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Two lifesaving heart medicines added to the PBS

<p>Two lifesaving heart medicines have been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).</p> <p>Previous treatments for the two kinds of heart disorder cardiomyopathy, which affect around 4800 Australians, previously cost patients up to $122,000.</p> <p>Now, with the addition of it to the PBS, patients will only have to pay $31.60 per script, or just $7.70 with a concession card.</p> <p>One of the medications added to the list is Tafamadis (also known as Vyndamax), which is used to treat transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy - a rare heart disease that can present as shortness of breath and fatigue.</p> <p>The newly listed treatment slows the progression of the disease and prevents the build-up of thickened heart muscles, and is the most expensive medication costing patients around $122,000 for a year of treatment without the government subsidy. </p> <p>Camzyos, the treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which affects around 3600 Australians and previously cost around $30,000 per year of treatment, will also be subsidised.</p> <p>"It's vitally important that Australians have ready and affordable access to the latest treatments," Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said.</p> <p>"By listing Vyndamax and Camzyos on the PBS we're giving patients and their doctors new options for treatment at an affordable price.</p> <p>"It's part of the Albanese Government's commitment to keep medicines cheaper for Australians."</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

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"My heart is shattered": Girlfriend's tribute to partner killed in Mexico

<p>The girlfriend of one of the Perth brothers killed in Mexico has paid tribute to her partner, just days after the news of his tragic death broke. </p> <p>Brothers Callum and Jake Robinson were travelling in Mexico with their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, when they went missing. </p> <p>Days after their disappearance, their bodies were found in a well and identified by their families. </p> <p>Authorities believe all three were shot in the head in a botched robbery by thieves who wanted their ute for spare parts.</p> <p>Now, Callum's girlfriend Emily Horwath has shared a heart-breaking tribute to her partner, sharing loved up photos of the couple on Instagram.</p> <p>Horwath said her partner was “one of one”, writing, “My heart is shattered into a million pieces.”</p> <p>“I don’t have the words right now. I will love you forever.”</p> <p>Emily also shared the link to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/callum-and-jake-robinson-support-the-robinson-family?utm_campaign=p_cp+fundraiser-sidebar&amp;utm_content=anyword&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page made to support the Robinson family, which has raised almost $400,000. </p> <p>Other close friends remembered the 33-year-old as “one of the most beautiful and loving souls”.</p> <p>“This world lost one of its kindest, silliest and most genuine souls this week,” one friend said.</p> <p>“Heaven welcomed the purest, kindest angel,” another said.</p> <p>A friend of Jake paid tribute to the 30-year-old, saying, “it was an honour to have known and worked with you.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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What are heart rate zones, and how can you incorporate them into your exercise routine?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more popular in recent years partly because of the boom in wearable technology which, among other functions, allows people to easily track their heart rates.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6537749/">Heart rate zones</a> reflect different levels of intensity during aerobic exercise. They’re most often based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which is the highest number of beats your heart can achieve per minute.</p> <p>But what are the different heart rate zones, and how can you use these zones to optimise your workout?</p> <h2>The three-zone model</h2> <p>While there are several models used to describe heart rate zones, the most common model in the scientific literature is the <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/9/1/article-p100.xml">three-zone model</a>, where the zones may be categorised as follows:</p> <ul> <li> <p>zone 1: 55%–82% of maximum heart rate</p> </li> <li> <p>zone 2: 82%–87% of maximum heart rate</p> </li> <li> <p>zone 3: 87%–97% of maximum heart rate.</p> </li> </ul> <p>If you’re not sure what your maximum heart rate is, it can be calculated using <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/S0735-1097%2800%2901054-8">this equation</a>: 208 – (0.7 × age in years). For example, I’m 32 years old. 208 – (0.7 x 32) = 185.6, so my predicted maximum heart rate is around 186 beats per minute.</p> <p>There are also other models used to describe heart rate zones, such as the <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/14/8/article-p1151.xml">five-zone model</a> (as its name implies, this one has five distinct zones). These <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/9/1/article-p100.xml">models</a> largely describe the same thing and can mostly be used interchangeably.</p> <h2>What do the different zones involve?</h2> <p>The three zones are based around a person’s <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200939060-00003">lactate threshold</a>, which describes the point at which exercise intensity moves from being predominantly aerobic, to predominantly anaerobic.</p> <p>Aerobic exercise <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/difference-between-aerobic-and-anaerobic">uses oxygen</a> to help our muscles keep going, ensuring we can continue for a long time without fatiguing. Anaerobic exercise, however, uses stored energy to fuel exercise. Anaerobic exercise also accrues metabolic byproducts (such as lactate) that increase fatigue, meaning we can only produce energy anaerobically for a short time.</p> <p>On average your lactate threshold tends to sit around <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/OAJSM.S141657">85% of your maximum heart rate</a>, although this varies from person to person, and can be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00043.2013">higher in athletes</a>.</p> <p>In the three-zone model, each zone loosely describes <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2015.00295/full">one of three types of training</a>.</p> <p><strong>Zone 1</strong> represents high-volume, low-intensity exercise, usually performed for long periods and at an easy pace, well below lactate threshold. Examples include jogging or cycling at a gentle pace.</p> <p><strong>Zone 2</strong> is threshold training, also known as tempo training, a moderate intensity training method performed for moderate durations, at (or around) lactate threshold. This could be running, rowing or cycling at a speed where it’s difficult to speak full sentences.</p> <p><strong>Zone 3</strong> mostly describes methods of high-intensity interval training, which are performed for shorter durations and at intensities above lactate threshold. For example, any circuit style workout that has you exercising hard for 30 seconds then resting for 30 seconds would be zone 3.</p> <h2>Striking a balance</h2> <p>To maximise endurance performance, you need to strike a balance between doing enough training to elicit positive changes, while avoiding over-training, injury and burnout.</p> <p>While zone 3 is thought to produce the largest improvements in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1440244018309198">maximal oxygen uptake</a> – one of the best predictors of endurance performance and overall health – it’s also the most tiring. This means you can only perform so much of it before it becomes too much.</p> <p>Training in different heart rate zones improves <a href="https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&amp;type=pdf&amp;doi=38c07018c0636422d9d5a77316216efb3c10164f">slightly different physiological qualities</a>, and so by spending time in each zone, you ensure a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf00426304">variety of benefits</a> for performance and health.</p> <h2>So how much time should you spend in each zone?</h2> <p>Most <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1258585/full">elite endurance athletes</a>, including runners, rowers, and even cross-country skiers, tend to spend most of their training (around 80%) in zone 1, with the rest split between zones 2 and 3.</p> <p>Because elite endurance athletes train a lot, most of it needs to be in zone 1, otherwise they risk injury and burnout. For example, some runners accumulate <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/22/5/article-p392.xml?content=pdf">more than 250 kilometres per week</a>, which would be impossible to recover from if it was all performed in zone 2 or 3.</p> <p>Of course, most people are not professional athletes. The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">World Health Organization</a> recommends adults aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.</p> <p>If you look at this in the context of heart rate zones, you could consider zone 1 training as moderate intensity, and zones 2 and 3 as vigorous. Then, you can use heart rate zones to make sure you’re exercising to meet these guidelines.</p> <h2>What if I don’t have a heart rate monitor?</h2> <p>If you don’t have access to a heart rate tracker, that doesn’t mean you can’t use heart rate zones to guide your training.</p> <p>The three heart rate zones discussed in this article can also be prescribed based on feel using a simple <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00418.x">10-point scale</a>, where 0 indicates no effort, and 10 indicates the maximum amount of effort you can produce.</p> <p>With this system, zone 1 aligns with a 4 or less out of 10, zone 2 with 4.5 to 6.5 out of 10, and zone 3 as a 7 or higher out of 10.</p> <p>Heart rate zones are not a perfect measure of exercise intensity, but can be a useful tool. And if you don’t want to worry about heart rate zones at all, that’s also fine. The most important thing is to simply get moving.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228520/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061">Hunter Bennett</a>, Lecturer in Exercise Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-heart-rate-zones-and-how-can-you-incorporate-them-into-your-exercise-routine-228520">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Two-up, Gallipoli and the ‘fair go’: why illegal gambling is at the heart of the Anzac myth

