Dancing with Memories, written by Sally Yule with Professor Ralph Martins (pictured left) and Maggie Beer and illustrated by Cheryl Orsini, is a tale about Lucy, a woman living with dementia. The book was recently shortlisted for the 2023 Educational Publishing Awards Australia.

Reading Lucy’s story, children can learn how it feels to forget and become confused and be made aware of the ways they can help. 

“Dancing with Memories was written to introduce little children to Alzheimer’s, by focusing on the positive experiences of Lucy, who has Alzheimer’s, and how people can help give her a good quality of life with their loving support,” says Professor Martins.

“The book illustrates the importance of good food to prevent Alzheimer’s and encourages young children to begin early. It ends with delicious lunchbox recipes prepared by Maggie Beer. The book, while aimed at children, draws in the whole family.

“Good food matters to keep our brains healthy.”

Speaking about the collaboration with Professor Martins, Ms Yule said: “When Ralph and I were introduced in 2017, it was clear we shared a vision to write a children’s book about dementia – a generative story that would give children agency in helping family and community members live well with dementia.

“Ralph’s three decades of experience in Alzheimer’s research and his continuing commitment to prevention and seeking a cure, is both cross-generational and empowering.”

The book endeavours to educate individuals about the meaningful roles they can play in supporting those living with dementia within their own families or communities and can offer guidance to readers of all ages.

Dancing with Memories is available to borrow from Macquarie University Library. You can also purchase the book here.

MUCHE and the Black Dog Institute are seeking participants to undertake online surveys to better understand how to improve men’s engagement with existing clinical and non-clinical mental health support services.

We are looking for participants who:

• are 18 years or older
• identify as male
• are fluent in English
• live in Australia
• have thought of dying or hurting themselves in the past six months
• have had no contact with formal mental health services (including general practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals) for mental health support in the past six months

To find out more about the Under the Radar survey, or to sign up to take part in the study, please visit the Under the Radar information page.

Participants will receive $40 in GiftPay vouchers ($20 after completing post-video surveys and $20 after completing the one-week follow-up survey), which can be used at a range of retailers. Researchers reserve the right not to provide reimbursement if fraudulent activity is detected.

This study has been approved by UNSW Human Research Ethics & Clinical Trials Governance (HC220714).

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remember the 9000 Australian smokers and non-smokers who die from lung cancer every year and to refocus our efforts on finding a cure.

The Woolcock Centre for Lung Cancer Research is a world-class research centre with biobanking facilities, linked to a network of global experts in the field. Researchers at the centre are continuously looking to find ways to develop innovative treatments that save lives.

Established in 2018 and led by Macquarie’s Professor Maija Kohonen-Corish, the centre is currently developing microbiome-based tests that identify a subset of lung cancer patients who would benefit from microbiome-correcting treatments to improve therapy outcomes.

Microbiomes are naturally occurring ecosystems that live in our body and include bacteria, fungi, viruses and their genes. They are vital to human health and wellness.

“Having a healthy gut microbiome is essential for some lung cancer therapies to work in the best possible way,” says Professor Kohonen-Corish. “The gut-lung axis is a term used to describe the bidirectional communication between the gut and the lungs and if this is ‘broken’ it leads to weakened immunity and a weakened response to immunotherapy.”

The focus of her research now is to identify patients whose gut-lung axis is ‘broken’ and find ways to repair it before embarking on cancer therapies.

“Microbiome research is real breakthrough science with enormous potential,” she says.

“And every breakthrough brings us closer to a world where lung cancer is conquered, and lives are saved.”

This story was first published on the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research website.

Speech Pathology students from MQ Health Speech & Hearing Clinic are taking part in the annual Speech Pathology Library Talks campaign to help support children’s language and literacy development.

Speech pathologists are the professionals with unique skills and knowledge to help build children’s language and literacy. The free Speech Pathology Library Talk will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about how to help develop a child’s language and literacy and set them up for success in their early years.

