Empowering communities, transforming health

Imagine a future where type 2 diabetes is no longer a life sentence, where people in marginalised communities have access to healthcare that not only treats symptoms but reverses disease and restores well-being. This future is already unfolding—thanks to the groundbreaking work of Associate Professor Dr John Stevens and his team.

Associate Professor Dr John Stevens

Meet Associate Professor Dr John Stevens, a seasoned academic with over thirty-five years of experience, dedicating the last twenty-five years to teaching and researching health at Southern Cross University.

John is not just an academic; he is a cofounder of the Lifestyle Medicine movement in Australia and is acknowledged for being a leader in the largest new global movement in health; Lifestyle Medicine.

“Lifestyle Medicine is the best and most sustainable medicine we have for the prevention and management of lifestyle related illness. Lifestyle Medicine is the most rapidly growing world-wide movement in health with over 50 Lifestyle Medicine organisations empowering communities and clinicians to improve health and wellbeing. And it had its humble beginnings here at Southern Cross University.” 

Shared Medical Appointments: A revolution in preventing and managing lifestyle related illness

John has dedicated his career to revolutionising healthcare through Lifestyle Medicine, proving that culturally aligned, evidence-based interventions can reverse chronic disease. His recent collaboration with Waminda Aboriginal Women’s Health and Wellbeing Corporation is proof: eighteen out of twenty-five Aboriginal women in the study significantly lowered their blood sugar levels, and seven reversed their diabetes entirely. Some who once required insulin finished the trial needing no diabetes medication at all.

The secret? A radical yet simple approach— a healthcare system built to be culturally safe and responsive and led by community.

Through Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs)—also known as Group Consultations or Medical Yarn Ups—patients receive more than just treatment; they gain a supportive network, a sense of empowerment, and the tools to reclaim their health. These evidence-backed models don’t just improve individual lives; they have the power to transform entire communities.

But to expand this work and bring these life-changing interventions to more communities, we need your support.

By donating, you can help John and his team scale this research, implement more community-led healthcare initiatives, and ensure that everyone—regardless of background—has access to care that empowers them to thrive.

Your support can change lives. Will you be part of this movement for better health?

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