February 2023

Cancer research fundraiser

Advocacy, Keynote Speaking / February 26, 2023

It was wonderful to get in front so many generous people and speak at the Life’s Good fundraiser supporting cancer research at SAHMRI. It is always a privilege to share on important topics such as this one. An important lesson I’ve learnt from my family’s lived experience with cancer, and the privilege of caring for people with head and neck cancer, is not to underestimate the profound impact that simple kind words and actions can have. Spending that extra time with someone to let them be heard, may not take a lot of time out of your day, but could mean the world to someone facing the daily battle for their life. There is a strong ripple effect which then helps the loved ones who are connected to that person too. So let’s give generously in the ways we can, whether that be through donations to support cancer research or cancer support groups, and also remember to give generously through kind words and actions.

#cancerawareness #cancerresearch #specialneedsdentistry

Autism and neurodiversity advocacy

Advocacy, Inclusion and diversity, Special needs dentistry / February 15, 2023

Drawing upon the lived experience of my youngest brother Arron who has autism, and the autistic people I have cared for as a Specialist in Special Needs Dentistry, I met with Emily Bourke – Labor MLC, our nation’s first Assistant Minister for Autism to discuss the oral healthcare needs of people with autism and the barriers they face to accessing care, which impacts on their general health, wellbeing, and flows on to limit their opportunities to access education, employment and live life to their true potential. I heard concerns about the negative impact of poor oral health and the barriers to accessing dental care echoed this week at the Autism Community Forum. Thank you to all of the people who stepped out in courage and shared their lived experiences that night. I encourage all individuals and caregivers with lived experience with autism to share and bring visibility to the issues which are important to you through emailing a few sentences, a video or audio clip to SAAutismStrategy@sa.gov.au by February 20th 2023.

Let’s amplify the voices of those with lived experience in shaping South Australia’s First Autism Strategy and be a part of building a community which is more inclusive of neurodiversity

#inclusion #neurodiversity #specialneedsdentistry #advocacy #oralhealthcare

Intrinsic worth of every human

Advocacy, Inclusion and diversity, Leadership / February 15, 2023

A question from a listener during my interview with @radio_italiana_531:

What is your advice to a young woman in a fast-paced, male-dominated career who has a strong passion to help community but at the same time balancing looking after their own mental health?

The answer that came to mind straight away stemmed from the reason I believe so strongly in inclusion:

My advice was to remember that you are 100% worthy the way you are.

You are not defined by what you do. You are defined by who you are. You are a unique person, who holds so much intrinsic value because there is no other you. Every experience, memory, feeling, conversation and moment that has made the unique sum of who you are, is completely unique. There is no one else with that same unique lived experience as you that has ever existed in the history of our universe, and there will never be another you who will exist in the future. This intrinsic value and worth that exists in you, and uniquely in every single human cannot be taken away. But our worth can be forgotten. It can be easy to forget when we are bombarded daily by messages from social media, or advertisements that tell us that we are not enough: not thin enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough – then these external voices we absorb become our self-critical internal voices.

Taking action and contributing to our community from a mindset where you know you are not doing it to “earn” your worth, because you are already inherently worthy, will help you be kind to yourself and to others, and help them see their own value and worth. So no matter what the external world is telling you about your value being based on external measures, remember that intrinsically you are enough, that you have everything you need, and you are perfect as the unique human you are.

Listen to the full interview here: Dr. Trudy Lin – 2022 SA Young Australian of the Year – Club G – Radio Italiana 531-Interviews – Omny.fm

Pay our respects

Advocacy / February 4, 2023

It was deeply moving to be a part of a powerful tribute this morning, paying our respects to the lives of the 60 Australian Women who were murdered in 2022. As a Specialist in Special Needs Dentistry, I have cared for women who have experienced domestic violence, who fear for the safety of their lives and/or their children’s lives, and so thank you to Gillian Lewis and Stacey Nelan for bringing women and men from all walks of life together for this event to honour the lives lost and shine a spotlight on the important issue of violence against women. I held the placard representing the 60th Australian woman who was murdered last year, and it was heart-wrenching to hear the stories of each woman before her who lost their lives. Even just one life lost is one too many, as every human holds value as a unique person who is irreplaceable, in addition to the ongoing impact on those who have lost a mother, daughter, granddaughter, grandmother, sister, niece, cousin or friend.

By promoting respect and equality for every person, we can prevent violence against any person, not only women, and work toward a future where we no longer have to mourn lives lost to violence.