Shout out from Board Director Kimberley Hunter for Occupational Therapy week 2020

Happy OT Week to all my fellow Occupational Therapists out there. Whether you are one, know one, or have received support from one, I am sure we can all agree that OTs do such incredible and meaningful work across the many spaces that we operate. This week is a great opportunity to reflect on the incredibly valuable contributions occupational therapists make to holistic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and social and emotional wellbeing, and in particular the contributions of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupational therapists.  

We bring with us to our roles a wealth of intergenerational knowledge of what good health looks like. It is this knowledge, passed through the generations, that has seen us survive as a peoples, since time immemorial. Knowing this brings me great pride and much reason to celebrate. While we remain tasked with the great challenge of achieving health equity for our mob, I take comfort in knowing that the path forward is grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander solutions.  

I would like to thank IAHA for their recognition of and advocacy for the valuable role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupational therapists play across many sectors, and the vital piece of the puzzle we hold in the provision of holistic, culturally responsive care. I would also like to thank our incredible membership for the personal and interdisciplinary support they continue to provide me—without a doubt you all help guide me to be the best OT I can be. 

Kimberley is a Nyikina woman from the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Kimberley has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy), a Graduate Certificate in Public Health and is a member of the IAHA Board of Directors.