These past 4 years have been filled with hard work, growth, and dedication at Not Just Bendy Hypermobility Services. I am beyond thrilled to share that not only was I named Physiotherapist of the Year at the Allied Health Awards, but our incredible team also won the award for Adult Allied Health Team of the Year. These honours are a testament to the tireless commitment of our entire team to the care and empowerment of our clients living with hypermobility and related conditions.
Our Journey to Excellence
Since Not Just Bendy opened in 2020, we have strived to push the boundaries of what’s possible in hypermobility care. From expanding our facilities in 2022 to earning recognition as an EDS Centre of Excellence, our growth has always been driven by one goal: empowering our clients to live confident, strong, and fulfilling lives.
These awards are a significant milestone for our team, and they validate the work we do every day. But more than that, they highlight the importance of recognising conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders in the broader healthcare community.
The Application Process: Behind the Scenes
For those thinking about applying or nominating someone for the Allied Health Awards, I want to share a bit about the application process. At first, it can feel daunting to summarise everything you’ve worked on, but the key is to be proud of your achievements and be truthful about the impact you’ve made. Whether it’s patient outcomes, community involvement, or innovation in care, focus on what sets you apart and how your work makes a difference.
I made particular note to detail the unique challenges and successes we’ve had at Not Just Bendy. The process helped me reflect on just how far we’ve come and how much more we still want to achieve.
If you’ve considered nominating yourself or someone else, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a genuine recognition of the incredible work happening across allied health professions.
The Authenticity of the Allied Health Awards
I know some people might question the validity of awards like these, and I want to be very clear: the Allied Health Awards are the real deal. The organisers were incredibly genuine, and it is run by Sarena Jones (and her team) who is an OT on the Sunshine Coast and just genuinely wants all allied health to talk, network and sing our praises to all who will listen. It isn’t a marketing scheme – there is no purchase at the end of it all to make. Just an offer to be a judge for the future years’ awards.
From the application process to the awards night itself, everything was handled with professionalism and care. It’s not just about recognition for the sake of it – it’s about inspiring the entire healthcare community to strive for better outcomes for patients. My husband (an IT nerd) spent lots of the night crying in appreciation, listening to the award winners, speakers and sponsors. Allied health is making a real impact in the world!!
Acceptance Speeches: Words from the Heart
During the awards night, I had the honour of sharing a few words when accepting the Physiotherapist of the Year award, and later when our team was recognised.
Here’s a portion of what I shared in my speech:
“When I was nominated, people asked me how long it took me to write the nomination process, and I told them, a couple of weekends and 27 years to work out what to write down.
First of all, I want to thank all the other nominees—Sarena and her team—you are all wonderful. My home team is my husband, Leon, and my kids, Jay and Ghost. Our cat, K-Nuckles, is also a very important part of our support network. I’d like to thank Sian Burton, my business mentor, who has taught me how to scale my business in a feminine way, so I can still balance family and business life. (Also thanks to) My team, who are very vocal at Not Just Bendy (whoo!!! – *cheers from the crowd*). I don’t feel like an extraordinary physio. I’m just someone who tries to kick the next can down the road, and has lots of cans to kick. Who knew that after all this time, I’d finally kick them somewhere useful? *laughs*
I also feel like I’ve been in the right place at the right time to champion my cause, which is, of course, Hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
- It’s the right time because, as a woman, I was born into an era where I can be an innovator and be accepted for that. It’s also a time when women are stepping up and asking for better care from their medical teams.
- And I’m in the right place—Brisbane—because this is a city where we have a wonderful relationship with our multidisciplinary teams, and we have people interested in learning and improving.
So, my goal is to train 5,000 Australian Allied Health professionals and doctors about hypermobility, and to cut the average time for diagnosing EDS in Australia from 20 years to just 2 years.
Thanks everybody!”
Later, I spoke again when we accepted the Adult Allied Health Team of the Year award:
“I just wanted to say that I started this journey as an “n” of 1. Constantly pulled in front of the physio classes as an example of what not to be. I have learned from my colleagues and continually applied principles of management to myself—some worked, and some didn’t.
Eventually, I had my babies, and then I had an “n” of 3. Three people who did not fit the mould of what should work, and three people who couldn’t get much help from the mainstream medical system.
The “n” of 3 grew to a team of 17, of which I say about 85% are hypermobile. Part of fun of having hypermobile staff is taking them from someone who can’t mobilise anyone without dislocating their shoulder, to taking them to someone who can climb up a rope unassisted – yes, thank you Marlisa! (Wooool— from the crowd).
So we’ve done lots of research, we’ve done conferences. I travelled to New York for the 2016 for the first meeting of the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome International Consortium, that expanded into me speaking at the Australian Physio Association conferences, National conferences, and now political lobbying and applications for grants for clinical based research – we’ll have a “n” of over a thousand.
So my team are amazing. When you walk through my practice which we have made especially for hypermobiles, you mostly hear giggling and laughing, which is sometimes confounding because the types of clients we’re dealing with – they’re constantly extremely disabled, in a lot of pain, and sometimes in a very distressed state.
I just love walking down the hallway and hearing laughter coming out of each room. And we are not laughing at them, I hope we’re laughing with them *laughs*
The other great thing we’ve got is we got published last year an article on the expert consensus on cranio-cervical instability, and through our work in Brisbane with our multidisciplinary team, we have about 500 individuals on our list at the moment.
The Ehlers-Danlos Society is bringing their international conference to Brisbane, so if you’re interested—Feb 7th to 9th (2015). And of course, I’m on the planning committee and have been asked to present 5 times, which I’m sure will be fine and no stress at all! *laughs*
Thank you to my husband who has been there supporting and reassuring me when I’m faced with fatigue, imposter syndrome, and multiple comorbidities associated with my own hypermobility, including POTS, MCAS, and yesterday adding ADHD to all these. *laughs*
So thank you, everybody. It’s been a real honour.”
I must admit – these speeches were scrawled on a piece of paper during the dinner – just in case. If I had taken the possibility of winning more seriously than I would not have missed these extra things I wanted to say:
- I tried to drag my team are here onto the stage – I tried but they were feeling a bit scared – maybe next time! HaHa!
- This year we have added a management team to NJB – I want to thank my business management team – Michelle, Jennifer and Marlisa. These women are working tirelessly behind the scenes to assist me achieving the 100s of lofty goals that I have. Look where we have got to!! Its worth the blood, sweat, and tears. And the caffeine, sugar, strapping tape and electrolytes!!
Photos of the Night
Of course, no celebration would be complete without a few photos from the night! Here’s a glimpse of the fun and excitement as we celebrated our wins together:
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Not Just Bendy
Winning these awards is just the beginning. We’re already planning new initiatives, expanding our services, and diving deeper into research to improve the diagnosis and management of hypermobility and related conditions. Our team is more motivated than ever to continue leading the way in hypermobility care.
We’re also increasing our educational outreach, both within the clinic and to the broader healthcare community. We believe that knowledge is power, and we’re committed to sharing what we’ve learned through our unique approach to care.
Encouraging Future Nominations
If you know an outstanding allied health professional or team, I encourage you to consider nominating them for the 2026 Allied Health Awards. This recognition can shine a light on the incredible work happening every day in our field. And don’t be afraid to nominate yourself! It’s an opportunity to reflect on your achievements and inspire others to aim higher.
Thank You
Finally, none of this would be possible without the support of our amazing clients, colleagues, and community. From all of us at Not Just Bendy, thank you for being a part of our journey. We’re excited to continue working with you, growing with you, and helping to make a real difference in the world of hypermobility care. And thank you for indulging me in this blog post based on the Allied Health Awards experience.
