Edwina Powe

RBWH physiotherapist and project officer Edwina Powe recently took a call from the Governor General of Australia and his wife in support of her involvement in the Women’s Business Shared Pathway project.  

His Excellency David Hurley and Her Excellency Linda Hurley reached out after seeing ABC media coverage on the project, aimed at improving the failed-to-attend rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at the RBWH.

“It was lovely to be invited to chat and to talk on behalf of my other colleagues,” Edwina said.

“To be an Aboriginal woman and in a position to advocate on behalf of my community was really powerful.

“We discussed the service for almost twenty minutes including the barriers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face, equitable healthcare and the future directions of the service moving forward.

“It’s really cool that what we are doing is coming to the attention of people in such important positions.

“They were incredibly sweet and just wanted to recognise the efforts of everyone who had contributed towards the program.”

The conversation wasn’t all business though with the Excellencies discussing their latest grandchild, pandemic struggles and ended with Mrs Hurley singing a song about sunshine.

“We spoke about their new eight-week-old granddaughter who they are yet to meet due to Canberra’s lockdown,” Edwina said.

“Thankfully they have plans in place to head north to Sydney as soon as they can to catch up on their much-needed cuddles.

“Mrs Hurley finished the phone call by singing me a song about sunshine which was so beautiful.

“When she finished, she told me I could now take that sunshine with me moving forward.”