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-moore-291912">Bruce Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p>Two-up is an Australian gambling game in which two coins are placed on a small piece of wood called a “kip” and tossed into the air. Bets are laid as to whether both coins will fall with heads or tails uppermost. It is one of the core activities of Anzac Day celebrations - and a beloved tradition.</p> <p>The word <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/ANZAC">ANZAC</a> was created in 1915 as an acronym from Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. By 1916 it was being used emblematically to reflect the traditional view of the virtues displayed by those in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Gallipoli-Campaign">Gallipoli campaign</a>, especially as these are seen as national characteristics. This cluster of national characteristics includes mateship, larrikin daredevilry, anti-authoritarianism, and egalitarianism.</p> <p>The game of two-up became indicative of these qualities. Mateship was evident in the way the game brought together people of disparate backgrounds. Larrikinism was evident in the defiant rejection of authority and convention.</p> <p>Two-up was always illegal, because the game is an unregulated form of gambling (although from the 1980s it became legal in most Australian states on Anzac Day). But in spite of the illegality, it was widely regarded as the fairest of gambling games, and at the time of the First World War the verbal command for the coins to be spun was not “come in spinner” (as it is now) but “fair go”. Indeed, the important Australian concept of the “fair go” was in part cemented by its role in the game.</p> <p>Two-up was the common pastime of the urban working-class man, and it feeds into the elements of egalitarianism and anti-authoritarianism that are central to both the Anzac myth and the Australian myth.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=466&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=466&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=466&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=585&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=585&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458543/original/file-20220419-17-6mgarp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=585&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Two original 1915 Australian pennies in a kip from which they are tossed.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Roland Scheicher/ Wikimedia</span></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Two-up and wartime life</h2> <p>From the very early period of the First World War, two-up assumed great importance among the Australian troops. Soldiers reported that two-up was played on the battlefield during the Gallipoli campaign, even when under shellfire. As the war dragged on, numerous stories were told about Australian soldiers’ obsession with playing it.</p> <p>In 1918 the <a href="https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10676229">war correspondent Charles Bean</a> studied the daily life of a company of Australian soldiers stationed at a brewery in Querrieu in northern France.</p> <p>He places great emphasis on two-up, writing in his diary in 1918: "Two-up’ is the universal pastime of the men. … It is a game which starts in any quarter of an hour’s interval or lasts the whole afternoon. The side road outside becomes every evening a perfect country fair with groups playing these games in it - a big crowd of 70 or 80 at the bottom the street, in the middle of the road; a smaller crowd of perhaps twenty on a doorstep further up. … The game is supposed to be illegal, I think; but at any rate in this company they wink at it."</p> <p>Two-up was important not just in taking soldiers’ minds off the realities of the war, but also in creating a strong sense of community. Photographs from the war that show the men playing two-up reveal how it brought them together physically in a communal activity.</p> <p>This helps explains why men, who in civilian life may have had little or no interest in gambling, joined in the camaraderie and fun of the two-up fair, and by so doing blotted out the boredom, isolation, and loneliness of much wartime experience.</p> <h2>Anzac Day and tradition</h2> <p>Playing two-up became an integral part of the diggers’ memories of the experience of war, especially when commemorated on Anzac Day. By the 1930s the playing of two-up outdoors after the Anzac Day march had become an entrenched tradition.</p> <p>As the ranks of diggers from the two world wars declined, so the structure of Anzac Day changed in emphasis. In recent years the Dawn Service has increased greatly in popularity, while the Anzac Day march has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-07/concern-over-australias-dwindling-number-of-world-war-veterans/10911602">suffered from dwindling numbers</a> of veterans. The streets of Sydney and similar cities are no longer dotted with two-up games in the afternoon. The games have shifted to pubs and clubs, and they are largely played by people with no experience of war.</p> <p>Those people who play the game on this day do so not for any deep-seated gambling impulse or because they would love to play the game on every other day of the year. They play two-up because it has become part of the meaning of Anzac Day.</p> <p>Anzac Day has always combined solemnity and festivity. The Dawn Service commemorates the landing at Gallipoli, and the sacrifices that ensued. Its mood is solemn.</p> <p>In the past, returned soldiers reminisced, told war yarns, drank, and played two-up. The soldiers have passed on, but their larrikinism survives in the tradition of the game they have bequeathed to their descendants.</p> <p>We should not underestimate the significance of rituals of this kind—the playing of two-up is a way in which Australians can become not just observers of, but participants in, their history and their myths. Two-up is a ritual that links the present with the past on this one day of the year.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181337/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-moore-291912">Bruce Moore</a>, Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/two-up-gallipoli-and-the-fair-go-why-illegal-gambling-is-at-the-heart-of-the-anzac-myth-181337">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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"I am lucky to be here": Julie Goodwin opens up on childhood trauma