The talk will go for an hour and some of the topics to be covered in the presentation include:

• Choosing the right books and how the University Library can assist this
• Ways parents and teachers can help to build language and literacy
• Encouraging interactions with books
• How to support multi-lingual children through book reading
• What to do if a child is having difficulties with reading

The presentation will demonstrate practical book reading techniques to implement in the classroom or at home using one of the ‘Association’s Book of the Year’ winning books in the 3 to 5 year category.

We invite education students, parents and others interested in children’s language and literacy development, to attend a virtual talk and book reading in November.

When: 4 November, 12-1pm

Where: Zoom

Register: Email Neha Sethi neha.sethi@mq.edu.au to receive a meeting invitation with a Zoom link.

The centre will be located on a dedicated floor of Macquarie University Hospital, with four-state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating theatres and 29 beds supporting a short stay surgical model.

Macquarie University Hospital CEO, Associate Professor Walter Kmet, said the centre will champion the hospital’s philosophy of excellence in evidence-based medicine.

“This is an exciting partnership for our hospital as we continue to innovate in care, quality and safety for our patients,” Associate Professor Kmet said.

“The short stay model combines pre-assessment and prehabilitation to support a patient’s rapid recovery and help them return home sooner. Both the hospital and treating specialist decide if the model is appropriate for each patient, with decisions around their care, monitoring and rehabilitation to be made by our clinical team.

“As the number of joint replacements continues to increase in line with the ageing population, increasing access to short stay is a great development for our treating specialists and their patients,” he said.

A group of orthopaedic surgeons and Medibank will invest $29.6 million to support the establishment of the centre through a joint venture, with the surgeons and Medibank each contributing $14.8 million to fund the fit-out and equipment. MQ Health is contributing the floor space, with the centre to operate as an integrated part of the hospital.

The surgical centre will be accessible to all patients regardless of their health fund or if they are self-funded.

Medibank Group Executive, CEO Health Services, Dr Andrew Wilson, said the centre will expand Medibank’s no gap program, which provides customers with choice and value around their healthcare.

“Our no gap program gives our customers choice in how their treatment is delivered and can halve the number of days they need to spend in hospital. Instead, they have the option to rehabilitate in the comfort of their own home with full support from nurses, allied health practitioners and personal carers as required,” Dr Wilson said.

“It’s also designed to eliminate out-of-pocket medical costs commonly associated with a hip or knee replacement. For minor complexity procedures, these savings have averaged $1,200, although they can be as high as $4,700. This can make a real difference to household budgets at a time when the cost of living is increasing,” he said.

MQ Health Discipline Head of Orthopaedics, Professor Munjed Al Muderis, said the centre will provide a range of benefits.

“This world-class centre will help us meet growing demand for this model of care and provide opportunities to partner with the university on research and teaching,” Professor Al Muderis said.

The centre is expected to open in late 2023.

May is ‘Measurement Month’ and the group from our Blood Pressure and Vascular Function Laboratory are offering free blood pressure checks in the Central Courtyard this week.

Regular blood pressure checks save lives, so don’t delay, come get your blood pressure checked! The group will be in the Central Courtyard this Wednesday 25, Thursday 26 and Friday 27 May from 12pm to 2pm, so come down and say hello to the team in their bright red shirts. All welcome to come and get checked out – no need to register.

Find our more information about this initiative on the May Measure Month website, or contact Dr Isabella Tan from the Blood Pressure and Vascular Function Laboratory: isabella.tan@mq.edu.au

Associate Professor Sanjyot Vagholkar, MQ Health’s GP Clinic Director, says that while flu rates have dropped dramatically during the pandemic, flu vaccination is especially important this year.

“The public health measures that have protected us from COVID-19 – lockdowns, social distancing, improved hand hygiene, and the fact that we have been staying home when we feel unwell – have all contributed to there being very few cases of flu for the past two years,” says Associate Professor Vagholkar.

