For women by women: EmpowHER celebrates Women’s Health Week with live event

EmpowHER is a Kyabram-based non-for-profit organisation that aims to connect women in the community through social events run throughout the year with Women’s Health Week one of the biggest on their calendar.

The theme for 2024 Women’s Health Week, which ran from September 2 to 6 was ‘Your voice, your choice’ and to make the week, the EmpowHER committee used the voices of two of Kyabram’s most ‘humerus’ talent to host an event about women’s health.

Kyabram's own Alisha Beavis and Kelly Scorey, the dynamic duo behind the Two Humerus Nurses Podcast, captivated the audience with their live-podcast session on Friday night.

Following a light dinner provided by the Kyabram Bakery in the Plaza Theatre ballroom, the doors to the theatre opened and crowds began to wade in.

As the audience settled, the charismatic hosts took centre stage, kicking off with a witty monologue and engaging the crowd in a hilarious round of ‘Never Have I Ever’, featuring uniquely female experiences.

By the end, the crowd were warmed up, the two hosts were in sync with the audience, and the first of two guest speakers made their way on stage to applause.

The first guest speaker was Christine Anderson, a well-known figure in the Kyabram community for anyone she taught in her years as a teacher, or who have heard her talk in her advocacy for Parkinson's disease.

On stage, she recalled the moment she found out she had Parkinson's disease when at 56 she noticed she was not walking normally.

After visiting a GP who referred her to a neurologist, the diagnosis was set in stone.

Ms Anderson’s candid and often humorous insights, prompted by Alisha and Kelly’s questions, painted a vivid picture of life with Parkinson’s, underscoring her determination to live life on her own terms.

The second guest of the night was Monique Camm, a registered nurse and an expert on incontinence and pelvis health in women from GV Body Rejuvenation.

Kelly guided the conversation with Ms Camm, using her personal experiences and difficulties with incontinence to prompt information and advice for everyone in the audience about the importance of pelvic health

In a standout moment, Ms Camm led the audience through an engaging pelvic floor exercise, cleverly comparing the muscle movements to an elevator's operations – a simple yet effective technique for preventing incontinence.

To conclude the evening, EmpowHER committee member Michelle Sing presented the two hosts and the guests with flowers and their thanks for contributing their time to the event.

“It is our privilege to be able to connect all the women in this room together and to share some stories and have a laugh,” Ms Sing said.

For those unable to attend or eager to revisit the enlightening discussions, a full recording of the event will be available on the Two Humerus Nurses Podcast, accessible via Spotify and Apple Music.