<p>Julie Goodwin has opened up about the childhood abuse she experienced in her latest memoir. </p> <p>The 53-year-old MasterChef Australia star wrote about how she was sexually abused as a child and later attempted suicide as a teenager in her autobiography, <em>Your Time Starts Now</em>.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>The Australian Women's Weekly</em>, Goodwin recalled how the memory of the abuse which she had buried for a long time returned when she was 16.</p> <p>"Nothing triggered it, it was just like the memory was always there, like a dusty book on a library shelf," she said. </p> <p>"And one day I took it down and looked at it and went, 'Holy crap, how have I not thought about that for nine years?'"</p> <p>Goodwin, however kept the resurfaced memory to her self and maintained an excellent academic record at high school, even becoming school captain, until a year later when she attempted suicide at the age of 17. </p> <p>She shared that following her hospitalisation, she returned to school a few days later and acted as if nothing serious had happened. </p> <p>The TV star then opened up on her road to recovery and the tremendous amount of help she received from her husband Mick, who gave her the love and support she needed. </p> <p>"I am living my second life," she told <em>Women's Weekly</em>.</p> <p>"I am lucky to be here." </p> <p><em>Images: Channel 10</em></p>

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Family of Hannah McGuire make heart-wrenching decision

<p>A tight-knit community have rallied behind the family of Hannah McGuire, a 23-year-old teacher who was allegedly murdered by her estranged partner. </p> <p>Hannah's parents have made the heart-wrenching decision to reopen their family-run pub, the National Hotel in the town of Clunes, north of Ballarat, in the days after Hannah's death. </p> <p>As the hotel reopened, locals came together to lay flowers, buy drinks and share memories.</p> <p>“It’s the saddest thing, I can’t believe it,” one patron told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/pub-run-by-family-of-hannah-mcguire-allegedly-murdered-by-ex-partner-reopens-in-clunes-north-of-ballarat--c-14266127" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>. “To the young girl, we gave her all the best."</p> <p>In the wake of Hannah's death, the women of Ballarat are set to join together for an emotional gathering to demand an end to violence against women. </p> <p>The Ballarat region's Samantha Murphy, Rebecca Young and Hannah McGuire have all allegedly died at the hands of men since the beginning of February.</p> <p>A rally will begin at Ballarat train station on Friday before gathering at Camp Street, family members of the victims, community leaders and family violence specialists will address the gathering.</p> <p>Organiser Sissy Austin, who was herself savagely attacked while on a run in 2023, said the issue was a national crisis.</p> <p>"Us Ballarat women, we're coming together to stand in solidarity, to feel less alone and to show the country that we're united," Ms Austin told <em>AAP</em>.</p> <p>"We're here to fight for our rights to live safely in our community for generations to come.</p> <p>"The Ballarat community aren't going to succumb to the violence that has been perpetrated in our town."</p> <p>Ms Austin said the three killings in a little over two months had stunned the community.</p> <p>"Women are living on eggshells," she said.</p> <p>"The most immediate thing that we need to do, particularly as women, is to unite and show men who choose to use violence in our community that we stand against it," she added.</p> <p>"Enough is enough."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Google Maps / Facebook</em></p>

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Australian Idol host opens up on painful health battle

