Ms Sarah Brown1
1Purple House, Alice Springs, Australia
Biography:
Sarah Brown AM has been the CEO of Purple House for 23 years. Before that she was a RAN for 10 years in NT, WA and Tasmania. She was awarded an Australia Medal in 2022 for services to remote Indigenous communities and remote nursing and was HESTA Nurse of the Year in 2017. She holds a Master of Nursing and Graduate Diplomas in Aboriginal Education and Health Service Management.
Marlene Nampatjimpa Spencer is the Chair of the Purple House and a Board member of Pintupi Homelands Health Service. They have worked together for over 20 years.
Abstract:
Twenty five years ago Pintupi people held an extraordinary auction at the Art Gallery of NSW to raise money to establish dialysis in the community of Walungurru (Kintore) 540 kms west of Alice. With independent money they developed a new model of care based on the need for people to be with family on country to keep their spirit strong. Today, the Directors of Purple House have helped communities across remote Australia to establish services, have caused a change to medicare through their advocacy and leadership. They have honed their model to integrate Aged Care, social enterprise and Primary Health Care services as well as training on country, palliative care, consumer groups and patient mentors. Purple house is a strong story of community vision supported by workers who understand the importance of walking in two worlds. This is a story of agency and hope,