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F4B Clinical Review Panel

F4B has established a working group of volunteer medical and allied health practitioners who have a professional interest in adaptive sports and wellbeing programs for youth with functional & intellectual disabilities.  All F4B programs are designed, delivered and reviewed in consultation with our Clinical Review Panel to maximise the experience for participants and their families.

Our Clinical Review Panel is:

Chair Clinical Review Panel: Dr Amy Illidge MBBS, MAppSc, BAppSc

Amy is an F4B Founding Director, Board member and Clinical Review Panel-Chair. 

Amy’s penchant for not only providing the best services as a medical professional, but also enhancing its delivery through evidence-based practice, inspired her to attain a Doctor of Medicine in 2018 from Griffith University Medical School. As a mother of five young children, including a son with disabilities, undertaking medical studies is source of inspiration for women in similar situations and demonstrates Amy’s passion for her profession and serving the community in need.

Amy also possesses Bachelor and Master research degrees in Applied Science – Radiation Therapy. Amy worked in radiation oncology at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Mater Hospital for over 15 years; and was appointed a board member of the ‘Medical Radiation Technology Board’ by the Minister for Health (Qld) for five years.

Amy is impassioned about health and wellness issues with a keen interest in exploring research funding for generating greater awareness and support for children with disabilities and their families.

As F4B Director of Research, Amy will develop and oversee all research priorities and program reports/publications. Amy is also Chair of our F4B Clinical Review Panel.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Associate Professor, Dr Patrick Weinrauch

Dr Patrick Weinrauch is an Orthopaedic Surgeon who exclusively manages hip joint disorders. A significant proportion of Patrick’s private practice is dedicated to the management of active people with hip disorders who wish to maintain high activity levels and function in both sporting and lifestyle recreational pursuits.

Patrick is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association. He is a member of the Australian Arthroplasty Society, Australian Medical Association and the Australian Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Patrick is a member of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy and a foundation member of the Australian Hip Arthroscopy Society.

In 2010, Patrick was selected as the Australian Orthopaedic Association's representative for the ABC Traveling Fellowship. He is currently appointed as Deputy Editor for the International Journal of Advanced Joint Reconstruction. Patrick is actively involved in medical education, conducting regular demonstrations and lectures on advanced techniques in hip joint surgery to train colleague Australian and overseas based orthopaedic surgeons. As a reference centre Surgeon, Patrick delivers surgeon education programs and regularly participates in teaching activities for the education of colleague medical practitioners, physiotherapists, nursing staff and allied health practitioners.

Patrick shares an enthusiasm for improving the lived experience and mental healthcare of families of adolescent boys with learning and perceptual disabilities through championing their participation in adaptive sport and peer-to-peer fitness programs.

F4B is honoured to welcome Patrick’s appointment as F4B Clinical Review Panel advisor.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Senior Paediatric Physiotherapist, Dr Penny Ireland

Dr Penny Ireland is the Clinical Leader for Inpatients and a senior physiotherapist within the Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service (QPRS), based at the Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH), Brisbane. Penny brings over 25 years’ experience working managing the medical needs of children who have neurological challenges such as Acquired Brain Injury and Cerebral Palsy.

Penny is internationally renowned as an expert in Achondroplasia and coordinates the Achondroplasia Clinic at QPRS. She is involved with research projects across Australia, collaborating with the University of Queensland, Macquarie University and Victorian Clinical Genetics Service and is also working with the Australian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre to develop the Australian Paediatric Rehabilitation Outcomes Registry (APROC).

Penny was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award in 2010 and completed her PhD studies in 2012 through the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science at University of Queensland. Penny also lectures at the University of Queensland and Griffith University to both undergraduate and postgraduate streams looking at the physiotherapy management of children with acquired brain injuries.

Patrick shares an enthusiasm for improving the lived experience and mental healthcare of families of adolescPenny brings a wealth of experience and knowledge about integrating current evidence into practice to assist children to reach their physical potential using strategies to optimise motor function and development. She shares Fight4Balance’s vision and passion for improving health outcomes and life skills of adolescent youth with mild to moderate learning and perceptual disabilities – the invisible youth – and looks forward to contributing to F4B’s growing Clinical Review Panel of volunteer medical and allied health practitioners.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Ms Patricia Hull

Patricia is a qualified Speech Language Pathologist with over 18 years’ experience working with children with disabilities. She has been fortunate to work in this field in many countries around the world and is passionate about supporting families to help bring out the best in their children.