<p>Australian Idol host and singer Ricki-Lee Coulter has revealed that she has been battling endometriosis for over a decade. </p> <p>The 38-year-old took to Instagram to share the process that led her diagnosis, straight from the hospital bed, following her laparoscopy and excision surgery. </p> <p>"For over a decade I’ve been dealing with chronic pain that has progressively gotten worse,” she began the post. </p> <p>“Anyone with endometriosis knows it takes a long time to get to the point where you have surgery and can get any kind of diagnosis — and that you have to advocate for yourself and keep pushing for answers.</p> <p>“Over the years I have seen so many doctors and specialists, and have been down so many different paths to try to figure out what was going on — and for so long I thought the pain was just something I had to deal with.</p> <p>“But the past couple of years, it has become almost unbearable and is something I’ve been dealing with every single day.</p> <p>“I met with a new GP at the start of the year, who referred me to a new specialist, and we went through all the measures that have been taken to try to get to the bottom of this pain — and the only option left was surgery.</p> <p>“So this week I had a laparoscopy and excision surgery — and they removed all the endometriosis they found, and I can only hope that is the end of the pain.</p> <p>“I’m now at home recovering and feeling good. Rich is taking very good care of me xxx," she ended the post.</p> <p>She also shared a few photos after her surgery, and of her recovering at home. </p> <p>One in nine women suffer from endometriosis, a condition where the  tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, which sometimes moves to other areas of the body. </p> <p>Friends and followers shared their support in the comments, with reality TV star and fellow endo-warrior Angie Kent saying: “Sending you lots of love! You’re not alone in this — it’s a marathon not a sprint, unfortunately.</p> <p>“But there’s an amazing chronic invisible illness sista-hood out here! I hope you have a good support system with the recovery including an amazing women’s health practitioner.”</p> <p>“Sending lots of love,” Sunrise host Natalie Barr added. </p> <p>“Sending you so much love. Been where you are now and it gets so much better honey,” wrote Jackie O. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Surgery won’t fix my chronic back pain, so what will?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821">Christine Lin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-maher-826241">Christopher Maher</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-blyth-448021">Fiona Blyth</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-mcauley-1526139">James Mcauley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p>This week’s ABC Four Corners episode <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-08/pain-factory/103683180">Pain Factory</a> highlighted that our health system is failing Australians with chronic pain. Patients are receiving costly, ineffective and risky care instead of effective, low-risk treatments for chronic pain.</p> <p>The challenge is considering how we might reimagine health-care delivery so the effective and safe treatments for chronic pain are available to millions of Australians who suffer from chronic pain.</p> <p><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/10434b6f-2147-46ab-b654-a90f05592d35/aihw-phe-267.pdf.aspx">One in five</a> Australians aged 45 and over have chronic pain (pain lasting three or more months). This costs an estimated <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/10434b6f-2147-46ab-b654-a90f05592d35/aihw-phe-267.pdf.aspx">A$139 billion a year</a>, including $12 billion in direct health-care costs.</p> <p>The most common complaint among people with chronic pain is low back pain. So what treatments do – and don’t – work?</p> <h2>Opioids and invasive procedures</h2> <p>Treatments offered to people with chronic pain include strong pain medicines such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30561481/">opioids</a> and invasive procedures such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36878313/">spinal cord stimulators</a> or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imj.14120">spinal fusion surgery</a>. Unfortunately, these treatments have little if any benefit and are associated with a risk of significant harm.</p> <p><a href="https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-021-06900-8">Spinal fusion surgery</a> and <a href="https://privatehealthcareaustralia.org.au/consumers-urged-to-be-cautious-about-spinal-cord-stimulators-for-pain/#:%7E:text=Australian%20health%20insurance%20data%20shows,of%20the%20procedure%20is%20%2458%2C377.">spinal cord stimulators</a> are also extremely costly procedures, costing tens of thousands of dollars each to the health system as well as incurring costs to the individual.</p> <h2>Addressing the contributors to pain</h2> <p>Recommendations from the latest <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/low-back-pain-clinical-care-standard">Australian</a> and <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081789">World Health Organization</a> clinical guidelines for low back pain focus on alternatives to drug and surgical treatments such as:</p> <ul> <li>education</li> <li>advice</li> <li>structured exercise programs</li> <li>physical, psychological or multidisciplinary interventions that address the physical or psychological contributors to ongoing pain.</li> </ul> <p>Two recent Australian trials support these recommendations and have found that interventions that address each person’s physical and psychological contributors to pain produce large and sustained improvements in pain and function in people with chronic low back pain.</p> <p>The interventions have minimal side effects and are cost-effective.</p> <p>In the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2794765">RESOLVE</a> trial, the intervention consists of pain education and graded sensory and movement “retraining” aimed to help people understand that it’s safe to move.</p> <p>In the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37146623/">RESTORE</a> trial, the intervention (cognitive functional therapy) involves assisting the person to understand the range of physical and psychological contributing factors related to their condition. It guides patients to relearn how to move and to build confidence in their back, without over-protecting it.</p> <h2>Why isn’t everyone with chronic pain getting this care?</h2> <p>While these trials provide new hope for people with chronic low back pain, and effective alternatives to spinal surgery and opioids, a barrier for implementation is the out-of-pocket costs. The interventions take up to 12 sessions, lasting up to 26 weeks. One physiotherapy session <a href="https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1122674/Physiotherapy-chiropractic-and-osteopathy-fees-practice-requirements-effective-1-February-2023.pdf">can cost</a> $90–$150.</p> <p>In contrast, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/chronic-disease-individual-allied-health-services-medicare-items">Medicare</a> provides rebates for just five allied health visits (such as physiotherapists or exercise physiologists) for eligible patients per year, to be used for all chronic conditions.</p> <p>Private health insurers also limit access to reimbursement for these services by typically only covering a proportion of the cost and providing a cap on annual benefits. So even those with private health insurance would usually have substantial out-of-pocket costs.</p> <p>Access to trained clinicians is another barrier. This problem is particularly evident in <a href="https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/15nrhc/sites/default/files/B2-1_Bennett.pdf">regional and rural Australia</a>, where access to allied health services, pain specialists and multidisciplinary pain clinics is limited.</p> <p>Higher costs and lack of access are associated with the increased use of available and subsidised treatments, such as pain medicines, even if they are ineffective and harmful. The <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/data-file-57-opioid-medicines-dispensing-2016-17-third-atlas-healthcare-variation-2018">rate of opioid use</a>, for example, is higher in regional Australia and in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage than metropolitan centres and affluent areas.</p> <h2>So what can we do about it?</h2> <p>We need to reform Australia’s health system, private and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/12/taskforce-final-report-pain-management-mbs-items-final-report-on-the-review-of-pain-management-mbs-items.docx">public</a>, to improve access to effective treatments for chronic pain, while removing access to ineffective, costly and high-risk treatments.</p> <p>Better training of the clinical workforce, and using technology such as telehealth and artificial intelligence to train clinicians or deliver treatment may also improve access to effective treatments. A recent Australian <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38461844/">trial</a>, for example, found telehealth delivered via video conferencing was as effective as in-person physiotherapy consultations for improving pain and function in people with chronic knee pain.</p> <p>Advocacy and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37918470/">improving the public’s understanding</a> of effective treatments for chronic pain may also be helpful. Our hope is that coordinated efforts will promote the uptake of effective treatments and improve the care of patients with chronic pain.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/227450/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-lin-346821"><em>Christine Lin</em></a><em>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-maher-826241">Christopher Maher</a>, Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-blyth-448021">Fiona Blyth</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-mcauley-1526139">James Mcauley</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-hancock-1463059">Mark Hancock</a>, Professor of Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/surgery-wont-fix-my-chronic-back-pain-so-what-will-227450">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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Matt Shirvington opens up on marriage and fatherhood

