THANK YOU, CARERS! FRINGE ELEMENTS SOCIAL JUSTICE PAGE 6 REVIEW PAGES 9-10 READ SSH ONLINE SOUTHSYDNEYHERALD.COM.AU FREE PRINTED EDITION EVERY MONTH TO 10,000+ REGULAR READERS Number One Hundred and Ninety Five ~ August 2020 Circulation 10,000 ~ First Published 2002 ALEXANDRIA | BEACONSFIELD | CHIPPENDALE | DARLINGTON | ERSKINEVILLE | EVELEIGH | GLEBE | NEWTOWN | PADDINGTON | POTTS POINT | REDFERN | ROSEBERY | SURRY HILLS | ULTIMO | WATERLOO | WOOLLOOMOOLOO | ZETLAND I study at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne and will finish a double Bachelor Degree in Long fight to live pain free Applied Public Health and Global Studies at the end of this year. I really believe that it is our role as global citizens to support our neighbours, and the rest of the world, in any way we can. I looked back on how I was treated in Australia, with one of the greatest and most developed health systems in the world, and realised that if it took me seven years to be diagnosed, and I had to fight for myself every single step of the way, even in Australia, what would it be like in a more developing country. It made me question if people on little islands of the Pacific had the resources to diagnose, treat and empathise with endometriosis patients, if we didn’t even have that here in Australia. I would like to work with people in the Pacific to develop culturally- specific ways of managing and treating women’s health issues, specifically endometriosis. How will the videos and booklet launched by Chronic Pain Australia in National Pain Week help others in your situation? Chronic pain is faced by so many Australians, and a lot of the time it is invisible to everyone else. As chronic pain patients, we need to be kinder to ourselves Gaining control of her chronic pain, Grace Corcoran is doing more of what she loves, including scuba diving. (Inset) Grace Corcoran’s chronic pain led to multiple surgeries and hospitalisations Photos: Supplied and know that we are not alone and there are resources out HEALTH Once I started spending a lot of What finally helped you most time I felt pain again, and I had there for us. As Australians, time in hospital, the only friends I to manage your pain? to calm myself down through we need to be more empathetic MARJORIE LEWIS-JONES would see were those that would The surgery with Simon Gordon some of the techniques I had to those whose pain you cannot visit me in hospital or at home. kick started my final stage of previously learnt. I felt very see but is very, very real. GRACE Corcoran, 24, lived with recovery. I had spent years anxious that I would become chronic pain from endometriosis What were your main frustrations? undertaking therapy to mentally bed bound again and lose my What would you like to say to people for years. The pain started when My biggest frustrations included manage the idea that I may spend independence. I tried to ignore the struggling to manage chronic pain? she was 13 and, despite visiting fighting to be believed and the the rest of my life in pain and problem and focus on the present Chronic pain is real. an array of doctors and therapists, self-doubt caused by constantly dealing with the social issues where I was mostly pain free. My experience is real. Pain that its source went undiagnosed being told this was “normal” I had faced. After the surgery causes you to spend days in until a few years ago. or “in my head”. As a young in 2018, I completed six weeks of How has being helped to manage bed, every single month, is not teenager, another big frustration intensive work in the chronic pain your pain opened up your normal and is not a part of being What was it like to be a teenager living was missing out on activities that clinic at Camberwell Epworth. capacity to do what you love? a woman. Just because we don’t with such severe and long-lasting pain? many of my friends took part in. This consisted of an hour a week I began scuba diving once I was look sick, doesn’t mean we aren’t As a teenager I was told by I would miss parties and social of physiotherapy, psychology, completely pain free again, but the sick. Just because we are in pain numerous doctors that the pain gatherings. Sometimes I wouldn’t occupational therapy and sport- first time I lifted up the diving gear now, doesn’t mean we won’t get was a normal part of being a be able to wear the clothing that physiotherapy. This, alongside I was very anxious that it would better. If you’re out there and female and that it was something was “cool”, which resulted in the much better mental health cause a pain-flare. When it didn’t, thinking that this is how your life that I would have to learn to me being teased, because the state that I was in, allowed