Grace McCarthy 2011 NAIDOC Award Recipient

“I firmly believe as Indigenous people that we need to be proactive in our health, to be involved, and to make sure that we are delivering it in a cultural way.” Grace McCarthy, Generalist Community Health Nurse, Fitzroy Crossing Community Health Service

Grace McCarthy is a Walmajarri woman. Her skin group is the Nyapajarri coming from a Nangala woman.

Grace was born and bred in Fitzroy Crossing and in her country she has been working as a Community Health Nurse for four years.

From her early beginnings, Grace grew up with a love of country, culture and education. As a child she attended Cherrabun Station on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert and during her teenage years travelled great distances from home to attend Corpus Christie Secondary College.

Finding her strength through her family, culture and Elders, Grace overcame great barriers to complete her nursing. Grace managed life as a nursing student, often traveling great distances, while also being a mother and single parent providing for her daughter, always considering the needs of her family and study.

Grace also found support through her supportive lecturer who mentored her through challenging times.

Since graduating, Grace has worked in a variety of places including the Aboriginal Medical Service, Northern Territory and WA Country Health Service.

Along the way Grace saw the value of how education and culture can be combined in primary health care. Grace exemplifies this through her mentorship and guidance for other staff, educating culture so that health practitioners can build their skills to deliver respectful care to patients.

Grace combines nursing with primary health to assist clients in self managing their health. Grace values the capacity building opportunities that education brings, and this drives her to volunteer overseas in her spare time to teach basic English to developing communities overseas.

Grace McCarthy 2011 NAIDOC Award Recipient

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