Category Mark Berridge   Show all

  • National Pain Week: Making our best guess of the world - how personal narratives help and hinder the chronic pain experience

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    The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability invite all members, subscribers, individuals with lived experience of pain, practitioners and anyone with an interest in chronic pain management to join us for this very special Hopkins Hour for National Pain Week, 2024.

    Originally created by Chronic Pain Australia, National Pain Week is Australia’s annual awareness event for chronic pain and aims to draw attention to the experience of people living with chronic pain. National Pain Week is a significant awareness campaign for many people who have experienced brain and spinal cord injury, who experience persistent pain, as well as those living with other disability. It’s equally important for pain researchers, clinicians, allied-health industry professionals and all others working in the field to comprehend the pain experience for our clients, collaborators and cohorts.

    This National Pain Week, The Hopkins Centre and Griffith Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability are inviting "painchangers', clinicians and pain researchers Dr Nicholas Aitcheson and Kim Talaber to host this Hopkins Hour, where they will share the latest research into the chronic pain experience, including strategies for management and the latest therapeutic models.

    Dr Nick Aitcheson is a rehabilitation and pain medicine specialist at Metro South Health Pain Rehabilitation Service. He has a particular interest in spinal injury rehabilitation, social prescribing, and the management of polypharmacy. Nick's current areas of research are pressure injuries in spinal cord injury, chronic chest pain, social education groups for social integration, and low dose naltrexone in the treatment of chronic pain.

    Kim Talaber, is a trained Physiotherapist and current PhD candidate with The Hopkins Centre and Griffith University. Her research investigates brain mechanisms to treat chronic neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Kim is completing her research with the Musculoskeletal Health & Persistent Pain Research Group, with support from a Seed Grant from The Hopkins Centre.

    During the session, Dr Aitcheson and Ms Talaber will be joined by special guest and Inclusive Futures Engagement Council member, Mark Berridge, to explore how individual experiences of pain can be influenced by personal perceptions and beliefs.

    Mark Berridge is an experienced business leader, TEDx speaker and multi-award-winning author. Mark’s extensive corporate expertise combined with the life changing lessons he gained overcoming a severe spinal injury provides a unique lens to inspire people and organisations to pursue their potential, undaunted by the uncertainty of their circumstances.

    We hope you can join us for this fascinating discussion.

    Head to our website to join this online event, live on Wednesday 24 July, 2024, at 12:30pm: https://lnkd.in/gBDvUKQm

    Hopkins Hour flyer containing information about this event and the link to access: https://tinyurl.com/zthbccv4

  • Inclusive Futures Book Club: Janine Shepherd AM and Mark Berridge

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    A montage of colour images from the bookclub hosted at the Griffith University Gold Coast Campus Library. Images from top (clockwise) 1. Dr. Maretta Mann, Janine Shepherd, Mark Berridge address the audience, Mark and Janine's books 'A fraction Stronger' and 'Defiant', Janine and Mark, an over the shoulder shot of the audience facing toward the front, Jim Hogan, Dr. Maretta Mann.

    We were honoured to welcome authors Janine Shepherd AM and Mark Berridge to our Inclusive Futures bookclub event on Wednesday, 25 October for a conversation about life after spinal cord injury, hosted by Dr Maretta Mann. Janine and Mark spoke openly about losing their sense of identity, and having to reimagine and rebuild themselves. Recovery is a full-time job in a rehabilitation unit, but they found support and kindness from angels - fellow in-patients, nurses and physios, family and friends. At many times they hit rock-bottom, and spoke of reframing their demons, and setting and working towards small, incremental goals.

    Janine, who was training for the Olympics when she had her accident, said that she used skills she developed as an athlete in her recovery, but that she believes everyone "has it in them" to find their new path. For her, becoming a pilot (including an aerobatics flying instructor) "literally saved my life". Mark, who was a senior corporate leader when he had his accident, said that we need to help people to "paint a picture" for where they want to go and provide the support networks to help them get there.

    They also discussed the importance of agency in a dehumanising hospital environment, where rehabilitation patients spend a lot of time, and the opportunity to make assistive devices beautiful as well as functional. A beautiful walking stick or mobility scooter can help people to feel comfortable being themselves and being visible.

    We encourage you to read their books:

    Defiant - A broken body is not a broken person, by Janine Shepherd

    A Fraction Stronger - Finding belief and possibility in life's impossible moments, by Mark Berridge.

    Join our Inclusive Futures Book Club to find out about future events: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/inclusive-futures-book-club

    A montage of colour images from the Griffith Inclusive Futures book club hosted at the Griffith University Gold Coast Campus Library. Images from top (clockwise): Roxane Lane captioner, Dr. Maretta Mann, Janine Shepherd and Mark Berridge, Julia Robertson following live captions on her smart phone, Janine Shepherd, Maureen Sullivan.