Highlighted Event: Northern Rivers Advocacy Group in Focus
The Northern Rivers Parkinson's Support Group, a community-focused organisation serving the region from Ocean Shores to Wollongbar, is on the hunt for a new leader. Current group leader, Cheryl Beerens, is stepping down after five years of dedicated service.
Beerens has been instrumental in shaping the group's culture, which emphasises community engagement, empathy, and remembrance. Her thoughtful touches, such as decorating the tables at the café with flowers or interesting seed pods before meetings, have added a personal touch to the gatherings.
The new leader will need to embody key characteristics and qualities, including deep compassion, strong advocacy skills, knowledge of Parkinson’s care, and a commitment to supporting people living with the disease and their families. They should be adept at representing and lobbying for the community's needs, as demonstrated by Janelle Saffin, Member for Lismore and Minister for North Coast, who has been instrumental in securing Parkinson’s nursing support and funding in the Northern Rivers.
Understanding of Parkinson’s disease and its impact, including awareness of treatment options and the coordination with Parkinson’s specialist nurses and allied health professionals, is essential. The leader will work closely with Parkinson’s nurses, support group members, and healthcare providers to maintain and enhance access to specialized care and support within the region.
Empathy and communication skills are also vital. The leader will provide emotional support and education to patients, families, and care partners, fostering inclusion and empowerment.
The new leader will also need to unite the group and continue Beerens' approach of encouraging everyone to participate, rather than telling people what to do. The group, which consists of 65% people living with Parkinson's and 35% carers, many of whom are couples, is a diverse group spanning a wide range of professions.
The group divides into separate discussions for people living with Parkinson's and carers at least once or twice a year. A Parkinson's nurse typically attends discussions for people living with Parkinson’s. The group meetings take place in the township of Alstonville, and local Parkinson's nurses, Rebecca and Tim, attend when they can.
As the group acknowledges participants who have passed away by lighting a candle in their memory and writing their name on a board, the new leader will need to ensure that the group continues to honour and remember those who have been lost.
Beerens, who took over a year to find a new leader for the group, considering the views of group participants on who they would be comfortable with as their leader, is confident that the right person will step forward to take on this important role. The Northern Rivers Parkinson's Support Group looks forward to continuing its mission of providing support and resources for people living with Parkinson's in the region.
The new leader, reflecting Janelle Saffin's instrumental advocacy, should possess deep compassion and strong advocacy skills, alongside knowledge of Parkinson’s care, to represent and lobby for the community's needs. Adeptness in mental-health support and health-and-wellness education is crucial to provide emotional support and foster inclusion for patients, families, and care partners.
Recognizing the importance of collective remembrance and community engagement, the leader will continue Beerens' approach of encouraging participation from all group members while ensuring mental-health considerations are addressed, just as Beerens honored those lost through lighting candles and writing names in memory on a board.