“Now that we are all out and about again, that is likely to change.”

The flu virus mutates frequently, so the vaccine is not 100 per cent effective, but much like the COVID-19 vaccine, it is the most effective way of protecting against severe illness.

With cases of COVID-19 still high in the community, there is also the possibility of contracting both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time.

This could leave even a young, healthy person feeling significantly worse, but could have severe consequences for vulnerable people, including adults over the age of 65, children under the age of five, and anyone who is immunosuppressed or has a chronic illness like heart or lung conditions.

Associate Professor Vagholkar says flu vaccination is most important for these vulnerable members of the community, but as many people as possible should be vaccinated.

“You have to remember you’re not only looking after yourself by getting your flu vaccine,” she says.

“It protects you, but it also has a vital role to play in protecting others.”

If you are a continuing, fixed term or casual employee of Macquarie University (including U@MQ and MQ Health employees) you are eligible for FREE flu vaccination at the MQ Health Vaccination Clinic from Monday 2 May to Friday 3 June.

Book your appointment today

The Vaccination Clinic is located in Suite 402, Level 4 of the Clinic Building, 2 Technology Place.

Flu Vax Facts

Did you know….?

• The flu vaccine isn’t a live vaccine, so it’s not possible to get the flu from vaccination.
• People aged 65 and older receive a specially formulated dose that includes an extra component to produce a better immune response. If you fall into this category, make sure you let the clinic know so you receive the right shot.
• The flu vaccine is usually well tolerated, though some people may experience minor side effects like a sore arm or aches and pains.
• Children can be vaccinated against the flu from the age of six months. The first year they are vaccinated, they require two shots, six months apart.

One of the objectives of the Professional Service Transformation (PST) is to create more standardised roles and structures across the University. With that in mind, from 1 January 2022 the position title of ‘Faculty General Manager’ (FGM) changed to ‘Faculty Executive Director’ (FED).

While Neil Durrant and Welly Firmanto have been the Faculty General Managers for Arts and for Medicine, Health and Human Sciences (respectively), David Sams (Macquarie Business School) and Katrina Sealey (Faculty of Science and Engineering) are recent recruits to the roles of Faculty Executive Director.

The new title is consistent with comparable titles and title changes across the University and business sectors. The change in title was proposed in the Faculty Professional Services Workplace Change paper and is the first visible change toward the implementation of the new Faculty professional services models.

This name change is accompanied by a change in position description and streamlines the roles across the University. Previously there were four different Faculty General Manager position descriptions. Now, there is one consistent position description with a shared understanding of the accountabilities of the role.

“The new FED role allows the opportunity to bring together professional services that previously happened in fragmented ways,” says Neil.

“This will see a consistent, coherent approach to delivering professional services, as well as sharing knowledge and information between different types of professional service delivery.”

These Faculty Executive Directors will provide strategic leadership in the development and execution of the Faculty’s strategy and goals. This includes providing expert advice to the Executive Dean and other key stakeholders on the Faculty’s enterprise, financial management, resource planning and management, risk management, infrastructure and facilities, policy development and higher education market trends.

David Sams believes our biggest challenges are also our greatest opportunities this year.

“These include ensuring a safe return to campus at scale for students, especially as international borders reopen; and the smooth transition to the new professional services model, to ensure continuity and improvement of experience for our students and staff.”

It’s exciting to know that the four Faculty Executive Directors are working collaboratively on these big projects and opportunities at Macquarie. We look forward to hearing more from this team in 2022.

Katrina Sealey – Science and Engineering

Katrina joins the Faculty of Science and Engineering’s leadership team from Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO), where she was the Head of Research Data and Software, and the Chief Operations Officer for the Astralis Instrumentation Consortium, Australia’s leading astronomical instrumentation organisation. Over the past three years, Katrina has secured more than $8 million in funding for Macquarie University.