Patricia operates an allied health clinic with a multi-disciplinary team and will be a key support person in aiding with communication strategies for clients in the Fight4Balance team.

F4B is excited to welcome Patricia as a Clinical Review Panel advisor.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor : Dr Julie Adsett PhD, BPhty (Hons)

F4B is honoured and exited to welcome Dr Julie Adsett as our Charity’s Director of Research / Functional Program Development.

Julie has over 25 years experience working as a Physiotherapist in the public sector. After graduating from the University of Queensland with first class honours, she commenced work at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she gained broad experience in the management of acute and chronic conditions across both adult and paediatric populations.

She subsequently worked in London as well as the University of Queensland before returning to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital into her current position as an advanced Physiotherapist with the Heart Support Service.

Julie completed her PhD in 2019 through Griffith University. She has over 20 peer reviewed publications and has presented at national and international conferences. She holds a casual academic position with the University of Queensland, is an affiliate member of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand and until recently was an examiner for the Australian Physiotherapy Council for registration of overseas trained Physiotherapists.

Julie is co-coordinator of a website (HEART Online) used internationally by cardiac clinicians and she sits on committees for both the National Heart Foundation and Lung Foundation Australia. She has a keen interest in promoting exercise and physical activity participation for people with chronic conditions. During her career, she has collaborated with NGOs and community facilities to strengthen links with the health sector and to improve access to physical activity programmes at scale.

In her spare time, Julie enjoys tennis, golf and swimming but does none particularly well.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Anne McNee

Anne is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist who works as a paediatric neuro-orthopaedics specialist with the Chelsea and Westminster Trust in London, England. Anne has close to 25 years of experience as a paediatric clinician researcher. She completed her undergraduate and Master’s Physiotherapy degrees at the University of Queensland before moving to London where she completed her PhD studies, which ivestigated the role of strength training for children with cerebral palsy.
Anne is passionate about giving children the opportunity to thrive in life through participation in sport and physical activity. She frequently participates in events to promote this cause and is currently working with British swimming to facilitate opportunities for children with disabilities to access appropriate learn to swim programmes. In her spare time, Anne enjoys cycling, tennis, golf and swimming and can often be found sharing these activities with her four young children.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Ms Angela Cheers

Angela is a qualified and experienced occupational therapist with over 29 years’ experience working with children both here in Australia and the UK. Most of her work has been with families and children in community settings both at home and school.

Angela’s interests have always been in the area of disability working with a diverse range of needs such as Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Brain Injury and Intellectual Impairment. For the past 13 years, Angela has operated her own private paediatric practice where her focus has been on children from 3-18 years with developmental and school difficulties. 30% of Angela’s caseload also have added concerns of Autism and ADHD.

Angela is very involved with assisting children to develop self-regulation skills – looking at how their sensory and emotional systems are maturing – and developing sensory and cognitive tools to help students handle their energy needs so they can successfully participate in home and community settings.

Angela is a strong advocate for children’s need to be involved with exercise, sport and physical pursuits as part of their regulation strategies.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Mr Angus Wyllie

Angus is a qualified and registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist after graduating from the University of Queensland with of a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology with Honours (BClinExP(Hons)).  He is an AUSTSWIM accredited Swimming & Water Safety Teacher and a nationally accredited Fitness Instructor.  Angus comes to F4B with frontline experience and insights into how structured exercise can positively impact the lives of youth with learning and perceptual disabilities, and their families. 

Throughout Angus’s formative years, he was fortunate to enjoy a broad range of sporting experiences and successes; gaining notoriety as a ‘code-hopper’ for opting to dabble in as many sports as was feasible. With each sporting club came a renewed sense of community and belonging, which has benefited his personal growth and professional development through bearing witness to the positive connections club memberships bring to both individuals and families.