me to and when the activity itself didn’t, will be for the rest of your life, manage. When I kept complaining clothing pushed on my stomach gain control of my pain again. it gave me more confidence to try I understand. I have been there. about the pain, and realised that and caused me pain. As I got older other things that I was scared of Please don’t give up, because it my friend’s period pain was rarely and the pain became worse, this After living pain free, how distressing trying, in case they flared up my does get better. S as bad a mine was, I started second frustration was replaced was it when you felt the pain returning? endometriosis pain. It allowed to question if that was true. with missing out on activities that Since being diagnosed with me to become a confident, The Faces of Pain video series (which tells They then tried to tell me that it my friends took part in, such as endometriosis, a two-year period young 20-something year old, the stories of everyday Australians living was in my head, which made me being able to shower and drive was the longest I have lived who wasn’t constantly worried with chronic pain) and the Understanding doubt myself. A lot of people didn’t independently. I spent one New without pain. Twinges of pain and cautious of how my body chronic pain booklet (which explains understand it and questioned if Years and my best friend’s 21st started coming back after one would react to simple tasks. what pain is and how best to manage I was making a big deal out of birthday party in the hospital, year and it began getting more it) were launched in National Pain nothing. Some friends were which were both big events and more frequent and painful. Tell us about your studies and plan Week (July 27 – August 2). See www. empathetic and others weren’t. that I was really sad to miss. It was very distressing the first to work in Pacific Island nations? nationalpainweek.org.au #NPW2020 2 NEWS AUGUST 2020 ISSN 2652-4538 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo. Pandemic exposes a social housing crisis The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the author and the article and are not necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. URBAN DESIGN NEWS ADAM ANTONELLI [email protected] Phone Lyn 0400 008 338 THE Covid-19 pandemic has ADVERTISING [email protected] been destabilising, putting pressure on economic, health MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 3288 and social systems. It has also Redfern NSW 2016 disproportionately affected LETTERS some of the most disadvantaged Please send letters and emails to: groups in our community. The South Sydney Herald. Email: [email protected] Supply sender name and suburb. The hard lockdown of nine Size: 150 words or less. social housing towers in North We may edit for legal or other reasons. Melbourne called national and FOUNDING EDITOR international attention not only Trevor Davies (25.5.1956 – 14.6.2011) to the Victorian government’s MANAGING EDITOR response but also to the quality Marjorie Lewis-Jones of Australia’s social housing ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Collis stock. Social housing estates NEWS EDITOR have become known as places of Lyn Turnbull concentrated social and economic ASSISTANT EDITOR disadvantage following years of Louisa Dyce disinvestment enabled by policy ARTS & FESTIVALS Anna North makers, with stigmatisation by BOOKS the government and the media. Catherine DeMayo Following decades of neglect, Photo: Getty Images EDUCATION Melinda Kearns social housing dwellings have ENVIRONMENT become overcrowded and poorly were still grappling with and information sharing across the government’s emergency Miriam Pepper maintained, offering the perfect the restructuring of the the Redfern and Waterloo area. planning and response to HUMAN AFFAIRS environment for the virus to fester, government, with Land and Within the Waterloo social social housing estates. It has Allison Forrest as physical distancing is virtually Housing Corporation (LAHC) housing estate, SLHD and NGO also highlighted the strength FAITH Dorothy McRae-McMahon impossible. Acting Australian separated from the Department counterparts set up a Wellbeing and excellence of our public HEALTH Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly of Communities and Justice Clinic in early May – providing health services which are often Megan Weier described the towers as “virtual (DCJ). Has the separation of free flu vaccinations and Covid- overlooked and undervalued. LEGAL & FOOD Maidie Wood cruise ships” with explosive departments resulted in a more 19 testing, and more recently When it comes to the development LOCALS potential to spread the virus.