Really Interesting Women - Podcast

Episode 129 - Professor Fiona Wood FRACS AO

Fiona Wood was born in Yorkshire and was told that becoming a surgeon was not something she could do. She’s not the sort of person that hears the word ‘no’.

She studied medicine in London and was an outlier. And there was another outlier there...a male doctor often seen in handknitted jumpers and Dunlop Volleys (as opposed to the expected blazers and ties). He was, perhaps you’ve guessed, an Australian. They fell in love, got married and immigrated to Perth with their 2 very young children in 1987 (those 2 were soon joined by 4 more).

Fiona completed training in plastic surgery and subsequently became Head of the Royal Perth Hospital Burns Unit. In fact, she became the first female plastic surgeon in Western Australia.

It was her work with medical scientist Marie Stoner on tissue engineering and burn treatments that would gain her attention within the medical world, but it was as the face of Australia’s response to the Bali bombings in October 2002 that brought her international attention as she led a team of 19 surgeons and 130 medical staff working around the clock in four operating theatres to save lives.

And her incredible ongoing medical innovations and dedication contributed to her being recognised as a “National Living Treasure” and in 2005 being named Australian of the Year.

We had a fabulous conversation. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I don’t think it was quite this.

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to the podcast....

For those wanting to help with a donation or just read more about her incredible work, head to

www.fionawoodfoundation.org.au

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https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Really Interesting Women - the podcast

Episode 128

SUSAN JOHNSON

The Australian newspaper has described Susan Johnson as, ‘One of the finest Australian writers.’

She describes herself as, author, incurable Australian, friend, feminist, ambivalent mother skewered by love and struck by eternal wanderlust.
Isn't that a terrific description.

Her books include, From Where I Fell, published in 2021 (shortlisted for the Voss Literary Award) and The Broken Book (longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award in 2005) and, most recently, Aphrodite’s Breath: A Mother and Daughter's Greek Island Adventure which is a memoir about living on Kythera, Greece, with her 85-year-old mother. A really great read.

She started her career as a journalist and her life trajectory changed in 1985, when she received the first of three New Writers' grants from the Literature Board of the Australia Council which allowed her to write full time. She is now the author of twelve books.

Join me for a great discussion with Susan Johnson.


Link to Susan's latest book:
https://www.booktopia.com.au/aphrodite-s-breath-susan-johnson/book/9781760876562.html

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friends
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Really Interesting Women - The Podcast

Episode 127


DR SONIA HENRY

Sonia Henry is a doctor practicing in rural Australia. I mean, really rural. She’s also a best-selling author, and an advocate, not only for the welfare of overworked doctors but for the improvement of medical services to remote indigenous communities.

This is a fascinating and inspiring story of how one doctor, almost on a whim, decided to leave the hustle and hassle of the city behind and took herself to one of the most remote parts of Australia to practice as a GP.

And her experiences there changed her life.

She has written two largely autobiographical best selling books about her experiences. The joys, the frustrations, the triumphs and tragedies. She outlines the myriad of problems and potential solutions. And here's a novel approach...when faced with the huge gap in healthcare treatment and availability for first nations people, she just asked her indigenous patients what they would need.

Head to the link in my bio for Sonia's episode.

Sonia's books are:
Going Under
https://www.booktopia.com.au/going-under-sonia-henry/book/9781760878641.html

Put Your Feet in the Dirt, Girl
https://www.booktopia.com.au/put-your-feet-in-the-dirt-girl-sonia-henry/book/9781761068072.html

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friends
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849