Baby Coming You Ready? (BCYR): it’s time for change.

Abstract: BCYR is co-designed as a strengths-based, therapeutic, practical, and innovative solution to support the social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, and to enhance maternal and infant outcomes. Findings of the BCYR pilot and its use of touch-screen technology in clinical practice will be presented.

Keynote Speaker - Trish Ratajczak

Trish Ratajczak is Palawa woman from Lutruwita (Tasmania) with connections to descendent Mannalargenna chief of the Pairrebeene/Trawlwoolway Clan. Trish is a research officer at Ngangk Yira Institute for Change at Murdoch University in Western Australia co-lead for the Baby Coming You Ready program. She is a registered clinical midwife of 13 years in the tertiary setting and has been a strong advocate and educator for upcoming health professionals on Aboriginal health and culturally security for the past 13 years in the universities in Western Australia. She is also an early childhood educator and is committed supporting positive impact and change with Community at every opportunity.

Diabetes in Pregnancy

Dr Louise Maple-Brown

Louise Maple-Brown is a Senior Endocrinologist at the Royal Darwin Hospital (NT, Australia), Deputy Director Research (April 2023) and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Menzies. Louise established and leads the Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership. The partnership includes several large NHMRC-funded projects, including the Youth Type 2 Diabetes Models of Care, Northern Territory and Far North Queensland Diabetes in Pregnancy Partnership and The PANDORA (Pregnancy And Neonatal Diabetes Outcomes in Remote Australia) Cohort Study.

After completing the majority of her physician and endocrinology training at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Louise moved to Darwin in 2002 to pursue her passion of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to improve health outcomes. Louise was Head of Department of Endocrinology at Royal Darwin Hospital (2012-2022) and founded the NT Diabetes Network in 2018 (inaugural Chair 2018 -2022). She was a member of the Australian Diabetes Society Council (2014-2022) and the Council of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (2011-2014). Louise has been providing clinical diabetes services to urban and remote NT communities for over 20 years. She is a current member of the NT Clinical Senate.

In 2020 Louise was awarded the Australian Diabetes Society Ranji and Amara Wikramanayake clinical Diabetes Mid-Career Research award and in 2021, Louise was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

Sian Graham

My name is Sian Graham and I am a Noongar and Bardi -Jawi woman. I am currently a Senior Research Officer working on the Diabetes Across the Lifecourse; Northern Australian Partnership. I have had a number of opportunities to undertake research in both urban and remote communities across the Northern Territory and the Kimberley. I have worked at Menzies School of Health Research for 14 years across several divisions, including Child Health, Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease, and Tropical and Emerging diseases. During this time, I have been able to connect with participants and build strong relationships based on trust and respect, as well as build on my capacity as researcher.

I am dedicated and committed to working towards improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I believe that it is my responsibility as an Aboriginal researcher to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their rights within research. I believe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must play an imperative role in research, and we need to work together collaboratively to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have an opportunity to provide input into the direction of our research.