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Mulga QueenKalgoorlieCoonanaNorsemanThe Western Desert KidneyHealth Project aims to reducediabetes and kidney diseaseby 20% in 10 communities, byworking with the people wholive there.21

The Project2HealthStoriesCommunity DevelopmentA mobile clinic goes to each of thecommunities with Healthy LifestyleWorkers and tests people's blood, andurine, weight/ Body Mass Index (howmuch fat you have on your body), bloodpressure, and height.Results from these tests are instantand these are discussed with eachperson and followed up if they arenot good.The mobile Clinic has an arts truck thatgoes to each community with it. Artiststravel with the team and work withpeople in each community to developtheir own stories about how to behealthier.Once testing is over, our ChiefInvestigators do look at the resultsfrom each community. We hold acommunity meeting where we discussthe results with the community.At the meeting we work with thecommunity to identify issues that areaffecting their health. A communitydevelopment officer then looks atways the project can support thecommunity to address these issues.At the end of each visit a smallcommunity event is held to showoff the healthy stories created in thepast couple weeks by the people thatlive there.The project also plays a role inpromoting awareness of the issuesaffecting your community. We achievethis through advocacy to communityand government agencies, publicationof research findings and mediapublicity about the project's work inall 10 communities.3

The ProjectWhy is This Important?The average life expectancy of indigenous Australiansis approximately 20 years less than non-indigenousAustralians. Major contributing factors in this reduced lifeexpectancy are kidney disease and diabetes. The prevalenceof type 2 diabetes in the Australian Indigenous communityis 10-30%, this is four times more common than in the nonindigenous population. This is the fourth highest rate oftype 2 diabetes in the world.In the Goldfields, many people are sick with diabetes andkidney disease so the community thought they wouldhave a go at preventing the problems that cause diabetesand kidney disease.The AnimationsThese nine animations were created in the first yearof community visits for the Western Desert KidneyHealth Project. Each community chose to tell theirown story about the things they could do to makethemselves healthier, happier and help preventdiabetes and kidney disease. We hope you like theseand tell your friends about how to see them onYouTube with your mobile phone or on a computer.Enjoy.Or you can look at the Healthway activities sheetsby following the links on our website.45

The Lost EmuHome to the Ngadju People,Norseman lies betweenEsperance and Coolgardieand is the most Southerlycommunity visited by theProject. Each year Norsemanpeople look forward toQuandong fruit, knownas Domburies, which arecollected and made into ajam. Norseman is also wellknown as a good place tocollect bush medicine.6The Ngadju mob frequentlytravel through the FraserRange, Balladonia, toEsperance and backaround to Norseman.Ngadu people have familyclose links with theCoonana and Tjutjuntjaracommunities.Out in the bush an egg hatches all alone. Thislittle emu has to rely on the help from all theother animals to teach him what to eat and whatto drink. Many years later, he is shocked whenhe discovers his own family on the outskirts oftown living a very unhealthy life. He knows he'sgotta do something for his mob. How does thisclever little emu help his own family?http://youtu.be/2Cfz6vBywHwt7

Alfie the Tooth Fairy waswritten by Coolgardie basedAlison Dimmer who wasawarded the Dr Ross IngramMemorial Award at theNational Australian MedicalAssociation Conference inBrisbane in 2011.CoolgardieHome of the Maddawonga Galagu people Coolgardie isfamous for it's rock holes that people onced walked betweenand used for drinking water. Coolgardie is also close to thehome of the tjilkarmarta (echidna). It is a significant place forthe Anangu Pitjantjatjara or Spinifex people from Coonanaand Tjuntjuntjara who believe that many sites in and close toCoolgardie are sacred.KurrawangKurrawang has special memories for many people in theGoldfield's as it was where many people grew up. Until themid seventies it was a mission and an Aboriginal reservesettlement. There are those who still remember walkingalong the water pipeline to Kalgoorlie on a hot day.8Alfie the Tooth FairyAs the sun sets Alfie flies off into the nightwith all the other tooth fairies to collect tinyteeth. But one night Alfie doesn't return homewith all the other tooth fairies. Why has hecrashed into a big tree.Is it because he is overweight?Has the sugar made him little bit blind?How did this happen and why?http://youtu.be/LG5NxBplVmU9

MenziesMenzies is the home of Wongutha people often known asWongi's. Menzies is an old place that used to be a cattlestation. Menzies has many significant sites like the sevensisters rock hole. Now it also the turn off to Lake Ballardwhich is a tourist attraction with the Anthnoy GormleyStatues attracting international visitors. Each of thesculptures are based on Menzies community residents.Menzies Mallee FowlIf you’re a mallee fowl wanting to hatch youreggs it’s super important for you to eat theright things. If you’re not careful with your dietduring pregnancy diabetes can sneak up on you.Bower Bird decides to offer some good adviceso malleefowl can get ready for her specialday. Cutting out junk food from your diet willhelp keep you nice and strong for your babymalleefowls as well.http://youtu.be/lbdhA agTSk1011

