Meet Catherine, our Health Program volunteer physiotherapist.

Fifteen years ago, Catherine, an experienced and dedicated physiotherapist, was out of work after the small private practice that employed her closed down. While searching for her next role, she spotted an advertisement in the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s monthly newsletter for a voluntary position at the ASRC. 

She was accepted quickly and when paid work came long soon after, she made sure to keep Tuesdays free. Every Tuesday afternoon since, Catherine has seen an average of four to five patients in the ASRC’s health clinic.

What has kept her coming back for 15 years? “I have skills in an area where I can make a big difference to how people in difficult circumstances feel about their future, and I get a lot of satisfaction helping them in this way,” she says. “It is very rewarding to turn them around by giving them more strength and flexibility in their bodies and ameliorating their pain.”

Some of Catherine’s clients have experienced physical harm in their homelands, and physiotherapy can significantly ease their pain. For Catherine, that is reward enough: “It enables clients to offer longer working hours to prospective employers, which lifts the income that they bring home and builds their self-esteem.”

One client proudly told her that after finding work, he had paid $7 in tax on his first fortnightly pay. It gave him a real sense of self-worth and of contributing to Australian society. Sadly, Catherine notes, many clients do not have work rights.

Physiotherapy is not common in many of the countries ASRC clients come from, so the experience can be a revelation. “It is an eye-opener for many of them when they realise the benefits of physiotherapy and associated exercise programs for their physical and mental health,” she says. “I can see straight away from their improved posture and a more positive outlook that they are feeling better.”

Catherine is quick to credit the health team, which is largely made up of volunteers she described as absolutely vital to the service. “We all get on well and have enjoyable chats,” she says. With clients, she loves swapping stories about the foods and fashions of the world, and she has found soccer to be a universally popular topic. 

She has made good friends along the way, some of whom she now socialises with outside the ASRC. Away from the clinic, she spends time with her family, including her first grandchild, works as a practice manager for her husband’s medical specialty practice, enjoys international travel and volunteers in an annual food drive with her church. 

This year, Catherine’s service to the community was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal. Congratulations, Catherine!