Work 4 Significance Day 2015
Yesterday was Work4Significance Day and our participation in this yearly event was featured in the Canberra Times. Work4Significance Day is where participating clinics raise much needed funds for the SOS Health Foundation. Monies raised will support the provision of physiotherapy and related health services for homeless and disadvantaged Australians in urban and remote areas.
The event is SOS’s premier annual fundraising event hosted by participating physiotherapy practices nationally. Every cent raised goes to impact those in need.
“One in Eight Australians live below the poverty line and 58% of these are indigenous. People living in poverty commonly suffer greater levels of physical and mental health issues. Those living in remote communities are further disadvantaged by having limited, irregular or no access to health services such as physiotherapy and podiatry. It is great to make a difference in these remote areas” said Craig Honeybrook, practice principal at Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy.
All of the fees from therapy treatments at Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy including massage, podiatry and physiotherapy are being donated to SOS Foundation. Both practice locations in Gungahlin and City West will be involved in the day.
Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy has been involved in seven SOS Health Foundation missions to North East Arnhem Land and Palm Island since 2012 to provide much needed physiotherapy services for these remote areas. You can read about the experiences of our therapists who have volunteered their time in North East Arnhem Land and Palm Island.
“We encourage our team, both therapists and administration staff alike, to actively participate in the SOS Heath Foundation missions. They volunteer their time and we pay their wages whilst they are away, so they are not financially missing out.” said Craig Honeybrook.
“Each mission to Palm Island and North East Arnhem Land is for one week and we find that we are making a real difference. Many indigenous in these remote communities rarely see a physio and so they tend to put up with musculoskeletal injuries and pain that could be easily fixed with early intervention”
“In the long term, pain and disability adversely affects the productivity in these remote communities by limiting not only the individual’s contribution but also family members required to assist that person. Although there are many other barriers, we are hoping with time, that our involvement will help see establish a more productive indigenous community by simply improving the health of this disadvantaged group”
“They say in volunteering that you get back more than you give and we find our involvement in the missions and Work4Significance Day, helps team morale by providing greater meaningfulness to our business.”
“We always say client results comes before profit and I suppose our involvement with SOS helps compliment this ethos within our team. Not only are we trying to make a difference for our clients, but by being involved with SOS, we are also making a significant difference to the health of the indigenous in these remote communities in Northern Australia”
Jim Fuller, a physio who joined the team in January, will take on the next health outreach mission with SOS in November to Palm Island.