<p>Matt Shrivington has opened up about marrying his "first crush" when he tied the knot with his wife in 2001. </p> <p>The <em>Sunrise</em> host spoke candidly to <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em> about the early days of his relationship with his wife Jessica, sharing how the pair "made it official" when they were just 18 years old. </p> <p>The 45-year-old reflected on his whirlwind romance, sharing how the couple met at a house party when they were teenagers. </p> <p>“We went to separate schools but had mutual friends and saw one another often at house parties,” Shirvo said.</p> <p>The former Olympian said the couple had a “false start” after Jess came down with chickenpox, while he was focused on his athletics career.</p> <p>“But by the time we’d finished our Higher School Certificate (Year 12, in NSW), we’d made it official. We moved in together aged 18 and started our lives as a couple,” he added.</p> <p>Jess and Matt married in 2001 and moved to London a year later, after Matt was based in England for his athletics training. </p> <p>Their family grew in 2006 when they welcomed their first child Sienna, before deciding to return to Australia in 2008. </p> <p>The couple had a second daughter, Winter, soon after, and went on to have a son, Lincoln, who is six.</p> <p>Shirvo shared how much he loves raising daughters and getting to see their sense of independence grow.</p> <p>“They’re great young women, strong and powerful, and I love seeing their desire for independence,” Shirvo said.</p> <p>“Sienna is extremely artistic and Winnie is ambitious about sport – she just competed in the under-17s National Rowing Championships."</p> <p>“It doesn’t matter what it is, if your kids have a passion for something and love waking up in the morning to do it, you’ll back it to the end of the earth as a parent.” </p> <p>On Monday morning's episode of <em>Sunrise</em>, Nat Barr praised the article and Shirvo for his heartwarming words about his family. </p> <p>“Interesting article in the paper over the weekend about our very own Shirvo — who got candid about life, love, and family,” Barr said, referring to the piece.</p> <p>“I wanted to give you a shout-out — it was really lovely, I loved reading it.”</p> <p>“My favourite part was when you said, ‘I never had a celebrity crush growing up, but I did marry my first crush’ It was a really gorgeous story,” Barr said of the piece.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Relationships

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“I told him not to open it": Flight attendant forced to hold plane door shut

<p>A flight attendant was forced to hold an emergency exit door shut after an allegedly drunk passenger tried to open it shortly after takeoff. </p> <p>Footage shows a female flight attendant with one hand on the plane’s roof and another holding the lever of the emergency exit, after a man allegedly tried to pull it open during their flight from Qingdao, China on Saturday, according to the <em>New York Post</em>. </p> <p>“I told him not to open it,” the flight attendant said to another colleague in Chinese, according to <em>JAM Press</em>. </p> <p>Her colleague then asks the passenger: “Sir, did you open this?”</p> <p>The male passenger looked confused as he started gesturing at the lever. </p> <p>“Why did you open it? Didn’t you know it is prohibited to open this kind of thing?” the flight attendant asked again. </p> <p>But the passenger ignored him and looked down at his phone, as the male flight attendant continued to question him. </p> <p>The passenger eventually admitted that he had been drinking before he tried to grab the lever, and the man eventually had to change seats with another passenger sitting in the same row. </p> <p>He was allowed to remain on the flight, which managed to land safely at Harbin, China without incident.</p> <p><em>Images: New York Post</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Princess Kate's post-surgery pic ignites even wilder conspiracy theories

