator Liela Murison and Indigenous health liaison officer Phillip Alley, honouring a combined legacy of more than 80 years in healthcare.

Ms Murison said she was proud of the work she had done helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients understand their treatments as well as increasing mammogram participation rates among First Nations women through her work with BreastScreen Queensland’s mobile van.

“When our mob come from remote communities, the hospital can be incredibly daunting,” Ms Murison said.

“Seeing a familiar face gives them immediate relief.

“Beyond emotional support we also had to bridge the gap in understanding.

“That is why we developed the ‘Journey of Healing’ project to show patients exactly who their treating team would be before they even arrived in Townsville.

“I have also been incredibly fortunate to work with academic collaborators for projects around clinical research and the rollout of regional tele-oncology guidelines and consent frameworks for First Nations people.

“Through this we could treat more patients in the communities where they lived and reduce the financial and emotional burden of travel.”

Mr Alley started his healthcare career in 1977 at Charters Towers and said he was proud of the work he had done in helping older Indigenous people access healthcare.

“It has been a privilege to be able to support regional Elders and develop a deep rapport with them over many years,” Mr Alley said.

“Taking the time to sit down and get to know what they’re going through and what support they need has meant a great deal to me.

“Whether navigating Centrelink or advocating at the Public Trustee, having that cultural support is what achieves a positive outcome.”

While both Liela and Phillip are stepping away from fulltime work, it hasn’t meant they are planning to sit back.

Phillip is planning to use his profile and experience to mentor the next generation of Indigenous people, while Liela has packed her bags for a European holiday before she comes back home to continue her work on community land rights and cultural identity.