Katrina holds a PhD in Astrophysics from UNSW and prior to joining Macquarie University, was a Senior Leader within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. She led the successful transition of the Australian Astronomical Observatory into the higher education sector, and Katrina successfully headed the first Australian departmental gender equity Athena Swan Award for Macquarie University.

“The Faculty of Science and Engineering worked tirelessly through 2021 to develop the FSE Strategic Plan 2022-2026, and I am thrilled to work with my FSE colleagues on this exciting journey.”

Welly Firmanto – Medicine, Health and Human Sciences

After many years as an international student across three countries, Welly built a career in telecommunications systems engineering, healthcare, and higher education in the private and public sectors. Welly joined Macquarie University in 2013 and was appointed to the role of Faculty General Manager in 2015. In addition to his role as Faculty Executive Director, Welly is the Chief Operating Officer of MQ Health, a controlled entity of the University that delivers clinical services through the Macquarie University Hospital, MQ Health clinics and MindSpot.

“I feel privileged to work with teams that excel in the innovative, dynamic industries of higher education and healthcare. With my background in systems engineering, I see opportunities in the new ways of working in the structures created through PST, to help us interpret and navigate the complex adaptive systems of the University and MQ Health.”

David Sams – Macquarie Business School

David was interim Faculty General Manager from early 2021, and is now formally appointed as Faculty Executive Director for Macquarie Business School. Having previously worked at Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, David returns to us from UNSW, where he held roles as Head of Student Experience and Support for UNSW, and Director of Student Experience for UNSW Business. David has a background in Marketing, Communications and brand management and has worked extensively in the university sector. He uses his commercial sensibilities and experience in service leadership – connecting people and processes; creating efficiency and recognising potential – to find a better way toward strategic and measurable solutions to customer needs and business objectives.

“Returning to Macquarie in this new role at such an exciting and pivotal time for the university and the sector is a great privilege. I’m excited about the great work of the staff I serve and the students they’re helping develop into future leaders.”

Neil Durrant – Arts

Neil joined Macquarie University in 2015 as Faculty General Manager with the Faculty of Arts and his role was amended in 2017 to also encompass Director of Strategy. Neil has a diverse background in higher education strategic and operational management. He is a skilled leader with a vision for effective and efficient professional service delivery to support executive academic leadership in delivering an organisational vision for teaching and research. He is passionate about the role of the university in emerging political and economic landscapes. He holds degrees in economics, linguistics and philosophy and has a diverse professional background. He has worked in academic research, occupied not-for-profit leadership roles and has developed business intelligence and information management practices that focus on the use and presentation of data to support business strategy.

“This role will allow for opportunities to represent the Faculty and the University more broadly, and to engage with stakeholders outside the university, which is something I think is vitally important for our University’s success.”

HAWC volunteers work with Macquarie University Medical and Physiotherapy students as they take their learning beyond the classroom.

What’s Involved?
Each Session, a HAWC volunteer is paired with two students. If you volunteer, the students will interview you during the Session, asking questions about your health and lifestyle, your medical and social background, and any health issues you may have experienced. By following your progress and learning about your health journey, they will gain a deeper and more meaningful experience of individuals and the barriers they may have faced.

Find out more online and consider signing up today

Contact the HAWC Recruitments Coordinator on (02) 9850 6629 or email fmhhs.placements@mq.edu.au for more information.

The clinic is open to staff, students and the wider community. Initial consultations are just $35, with follow-up visits for $25. By using the clinic, you’ll not only receive a great service, you’ll also be supporting our students as they complete the patient contact requirements of their course.

Our evidenced-based teaching clinics provide a range of services for a wide cross-section of the community, including:

• pain in the back, neck, shoulders, arms, legs and joints
• sporting injuries
• disc problems
• sciatica
• migraine
• restriction of mobility
• tension

As well as the clinic on campus, there are also clinics at Eastwood and Summer Hill. For more information and to book, visit the Chiropractic Clinics website.