Doctor-in-training Joelene Murdoch Ward with some high fashion for this Saturday’s Fashion and Fits fundraiser to help women in Wagga. Photo: Supplied.
It’s a health issue that affects more than one in three women, but with no service in the Riverina, a group of physiotherapists from Sydney are being flown into Wagga on full fares to help.
“It’s zero, there’s currently no service for women who require pelvic floor rehabilitation and other services that we provide,” said local physiotherapist Joelene Murdoch Ward.
To offset the cost of flying in medical experts who can cure these debilitating issues for women, Ms Ward has organised a two-hour fashion parade fundraiser event of new clothes and seconds for this Saturday 14 March at Bunkr Gym in Tompson Street, Wagga.
“We’re hoping to raise $10,000,” Joelene said.
Beautiful fashion items for sale at this Saturday’s Fashion and Fits fundraiser. The clothes have been collected from Sydney by physiotherapists to help women in the Riverina. Photo: Supplied.
“We’ve collected new and preloved designer clothes from all of our friends and family in Sydney, and we have some new fitness clothes donated by Puma, and we’re going to do a little fashion parade to show off the good items and then sell it.”
The Riverina’s first Fashion and Fits event will also have hundreds of pieces arranged on racks, with money raised going to a vital service for local women.
High fashion labels have flown into Wagga for the Fashion and Fits fundraiser this Saturday 14 March. Photo: Supplied.
“We’ve got beautiful Celine Coach, Yves Saint Laurent, and a Max Mara coat that I’ve got my eye on. We have dresses by Sass and Bide, Camilla and Marc, Shona Joy, and other amazing Aussie brands.
Sparkling, espresso martini or a mocktail will greet you on arrival. There will be a fashion parade, canapes and lucky door prizes.
All funds will go to help women in need of free essential pelvic health support by expert women’s health physiotherapists in conjunction with the Wagga Women’s Health Clinic.
At least 30 per cent of Australia’s women will suffer from issues such as incontinence, vaginal pain and pelvic prolapse, but the good news is that all of these potentially debilitating problems can be cured.
“Some symptoms are a bit more obvious, like incontinence; if you leak when you cough, sneeze, laugh, jump, or on the way to the toilet, and there’s faecal incontinence as well which is usually related to a birthing injury,” Jolene said.
“Then there’s pelvic pain, which is like any pain around the vagina, and pain with intercourse is an unacceptable symptom that a lot of women put up with.”
Treatment for most of these issues is very simple, cost effective and successful.
“Absolutely. You don’t necessarily need to buy any equipment. You just need to be able to come to us and we can do our job with you and then prescribe potentially some exercises to do at home,” Jolene said.
The treatment Joelene and her team offers is life-changing.
“More often than not we can get a full resolution of the symptoms.”
The invitation is open to anyone, especially women, to buy a $25 ticket and come along to the Fashion and Fits fundraiser, with a plea to those who can’t make it to please donate money to cover the costs of flying medical experts into Wagga from Sydney to help thousands of women in need.
“The fundraiser is to support a free pelvic health clinic, which is like a women’s health clinic for women who can’t afford private services when they’ve got problems like pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, stress urinary incontinence, or any other services with their bladder or bowel. It’s a very busy service,” Ms Ward said.
The Fashion and Fits for Female Health Fundraiser will be held at 5 pm on Saturday 14 March at the Bunkr Gym, 29 Tompson Street Wagga. Tickets cost $25 and include a cocktail/mocktail on arrival and canapes and can be bought on the humanitix website.
