Unleashing the power of the mind to overcome lockdown stress

In this powerful episode, we are joined by Dipti Zachariah from Western Sydney Local Health District’s Multicultural Health Services and Nat, a member of her team. 

Dipti and Nat provide extensive support to help culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women and survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) find their voice.

With International Women’s Day and Harmony Day fast approaching, the pair took this opportunity to share their very personal journeys to empowerment, in the hope of providing comfort and inspiration to others in similar situations.

Please note, this episode discusses sensitive issues and listener discretion is advised.

With the COVID-19 lockdown extended through August, many causes of stress and anxiety in our lives right now are beyond our control.

But there is a tool within your control that anyone can harness: mindfulness meditation.

David Johnson introduced the practice to Western Sydney Local Health District staff last year to help manage the additional stress of COVID-19, and he continues his twice-daily sessions for staff online.

In this episode David introduces the concept and takes us through a 15-minute mindfulness meditation session.

WSLHD provides many initiatives to support staff wellbeing including wellness information hubs, manager and team wellness sessions, and counselling through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

If you’re a staff member, find out more at the COVID-19 Staff Wellbeing page.

Mitch first experienced anxiety and depression as a high school student, and in the years that followed he struggled with suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He is now a lived experience peer worker with the Towards Zero Suicides team at Western Sydney Local Health District, meaning he uses his own experience to help others experiencing a suicidal crisis – as he explains on the latest episode of the Western Sydney Health Check podcast.

The program also features an interview with WSLHD Mental Health Services executive director Professor Vlasios Brakoulias, discussing the mental health impact of lockdown.

Help is always available if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health issue:

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
• MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

To learn more about mental health services available in western Sydney, call the Mental Health Access Line anytime on 1800 011 511. In an emergency, always call triple zero (000).

Click here for a list of mental health and support services in Western Sydney. 

We're mad about sport in western Sydney but it still might come as a surprise that there are some extremely talented athletes who work for Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD).

Alvina Ng always loved the Ninja Warrior franchise but never imagined she would take on the famed obstacle course known as Mt Midoriyama.

The Auburn Hospital emergency doctor is now the face of the fifth Australian season, featuring on billboards around the country – all because one of the producers noticed her intense upper body workouts on Instagram.

Another one of our health heroes, Kate Murdoch, jokes she’s more comfortable on water than land, but the former Paralympic athlete and WSLHD disability workforce coordinator is clearly no slouch wherever she competes.

She recently made history as the first-of-two vision-impaired athletes to complete the UTA22 – a 22-kilometre race through the Blue Mountains, one of Australia’s hardest trail running courses, incorporating 5,000 steps among other challenges.

Both feature on this week's episode of Western Sydney Health Check!

Emma Watkins is best known as the girl with the bow in hair. The singing, dancing, drumming, Yellow Wiggle delights audiences across the globe with her dazzling warmth and energy.

But what people didn’t realise was behind the scenes, Emma was in serious pain for a long time – silently suffering from a debilitating condition known as endometriosis.

Endometriosis, commonly referred to as “endo”, is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body.

More than 830,000 Australian women – over 11 per cent – suffer from endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease often starting in teenagers.

If you have concerns about endometriosis, please contact your GP in the first instance.

Julia can remember looking down at her broken arm, the bone through the skin, as the propeller of the helicopter that carried her to Westmead Hospital for lifesaving surgery whirred to life.

She was riding her motorcycle on Valentine’s Day when she had a head-on collision with a four-wheel-drive, destroying her bike and nearly claiming her life.

Julia was the first patient transferred to the new trauma ward in Westmead Hospital’s Central Acute Services Building, a dedicated unit focused on caring for patients with multiple life-threatening injuries. 

“So many people have done so much work to put me back together. For me to be frustrated would be, I don’t know, I think rude on my behalf,” Julia said.

“I’m just very grateful for everything that everyone is doing.”

As part of Patient Experience Week, we also speak to Blacktown Hospital junior doctor Mithila Zaheen about her passion for volunteer work in western Sydney.

