Effective rare disease care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people requires integrating cultural and clinical knowledge. Join this webinar to learn how to work collaboratively with Indigenous health services to deliver culturally safe, holistic care.
Explore practical approaches for:
- Integrating cultural expertise with clinical practice
- Building respectful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services
- Delivering culturally responsive rare disease care
- Understanding the unique considerations in Indigenous genomics and rare disease management
Enhance your practice and improve health outcomes through two-way learning.
Register now
Speakers:
- A/Prof Azure Hermes, Deputy Director, National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University
Associate Professor Azure Hermes is Deputy Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics at the Australian National University. A proud Gimuy Walubara Yidinji woman from the Cairns region in Queensland, she brings 16 years of public service experience across the Department of Defence, Department of Human Services, and the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Since joining the Centre in 2015, she has become an internationally recognized leader in Indigenous genomics, securing over $37 million in research funding and publishing in prestigious journals including Nature. In 2021, she was appointed to co-lead ANU’s Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Grand Challenge. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on engaging Indigenous communities to improve health outcomes through projects such as the Indigenous Australian Reference Genome and culturally safe genomic resources. She serves on 10 Indigenous advisory committees and has delivered 70 invited presentations worldwide, demonstrating her commitment to advancing Indigenous health equity.
- Katrina Connolly, Indigenous Health Care Worker, Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service
Katrina Connolly is an Indigenous Health Care Worker at Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation in Yarrabah, Far North Queensland. Working within this Indigenous community-controlled health organisation, she has been instrumental in developing and delivering culturally appropriate primary healthcare services to the Yarrabah Aboriginal community. Her work within the multidisciplinary team reflects a commitment to addressing the unique health needs of her community through programs that integrate First Nations knowledge with clinical care, contributing to improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region.
About Rare Disease Project ECHO®
The Rare Disease Project ECHO® Clinical Community of Learning Practice is a continuing professional development activity delivered via interactive webinars. The ‘hub-and-spoke’ outreach model connects health providers (‘spokes’) to a multidisciplinary team with expertise in rare disease (‘hub’).
The webinars start with a presentation on a specific topic from an expert. This is followed by reflective discussion, which all participants are encouraged to join.
Rare Disease Project ECHO® is an RACGP-approved CPD activity. However, the sessions are valuable for all health professionals.
Rare Disease Project ECHO® is organised by Rare Diseases NSW (UNSW Sydney; SCHN) and supported by Rare Voices Australia and the Rare Care Centre. It forms part of the RArEST Project, funded by the Australian Department of Health, Disability & Ageing.
