Carina Chesson Receives Queensland Day Award We all know it’s the people who make Queensland truly legendary. And when disaster strikes, it’s often the quiet heroes who rise to the challenge without fanfare or fuss. Carina Chesson is one of those heroes. Recognised as one of this year’s Queensland Day's five Local Legends, Carina showed what it means to step up for your community when it needs you most. From heart to hand, her actions during the devastating February floods in Ingham proved that
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For Prestigious Queensland Training Award Seventeen-year-old Sophie Johnson is making waves in the healthcare sector, earning recognition as a finalist in the 2025 Queensland Training Awards. A student at Gilroy Santa Maria College, Sophie is one of only three contenders shortlisted in the School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category for the North Queensland region - an impressive feat given that more than 750 applications were received statewide. Sophie is the first school-based tr
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Read the full storyDuring the recent floods, Optimise Health and Wellness played a critical role in ensuring vulnerable community members received the care they needed. Despite widespread disruptions, the organisation remained operational, implementing emergency management strategies and strategically positioning staff across affected areas to provide continuous healthcare services.
Director and Mental Health Occupational Therapist Kara Christopher highlighted their efforts in supporting isolated individuals.
“One of our participants with Parkinson’s was alone and cut off from services, but our team maintained regular phone check-ins and worked with local stakeholders to ensure he was safe and supported. Knowing someone was checking in on him made all the difference,” she said.
Beyond direct client care, Kara was also involved in the Community Recovery Centre, to be able to offer mental health services to more people, not just clients of Optimise Health and Wellness.
Kara provided mental health support to residents processing the emotional toll of the disaster. She noted that people experienced lots of loss and a sense of being trapped.
“Having the opportunity to sit and normalise and discuss, that helps. And it's been kind of humbling to be able to sit and be part of that process and work through with people and to work within the broader team."
Despite the trauma of the event, Kara also said that Ingham residents are resilient and there are always people that believe someone is worse off than them. As a local Kara says she had heard about how caring the Ingham community is, but to witness it first-hand during the floods was incredibly uplifting.
In addition to crisis response, Optimise Health and Wellness provides a range of essential healthcare services year-round. They have been operational since 2018 and offer allied health support, including occupational therapy, psychology, exercise physiology, and therapy assistance. Their team works closely with NDIS and aged care, they mostly work with vulnerable people in the community.
With a strong focus on accessibility and person-centred care, Optimise Health and Wellness continues to be a pillar of support for the community, ensuring that healthcare services are available when and where they are needed.
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