AN Indigenous lifestyle program to reduce the risk of chronic disease in the Orange Aboriginal community was launched at Orange hospital on Wednesday.
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Aunty Judy’s Aboriginal Healthy Lifestyle Program has been developed to help Indigenous people who have, or are at risk of developing, chronic disease such as diabetes, lung disease, asthma, kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure.
It was named after Aunty Judy O’Neill an Aboriginal elder who died last year and was the founding member of the group.
It will promote healthy lifestyles through supervised exercise programs, education and ongoing support and assistance.
Aboriginal Health Education Officer Alby Ryan and Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer Cathy Robbins will run the program.
“This is very important in a lot of ways. Firstly, it’s an Aboriginal specific program,” Mr Ryan said.
“It’s an opportunity for people to get together in a comfortable environment, as opposed to a non-Aboriginal healthy lifestyle program that’s been developed here.”
“For our people it is all dependent on feeling comfortable and having confidence in a culturally-safe environment.”
Mr Ryan said between 15 and 16 people would take part in the program at this stage.
Mrs Robbins said most participants were people who came through the hospital, but information would also be spread through GPs and events such as NAIDOC week.
“It’s about closing the gap with the life expectancy of Aboriginal people,” she said.
The program will be delivered at the hospital’s Community Health Centre each Wednesday between 1.30pm and 3pm.
tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au