<p>In a recent revelation that has the internet buzzing, Kensington Palace released a brand new photo of the Princess of Wales alongside her adorable brood, but it seems like the royal family might be playing with more than just thrones and crowns.</p> <p>The picture, meant to express gratitude to the public for their support during Catherine's recovery from abdominal surgery, quickly became a subject of speculation, leaving royal enthusiasts scratching their heads and raising eyebrows faster than you can say "corgi".</p> <p>The image, which features Catherine sitting and embracing her children – Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte – in the scenic backdrop of Windsor, seems like a wholesome Mother's Day tribute at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, the cracks in this picture-perfect façade begin to show.</p> <p>Social media erupted with theories faster than a racehorse at Ascot. Some eagle-eyed observers speculated that the photo might have been the handiwork of artificial intelligence, citing suspiciously green grass and leaves in the dead of winter, a rarity even in England where the weather is as unpredictable as a teenage royal's romantic interests.</p> <p>"AI is that you?" asked one astute commentator on Instagram, voicing the suspicions of many.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4U_IqTNaqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Ummmmm, this photo looks doctored…" wrote another astute reader. "Catherine’s right hand around Louis is entirely blurry but the left hand around Charlotte, at the same distance to the camera, is not, and either is Louis’ jumper around the hand blurry. Also Charlotte’s dress, which is clothing her torso behind her arm, impedes on the sleeve at the wrist… the cardigan sleeve shows the dress in front of it, when it should only be behind. And Louis’ middle finger must be awfully long to be entirely wrapped around the next finger without being able to see the finger nail… it’s also blurry. I’m a keen photographer, and those are not true elements of a photo as taken."</p> <p>But wait, there's more! The absence of Catherine's wedding ring did not escape the notice of keen observers, prompting questions about the state of her marriage. "WHERE'S YOUR RING??!" demanded one fan, while another pondered, "no ring, tree in full bloom in winter, jeans after major abdominal surgery, face shape completely different from car photo."</p> <p>And if that wasn't enough to fuel the royal gossip mill, Prince Louis's peculiar finger-crossing gesture sent conspiracy theorists into overdrive. Is he sending secret messages? Or is it just further evidence that we're all living in a simulation run by an eccentric royal fan with a knack for Photoshop?</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Additionally, a subtle misalignment in Princess Charlotte's hand compared to her jumper sleeve raised clear suspicions of digital manipulation. As the speculation grew louder, four of the world's largest photo agencies – The Associated Press, AFP, Getty Images and Reuters – issued a "mandatory kill notice", on the image, effectively retracting it from circulation.</span></p> <p>The reasons cited varied slightly among the agencies, with mentions of "editorial issues" and inconsistencies in the photograph's details. The decision to retract the photo wasn't taken lightly; it's a standard protocol for picture agencies to withdraw images that have been significantly altered.</p> <p>The reaction on social media was swift, with royal watchers and media personalities dissecting the image for clues. Chris Ship, ITV News's royal editor, shared close-up sections of the photo, highlighting apparent discrepancies in Charlotte's sleeve, Prince Louis's jumper, and the background behind him. His commentary underscored the seriousness of the situation, questioning Kensington Palace – the source of the photo – about the authenticity of the image.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’ve never been much of a conspiracy theorist but if <a href="https://twitter.com/AP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reuters</a> &amp; other picture agencies are concerned enough to remove it and ask clients to delete it, there are serious questions for Kensington Palace - which was the source of the photo.<br />These appears to be the issues 👇 <a href="https://t.co/ifcSB9mUzu">https://t.co/ifcSB9mUzu</a> <a href="https://t.co/bH5gN9fJtJ">pic.twitter.com/bH5gN9fJtJ</a></p> <p>— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisshipitv/status/1766947758529822803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Amidst the fervent speculation, Kensington Palace remained silent, neither confirming nor denying the allegations of photo manipulation. The lack of clarity has only fuelled the fire, leading to further conjecture about the intentions behind the controversial image.</p> <p>In a world where every pixel is scrutinised and every detail dissected, the royal family's attempt at a heartwarming family photo has turned into a comedic saga worthy of a Shakespearean farce.</p> <p>As the internet continues to buzz with speculation, one thing is for certain: when it comes to the royals, truth is often stranger than fiction. Or in this case, more digitally manipulated than reality TV.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Kate Middleton spotted for the first time since surgery

<p>Kate Middleton has been seen for the first time in over six weeks, as she continues to recover from a "planned abdominal surgery". </p> <p>The Princess of Wales was last seen by the public attending mass on Christmas Day before being admitted to hospital in early January for the procedure. </p> <p>Despite Kensington Palace sharing that the princess wouldn't be returning to royal duties until after Easter, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-s-disappearance-sparks-bizarre-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rumours</a> began to swirl online over her whereabouts. </p> <p>Now, the 42-year-old royal has been <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/kate-middleton-finally-spotted-after-disappearing-for-more-than-two-months/news-story/d1ca1f9c54e1526ba2ba69a605af7811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographed</a> in a car alongside her mother Carole in Windsor. </p> <p>As rumours continued to run rampant online about Kate's wellbeing following her surgery, Kensington Palace was forced to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/palace-responds-to-bizarre-conspiracy-theories-about-kate-s-whereabouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interfere</a> and debunk the wild accusations. </p> <p>After "Where is Kate Middleton?" was trending worldwide on social media, due to her not being in the public eye for an unprecedented amount of time, the Palace reiterated their original statement following Kate's surgery, saying she was simply at home recovering.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #ffffff;">“We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” the statement read. </span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"That guidance stands."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">The Palace also added that Kate is well on the road to recovery as she is "doing well", and with all things going to plan with her health, she can be expected to be seen in public after Easter, as they originally made clear. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Legal

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Network Ten's heart-wrenching tribute to Jesse Baird

<p>Network Ten have shared a heart-wrenching tribute to former colleague Jesse Baird, whose remains were found alongside the body of his boyfriend Luke Davies. </p> <p>Sandra Sully introduced the emotional tribute to the 26-year-old, becoming teary as she remembered her slain friend, while calling on people to remember Jesse as a kind and talented young man. </p> <p>“We want to pay tribute to our friend and former colleague Jesse Baird, his murder alongside that of his partner Luke Davies has rocked Network 10. Our hearts go out to their family and friends,” Sully began.</p> <p>“We want to remember Jesse for the man he was, and not how he died.</p> <p>“Amazingly talented, funny, beautiful inside and out - and forever loved and missed.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C34z-Fux8E_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C34z-Fux8E_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ☕️ #SandraSully AM 📺📻🎙️🎧 🏑🇦🇺 (@shortblack_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The tribute, narrated by entertainment reporter Angela Bishop, recapped Jesse's career in the spotlight, from his first hosting gig on children's TV show <em>Totally Wild</em>, to all the unique experiences he took on during his role on <em>Studio 10</em>. </p> <p>He was also an avid AFL fan and worked as a goal umpire for the league, in a role that meant a lot to him. </p> <p>Other Network Ten colleagues have shared tributes to Jesse this week, with news reader Lachlan Kennedy writing on social media, “His talent was undeniable and energy infectious. Jesse Baird has had the brightest of futures stolen from him.”</p> <p>The <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies</a> of Jesse Baird and his boyfriend Luke Davies were found on Tuesday by NSW police, with their remains located in the NSW Southern Tablelands. </p> <p>Accused murderer and former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder over the deaths of the couple, after turning himself in to police in the days after their disappearance. </p> <p>Police will allege the murder of Jesse was premeditated by Lamarre-Condon, but his partner Luke Davies was killed only for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ten / Instagram </em></p>

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"My heart exploded": Larry Emdur reflects on his daughter's wedding day