LeonoraLeonora is home to the Koara (Gwa-da) and Wonguthapeople and is the starting place of Goanna country. TheGoanna is a considered a highly desired delicacy to eat.Leonora has excellent swimming holes including theBasin and Station Creek where you can collect turtlesand other good food.The Proud GoannaA big proud goanna fears nothing. In fact therewas one proud goanna that was even too proudto get checked out by the doctor and too proudto do the right thing in front of his mates. Butthis goanna better watch out because if hedoesn’t listen to good advice and stop overeating and showing off, he might find himself insome seriously big trouble.http://youtu.be/RXneDhn2JC81213

LavertonOften referred to as LA, Laverton is home to the Wonguthapeople. LA has excellent hunting ground for emu, kangarooand has many significant sacred sites. An annual carnivalis held at the “Boats”, a swimming hole and in the mainstreet. Laverton is also regularly visited by people fromthe Ngaanytjarra Lands and people from Alice Springs inthe Central Desert. It is considered central location in theNorthern Goldfields.14Sparks the StallionIn the land of sturt peas, wild horses and rockybreakaways there's an old story about a secrettreasure, a gold deposit. A stockman, so madlyobsessed about finding it, suffers dehydrationright near a rock hole! Lucky for him, heencounters Sparks the wild stallion. Sparks isbased on a real horse who raced the LavertonRaces. When he eats good food and drinksplenty of water he can run as fast as the wind.Find out how Sparks becomes one of the mostpopular stallions ever.http://youtu.be/-kJAF7YWMds15

Mt MargaretMt Margaret was originally a mission home for all Aboriginalpeople in the Goldfields. While it has a sad history manypeople are extremely fond of Mt Margaret and preferto remember happy times. The Missionaries handed MtMargaret back to people of the Goldfields in the seventies.People often travel to Mt Margaret for festive events.16The Restless RooIn Mount Margaret there is a joey that has herown double bed, sips coffee and is driven ina car to go prospecting. Whenever she seesanother kangaroo she gets a fright and hopsstraight back into the car. This kangaroo doesn'tknow how to relax. Stress is a big contributingfactor when it comes to diabetes and kidneydisease. Find out how our restless roo findsa way to stress less on a journey to find theHealing Pool at the salt lake.http://youtu.be/ eOp8HA k4M17

Mulga QueenPeople from Mulga Queen returned to their homeland wheretheir ancestors lived to restart this community for the benefitof the next generation. Mulga Queen is considered a greatplace to learn the ways of your land and the ways of theold people.The Top DogKangaroo dogs are an important part of life inMulga Queen. The fittest kangaroo dog aroundis the Top Dog. He takes down big roos to getsome of that healthy lean kangaroo meat, whichis high in omega-3. After stealing ice-creams,chips and chewing on greasy chops all day long,can he get back in to shape again to reclaim histitle of Top Dog?http://youtu.be/fuTF8MBBDbk1819

imageCoonanaCoonana is the home of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara or SpinifexPeople and have a close cultural connection with the people ofTjujtunjarra. They are some of the people who were moved offCountry after the Maralinga Nuclear testing. People moved toCoonana from Cundalee Mission in the early eighties.TjuntjuntjaraThe heartland of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara or Spinifexpeople Tjuntjunjtara is considered a spiritiual and culturalsanctuary. It is one of the most isolated communities onmainland Australia. Tjuntjuntjara possesses it’s own uniquedesert beauty and has a very strong cultural tradition.People in Coonana and Tjuntunjara also have connectionswith people in Coolgardie and Norseman.20Spotty’s GameIn the land of tadpoles and rock holes wateris pretty important. After it rains and allthe humans go inside, the frogs come outto play hockey on the oval. When Spotty'slittle froggy kidneys stop working properly,it's up to his family to teach him hisheritage an so he can learn more about thewater that his little body needs to soak up.http://youtu.be/kdwrI4gg5Tk21

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Thank you!Thanks to the communityThe Western Desert Kidney HealthProject team wish to thank thecommunities of Coolgardie, Kurrawang,Norseman, Coonana, Tjuntjuntjarra,Menzies, Morapoi, Leonora, Laverton,Mt Margaret and Mulga Queen whohave taken part in the project. Withoutyou it would not be a success.To see your communities animationsyou can visit the project website atwww.westerndesertkidney.org.auThanks to our delivery partnersWe would also like to thank all of thestaff, past and present from the RuralClinical School of WA, the University ofWestern Australia, Bega GarnbirringuHealth Service, the GoldfieldsEsperance GP Network and WonguthaBirni Aboriginal Corporation for theirtireless effort making this extraordinaryproject a success.Thanks to our fundingand sponsorship partnersMany of our sponsors and fundingpartners do so much more thanjust provide funds. We thank youall for your wise advise and activeparticipation as true project partners.Aboriginal ResearchGovernance CommitteeThanks to the Communityrepresentatives from each communitytravel vast distances to oversee theResearch Governance for the project.ArtistsAnimation: Annie Aiton, Steven Aiton,Poppy van Oorde-Grainger, PeterKeelan. Particular thanks to Steven ashe was the artist in residence in all butone community.Photos: Poppy van Oorde-Grainger,Steven Aiton, Roman Kutzowitz, LockieMcDonald.Do TankWe are in debt to a small team of seniorleaders provided strategic advise tomake this project possible.2627