Telstra – Good Ideas for Health

We’re fortunate to have the technology and resources to make a real difference in the lives of people across the country.

And nowhere can this be better demonstrated than in the health of Australians.

As part of Ideas For Good, we’ve already supported a number of health ideas which are benefiting people across Australia, like appointing Gail O'Brien as our Champion for health.

If health is a passion of yours, please keep up-to-date with all the latest issues on the blog and explore the Ideas For Good initiatives below.

join the health discussion

MyGlucoHealth

MyGlucoHealth brings control and convenience to people with diabetes by instantly analysing and sending blood sugar results over a mobile phone.

Mobiletype

Led by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute research team and supported by the Telstra Foundation, Mobiletype is a mobile-based program that provides a youth friendly way to improve the treatment and care of young people diagnosed with depression, by bridging the gap between doctors and patients with technology.

Gail O'Brien

Post federal election health
Hello Everyone, With the Labor federal government now in place, it will be interesting to see what changes there will be in health policy and if there will be real change and improvements, particularly in rural areas. There has been the proposed change to hospital funding and management, with the powerbase being shifted from the states to the federal government, but wit...

Gail O'Brien

Integrative medicine
There is definitely a move towards a more holistic approach to medicine. I am looking forward to attending at the beginning of Sept in Queensland, the 16th International Integrative medicine conference run by the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association. The 2nd annual Integrated Cancer Symposium will be held in Melbourne. This is certainly the way forward in helping patien...

Gail O'Brien

Fundraising
A great deal of my time is devoted to fundraising for research programmes for Head and Neck Cancer which was Chris' surgical specialty. Tonight I was speaking to a gentleman who wants to run a marathon next year in aid of Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Head and Neck Cancer awareness. People are amazing with their generosity of spirit. I frequently attend functions where people decide ...

Gail O'Brien

Design of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at RPA

Hello everyone, I am posting an image of the architectural design of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at RPA. The architects...

Gail O'Brien

In Loving Memory of Chris O'Brien
I am sending this blog from NYC where I shall have the opportunity to tour the "integrative centre" of the Sloane Kettering Memorial hospital. June 4 marks the first anniversary of Chris' death from brain cancer. I must say I underestimated the impact of the lead up to the anniversary of the death of a loved one. I find myself reliving those last few days of an illness we just c...

Post federal election health

Hello Everyone, With the Labor federal government now in place, it will be interesting to see what changes there will be in health policy and if there will be real change and improvements, particularly in rural areas. There has been the proposed change to hospital funding and management, with the powerbase being shifted from the states to the federal government, but with increased local control. If individual hospital networks and primary healthcare organisations can be more innovative in their delivery of services, perhaps they will get better value from their individual b...

comment on this

Integrative medicine

There is definitely a move towards a more holistic approach to medicine. I am looking forward to attending at the beginning of Sept in Queensland, the 16th International Integrative medicine conference run by the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association. The 2nd annual Integrated Cancer Symposium will be held in Melbourne. This is certainly the way forward in helping patients negotiate all the difficult elements of cancer treatment. All the best, Gail

comment on this

Fundraising

A great deal of my time is devoted to fundraising for research programmes for Head and Neck Cancer which was Chris' surgical specialty. Tonight I was speaking to a gentleman who wants to run a marathon next year in aid of Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Head and Neck Cancer awareness. People are amazing with their generosity of spirit. I frequently attend functions where people decide that they just want to raise funds to donate. Often it is in memory of a loved one who has died. I think it is a wonderful way to keep them alive in peoples' hearts and minds. All the best Gail

comment on this

Design of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at RPA
Hello everyone, I am posting an image of the architectural design of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at RPA. The architects from Rice Daubney have interpreted Chris' vision beautifully for a Comprehensive Cancer Centre for all. This will be a world class centre dedicated to cancer sufferers and their families. Here they will be able to access the very latest in cancer treatment and also access complementary care and support as they go through their treatment. Their treatment will be underpinned by the research which will take place within the centre. There will be a culture of caring whi...

comment on this

In Loving Memory of Chris O'Brien

I am sending this blog from NYC where I shall have the opportunity to tour the "integrative centre" of the Sloane Kettering Memorial hospital. June 4 marks the first anniversary of Chris' death from brain cancer. I must say I underestimated the impact of the lead up to the anniversary of the death of a loved one. I find myself reliving those last few days of an illness we just couldn't conquer. My hope is that Chris' dream of integrated care for cancer patients in a beautiful environment regardless of their health insurance status will become all that he worked so hard to achieve. When I...

comment on this