<p>Larry Emdur has opened up about his daughter's wedding day, reflecting on the moment he walked her down the aisle. </p> <p>On <em>The Morning Show</em>, the proud dad shared the details of the day with his co-host Kylie Gillies, while telling the stories behind the charming photos of the big day. </p> <p>Emdur's daughter Tia, 24, tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Rowell Jauco at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral on Saturday. </p> <p>“Tia got married — I got to walk her down the aisle,” Larry said on the show, becoming clearly emotional. </p> <p>“At the end of the aisle, I had to put her hand in Rohan’s hand."</p> <p>“It was a magnificent day — so much love, and it was special — my heart exploded.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C28i_qDL7gr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C28i_qDL7gr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Morning Show On 7 (@morningshowon7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Larry joked that years of walking down the red carpet at the Logies set him up for walking his beautiful daughter down the aisle.</p> <p>“You look for moments, one thing after another — It was a beautiful day.”</p> <p>“(Tia) was pretty happy. She said on the day ‘I get to marry my best friend’ so it was special."</p> <p>“The speeches were lovely, coming together with the family. It was everything — I’m sure when other people get married, it’s the same."</p> <p>He went on to joke about how emotional he was all day, saying he needed “Five boxes of Kleenexes.”</p> <p>Larry shared photos and a sweet video from the big day to his Instagram on Sunday, showing a clip from his father-daughter dance with Tia, in which they danced to Lean On Me which was performed by Guy Sebastian. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / The Morning Show</em></p>

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Jackie O opens up on loneliness post-divorce

<p>Jackie 'O' Henderson has opened up on being gripped with feelings of loneliness in the years following her divorce. </p> <p>Speaking with fans at Luke McLeod's book launch for <em>Everyday Enlightenment</em> on Thursday night, the 49-year-old admitted she is "desperate" to find love and companionship. </p> <p>After being single for over five years, Jackie said it feels like "something's missing" in her life. </p> <p>"I just really want to find someone. I can't find him and I'm sort of a bit lost at the moment," she said. </p> <p>When Luke asked why she was so desperate to get into a relationship, Jackie said she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it felt like "a piece" of her was "missing".</p> <p>"I have a lot of love to give or I want that affection, that company. It just feels like there's something missing in my life," she added.</p> <p>Jackie went on to tell her fans that Luke had previously given a piece of advice that "changed my life". </p> <p>He said she was giving off too much "desperate energy", and if she really wanted to attract love in her life, then she needed to be grateful for what she already has.  </p> <p>"I said to him, 'How am I meant to change what I want and need? I feel like I need that in my life and I really want that. I can't just switch that off,'" she admitted.</p> <p>Jackie has been adopting Luke's technique, and makes time every day to express gratitude for what she already has, and not for what she's missing. </p> <p>'Now I'm at a place where I've almost gone the other way. I'm so happy being single and not looking for someone because I'm genuinely happy with my life,' she said.</p> <p>Jackie O separated from her husband Lee Henderson in 2018 after they married in 2003, with the pair now co-parenting their daughter Kitty. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Dad awarded compensation after developing heart issue from mandatory vaccine

<p>An Adelaide father is set to receive hefty compensation after a mandatory Covid jab left him with a debilitating health condition. </p> <p>In 2021 at the height of the Covid pandemic in Australia, 44-year-old Daniel Shepherd was required to receive tow Covid vaccinations, due to his hands on role at an aged care facility. </p> <p>After having two Pfizer vaccines, he suffered some adverse effects, but dismissed his symptoms as nothing serious. </p> <p>In the months after, Shepherd was required to have a booster shot when he began a new job with the Department of Child Protection in October of the same year. </p> <p>In January 2022, the father was told if we wanted to keep his job as a health and childcare worker, he needed to have the jab. </p> <p>After eventually agreeing to the booster, Shepherd has his third dose of Pfizer in late February 2022, but began suffering from chest pains just hours later. </p> <p>"It felt like someone had their knee right on my chest," he told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/adelaide-news-covid-vaccine-man-to-get-government-compensation-after-developing-heart-condition/55cc0fbf-4631-4cf0-b395-8c8b6c71a43f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>9News</em>.</a></p> <p>The pain kept getting worse until he was rushed to hospital a few weeks later when he thought he was having a heart attack.</p> <p>There he was diagnosed with post-vaccine pericarditis: an inflammation of the membrane around the heart.</p> <p>His illness meant he was unable to work full time, and also meant he was unable to keep up with his young son.</p> <p>"Even today with just mild exertion [I get] chest pains and then it's followed by fatigue, like severe fatigue," Shepard said.</p> <p>"It's heartbreaking to have to say 'sorry buddy, daddy's tired'." </p> <p>Mr Shepherd decided to take legal action after he was unable to work, launching a workers compensation claim against the government.</p> <p>In a landmark ruling in mid-January, the South Australian Employment Tribunal agreed to pay weekly compensation and medical bills to Shepherd.</p> <p>Doctors were unanimous in his case that the vaccine was the cause of his inability to work, but the government argued emergency directions that were in place at the time trumped the laws around workplace injury.</p> <p>Pericarditis is meant to clear within a few months, but Shepherd's symptoms have plagued him for almost two years.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p>

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“I was silenced”: Jelena Dokic opens up on her difficult relationship with her father

