Gillian Mason, Manager for Stroke Research Register (Hunter) & Clinical Research Assistant, Centre for Rehab Innovations, University of Newcastle and HMRI, has been recognised as an inaugural 2021 Brilliant Women in Digital award recipient.
Presented by Telstra Health, the award initiative has been presented to 25 women who showcase excellent technical expertise and have made contributions with significant impact across the health, aged care, medical research and technology sectors.
As a proudly disabled and chronically ill physiotherapist, Gillian has used her more than 15 years’ healthcare experience ‘from both sides of the bedside’ to transform the way that people’s lived experience is valued and included in the design of human-centred, digitally enabled, accessible health systems.
“I’m proud to have contributed to an inclusive digital health future by being visibly, authentically myself at work,” Ms. Mason said.
“In overcoming my own internalised ableism and sexism, I’ve learnt to value, and then leverage the rich lived-experience and the high-level problem-solving skills that I have developed from working through adversity.”
Ms. Mason actively supports patients and carers to communicate their needs in the rapidly changing health environment.
“I’ve sought to become intentionally anti-ableist in my approach to professionalism and learned more about access, inclusion, disability pride and how to be influential as a science communicator, and disability and consumer advocate.”
“I hope we use the incredible digital tools available to us to make it much easier, and maybe even more fun for everyone to access the health care they need.
“It’s urgent that we acknowledge the opportunity, and responsibility, that we have to become radically inclusive about who our health technologies benefit.”
The 2021 Brilliant Women in Digital award initiative supports the purpose of the network overall – to connect, share, inspire and celebrate - by raising awareness about the opportunities in the digital health sector and inspiring others to follow the lead of our award recipients.
Find out more about the Brilliant Connected Women in Digital Health network here
