Eyesight is vital: it impacts how we learn, how we connect, and how we experience the world. But research shows a significant gap in eye and ear health between Australia’s First Nations people and the broader community.

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, Michelle Ainsworth speaks with optometrist Lisa Penrose-Herbert about her unexpected journey into Indigenous eye health, and the impact of her 2016 Churchill Fellowship, sponsored by The Dr Dorothea Sandars and Irene Lee Churchill Fellowship

Lisa shares how her trip through Canada and the US inspired innovative, culturally safe approaches to eye care. From holistic healthcare to AI-powered diabetic retinopathy screening in rural Australia, Lisa also reflects on lessons learned, challenges faced, and the ongoing need for integrated, community-led solutions to close the gap in vision health outcomes.

Fellowship Sponsor: Lisa was awarded The Dr Dorothea Sandars and Irene Lee Churchill Fellowship to explore models of integrated primary health care to improve Indigenous eye health.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel 
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