Angus attended Brisbane State High School on academic merit where he also was selected to play rugby alongside some of Queensland’s best youth athletes. It is during this time he developed a strong interest for exercise prescription and an awareness of how exercise can directly benefit cognition, mood, sleep and stress management. This led Angus to commence his BClinExP(Hons) studies and competencies in evidence-based (better) practice in the field of Exercise Physiology.

During his academic pursuits at UQ, Angus has been awarded the Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence, and gained research experience as an accepted scholar within the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences Research Program.  Now in his 4th and final year of study, Angus is looking forward to graduating as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and using his knowledge to deliver safe and effective exercise interventions to individuals with chronic medical conditions, injuries or disabilities; and contribute positively to their lived-experiences.

Angus has been supporting our charity since the beginning and is currently the Coordinator of our F4B Adaptive Functional Strength & Conditioning Trial Program.  Angus has recently joined our ‘Clinical Review Panel’ as one of our highly-valued accredited and practising Clinical Exercise Physiologist.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Ms Ebony Blackstone

Ebony is a qualified and practicing Clinical Exercise Physiologist.

Ebony graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2018 with a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology, while also training full-time in her chosen sport of swimming. With a love of exercise and a dedication to providing her clients with the best possible care, Ebony believes that creating a positive and trusting relationship between the client and clinician is of the utmost importance, and her number one priority is helping her clients live their best life.

Through her own battles with injury Ebony has experienced the effectiveness of exercise as medicine, and believes that it is our greatest ally in the treatment and management of injury and chronic disease.

Ebony’s particular areas of interest include athletic development, cardiac and musculoskeletal rehabilitation; however she loves the diversity of clients seen in private practice and enjoys working with all healthy and clinical populations. She has experience working in these three areas with clients of all ages, having completed placements in the Rugby League Development Program at Ipswich State High School, the Heart Recovery Service at Princess Alexandra Hospital in heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation, and currently at her fulltime employment at Forge West End Health & Fitness Hub.

When not at work, you can find Ebony at Yeronga Pool training hard for her next competition. She enjoys both pool and open water swimming, and competes for her club at local, state and national competitions all over Australia. Ebony was thrilled to be selected on her first international team this year to compete at the 12th Oceania Swimming Championships in Papua New Guinea, and hopes to qualify for another Australian team in the near future. In between training and work, Ebony enjoys going to the beach and playing music with her family.

F4B is excited to welcome Ebony as one of our enthusiastic Clinical Review Panel Advisors.

Clinical Review Panel Advisor: Mr Damien Chrzanowski

Damien is a qualified and practising clinical exercise physiogist and the founder of Pulse Exercise Physiology.  He also brings previous experience as a mechanical engineer in the mining sector.

Having experienced his own health challenges in his 20’s and the effects of cancer on both body and mind through loved ones, Damien knew his vocation was to help improve the quality of life for people going through their own health journey. This led Damien to moving on from a successful mechanical engineer career to retraining as a clinical exercise physiologist at QUT; graduating in 2019. Damien has worked in the health and wellbeing industry since 2015 as an accredited Personal Trainer.

With an analytical mind and a passion for continual improvement, Damien’s philosophy is to help others achieve their best. Damien adopts an evidence-based, holistic approach by addressing issues of both body and mind for long-term health and wellbeing. This includes understanding how beliefs, behaviours and choices affect your body, and how a change in approach can greatly improve performance and quality of life.

Having worked as an engineer and experience in hospital outreach clinics, community health centres, and health club settings, Damien unique approach and way of thinking when it comes to developing solutions to complex problems while being at the forefront of cutting-edge research to ensure the best outcomes for my clients.

Damien has experience working with other passionate health professionals in areas of complex pain management, hypermobility, oncology, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders and many other rare conditions. He has developed special interest in complex pain management and hypermobility and currently works with the team Brisbane Musculoskeletal Medicine as a consulting exercise rehabilitation specialist in chronic pain, working together to shape the way pain management is approached.

Damien’s goal is to help people become the best they can be, to live healthy, active and meaningful lives no matter what their health circumstance may be.

Damien has been actively involved as a volunteer program coordinator and group trainer with F4B since the charity’s inception in 2018; and we are excited to welcome Damien to our growing team of qualified allied-health professionals.