<p dir="ltr">Jelena Dokic has opened up about her difficult relationship with her father, and why she attempted to reconcile with him over ten years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">The former tennis champion shared the details of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, documenting that he inflicted regular beatings in her new book <em>Unbreakable</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 40-year-old said her victories on the court made no difference to her father’s violence, writing, “Even if I won, I would still at times be beaten and be abused. I had some very difficult moments where I was beaten and kicked and punched to the point of being unconscious.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout her tennis career, her father Damir was her coach, and accepted nothing less than perfection from his daughter. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was silenced for my whole life. From the very first day that I started playing tennis, the No. 1 rule was ‘Never tell anyone anything, or there will be massive, massive consequences’,” she said of his dominating personality.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, Dokic has candidly shared the details of the last time she saw her father, who left her mentally scarred. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I last had contact with him about 10 years ago. And yeah, I even tried to reconcile with him once or twice,” she told the <em><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/why-i-and-so-many-others-needed-to-apologise-to-jelena-dokic-20240125-p5f050.html">Sydney Morning Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think no matter what happens, you kind of hope that maybe you can kind of salvage a relationship when it comes to family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Those dynamics are always very difficult. But it's very hard when someone doesn't have any remorse or can't say sorry. In fact, what he says is that he would do it all again. So, for me, that is very, very hard.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had to make a cut and go, ‘I don't need a toxic person or a toxic relationship in my life’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thankfully, the star player turned tennis commentator is in a much better place with her brother and mother.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have a great relationship with my brother, which I'm really glad about because my father used my brother and weaponised our relationship - not allowing me to talk with him for about seven years, because he was so much younger than me,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We pretty much talk every day, and with my mum, as well. I've had some tough conversations with her because she was on my father's side - but we're in a good place today.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-4118e97e-7fff-f711-4be7-4d1833689cc4"></span></p>

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Sofia Vergara opens up on divorce

<p>Sofía Vergara has revealed the reason why she and Joe Manganiello decided to call it quits after seven years of marriage. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>El País</em>, the 51-year-old actress revealed that Manganiello’s desire to have children led to their divorce. </p> <p>“My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mum,” she said. </p> <p>“I feel it’s not fair to the baby.”</p> <p>The <em>Modern Family</em> actress added that although she respects those who wish to have children later in life, the path is just not for her anymore.</p> <p>The actress already has shares a 32-year-old son with her first husband, Joe Gonzalez. </p> <p>“I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother,” she said. </p> <p>“When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life; that’s what I have to do," she added. </p> <p>Despite this, the actress is open to love again - as long as her next romantic partner has kids of his own. </p> <p>In July 2023, Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/sofia-vergara-and-joe-manganiello-announce-separation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">separation</a> in a statement shared to <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>“We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives,” the statement read. </p> <p>Manganiello, has since moved on, after making his red carpet debut with his 33-year-old actress girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor in December 2023. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

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Nick Kyrgios admits tennis career "may be over"

<p>Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is seriously considering retirement as he revealed that he is "at a crossroads" in his career. </p> <p>In a column written for <em>The Sydney Morning Herald, </em>the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">28-year-old </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> said that despite his desire to compete at the highest level, he might never make it back to playing professional tennis. </span></p> <p>He also said that he has enjoyed being away from the courts doing the media rounds.</p> <p>"I sat down with my agent, Stuart Duguid, a couple of days ago to talk about my future," he wrote.</p> <p>"The reality is, there is a part of me that knows my time in the sport may be over. And I'm OK with that.</p> <p>"It's a conversation that needed to be had. I'm at a crossroads in my career and have reached a point where life after tennis is a prospect that excites me."</p> <p>He also added that despite knowing he can still compete for titles, his body is letting him down, as he continues to recover from his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/nick-kyrgios-pulls-out-of-australian-open-a-day-before-first-match" target="_blank" rel="noopener">knee injury</a> in January 2023.</p> <p>"I sit there and watch some of the players on tour and know within myself that this generation is not as strong as some of the players I have gone up against," he wrote. </p> <p>"I know I can be one of the best in the world and win major tournaments -- if my body lets me. The fire still burns, but it's not my everything."</p> <p>The <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">2022 Wimbledon finalist</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> also confirmed that he won't be making himself available for this year's </span>Paris<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Olympics, saying that the </span>treatment he got from the Australian Olympic Committee in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Games was one of the key factors. </p> <p>"I was No. 13 at the time and had a genuine chance at winning a medal. For them to forbid me from representing my country for behavioural reasons is something that I just can't forget," he said.</p> <p>He added that his "mentality has changed", and despite still having the desire to play for his country, his decision is final. </p> <p>Kyrgios has barely been on court after withdrawing from last year's Australian Open, but he has been commentating on the tournament for Eurosport, adding that his future may be in the box, rather than on the court.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Jimmy Barnes shares updates on "long road ahead"

<p>Jimmy Barnes has shared another update about his recovery from open-heart surgery, saying that there is "a long road ahead" following his latest check-up. </p> <p>The 67-year-old was admitted into hospital for <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/bad-news-jimmy-barnes-rushed-into-emergency-open-heart-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emergency heart surgery</a> after complications from a bacterial infection just weeks before Christmas. </p> <p>Since then, Barnes and his wife Jane have been keeping fans updated on his recovery progress. </p> <p>“Always good to leave the hospital smiling. There’s still a long road ahead and many more check ups,” the Aussie Rocker shared to his Instagram followers on Thursday. </p> <p>“There was a team of seven specialists working on me, so there is a lot to follow up on.”</p> <p>The <em>Flame Trees </em>singer shared that he'd had enough of intravenous medications and couldn't wait to have his peripherally inserted central catheter removed. </p> <p>“Another set of good bloods and it’s off with the ‘PICC Line’,” he wrote. </p> <p>“I’m sure it’s saved my life but I cannot wait to be free.”</p> <p>Despite everything, Barnes still looks on the bright side, and showed his gratitude for his wife Jane and her excellent cooking skills. </p> <p>“Thai beef curry is just what the doctor ordered,” he concluded the post, with a picture of Jane's homemade dish.</p> <p>Fans took to the comments to share their support. </p> <p>“Great stuff! As Rocky would say ‘It’s not how hard you hit, but how hard you get hit and keep getting up again’, wrote one fan. </p> <p>“You can do it Jimmy,” another commented. </p> <p>“That’s great news Jimmy. You are in the best hands both on a medical and personal level," a third added. </p> <p>“Great news and good to see you’re recovering well, nurse Jane is doing a fantastic job with all your meals,” wrote a fourth. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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