The Bangladesh-born Australian was recently named a finalist for Blacktown City Woman of the Year and her family’s roots in western Sydney, and patient care, couldn’t be stronger.

From training with the Cronulla Sharks to lying in a hospital bed, Fine Kula’s heroic battle with brain cancer captured hearts across western Sydney, the Shire, and Australia last year.

The rising NRL star was diagnosed with medulloblastoma at the start of 2020, and underwent treatment at Westmead Hospital.

Fine and his oncologist Dr Vivek Bhadri join us on the latest episode of Western Sydney Health Check to share how the 21 year old beat the aggressive medulloblastoma tumour thanks to the expert care and the support of his family, girlfriend, team mates and former school.

After dedicating seven years of his life to football, Fine was forced to give up his dream of playing professionally – but he’s found a new calling in the sport by coaching the Sharks under 17s and under 19 women’s representative teams.

But it’s an incredible result for a young man whose life was touch-and-go at one point last year, as Dr Bhadri revealed in the podcast.

Dr Bhadri reveals how rare Fine’s type of cancer was – making up less than 1% of adult brain tumours.

One in four young people in Australia will suffer from some kind of mental health issue. But how do you bring up the topic with them?

It’s a question many parents agonise over, and one that we tackle in our latest podcast episode of Western Sydney Health Check for NSW Youth Week.

Carlie Dodds, clinical psychologist with our Prevention Early Intervention and Response Service, brings expert insight from her role working with young people experiencing severe mental health issues.

“Parents often understandably talk about wanting to protect their children, and don’t realise that also quite often their children are trying to protect them and don’t want to worry them,” Carlie says.

“The most important thing to tell parents is to ask the question… opening the dialogue in a way that feels safe for the young person.”

Carlie offers furthers tips and insight, and is joined by WSLHD Youth Council member Jessica Lam, who shares her perspective as a Gen Z entering the workforce in the midst of a pandemic.

Jess discusses the benefits and drawbacks of growing up with social media, and her thoughts on how to improve inter-generational communication about mental health.

We also hear from western Sydney teenagers about what the Youth Week theme ‘together more than ever’ means to them, and what picks them up when they’re feeling down.

Listen to the episode now and catch up on previous episodes here.

If this episode raises any issues for you, you can call Lifeline for free personal support at any time on 13 11 14.

To find out more about the mental health services available for you or someone else in need, call the Mental Health Line at any time on 1800 011 511.

In an emergency, please call triple zero (000) immediately or go to a hospital emergency department.

Western Sydney is home to Australia’s tallest health building – the Central Acute Services Building at Westmead Hospital – and we’re celebrating its official opening in this week’s Western Sydney Health Check podcast.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard visited on Monday 22 March to open Westmead Hospital’s new 14-storey medical tower–a $1 billion investment in western Sydney.

WSLHD chief executive Graeme Loy discusses what this landmark project means for our fast-growing community and the future of health research and innovation.

 One of the many jewels in the CASB is the dedicated trauma ward that has now been running for three weeks.

Westmead Hospital’s head of trauma Dr Jeremy Hsu explains what this advancement means for trauma care in western Sydney, and nurse unit manager of the ward Britney Raj shares what it’s like caring for patients with multiple life-threatening injuries.

“These are life-changing events; it’s such a significant part of their story and we’re a part of that,” Britney said.

“Just taking that 10 minutes out to sit and listen to someone creates such a difference in their care and how they recover. It is a challenge for everyone […] sometimes people don’t speak very nicely to them, sometimes they’re a shoulder to cry on, and the nurses just have to adapt to whatever may come through the doors.”

Listen to the latest episode here and new episodes are released every Thursday.

Associate Professor Nirmala Pathmanathan - the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute Executive Director - delves into spotting the signs and treating breast cancer and Carol Boulous shares her story of survival.

How to check for breast cancer:

• National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Breast Cancer Network Australia
• Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation
• McGrath Foundation

For location of clinics in greater Western Sydney, head to the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute.

For more information, please visit:

• BreastScreen NSW
• The signs and symptoms of breast cancer