Dr Kym Rae was given the Kidney Health Australia Operation Angel Award in recognition of her tireless effort to treat kidney problems in the region. 

Dr Rae is the program co-ordinator of the Gomeroi gaaynggal program, which combines art and health to improve kidney health for local indigenous women. 

Dr Rae said she was “blown away” to be given the prestigious award. 

She said Kidney Health Australia had been struck by the program’s “unusual approach” of placing kidney health side by side with the creative arts. 

She said her research put women at ease and broke down barriers between health researchers and expectant mums. 

“They feel more comfortable having an ultrasound in a creche room with an art creation sitting beside them,” Dr Rae said.

“It’s very different to a normal research lab.” 

Kidney disease disproportionately affects the indigenous community, Dr Rae said, and many of the women in her studies were presenting with high levels of kidney dysfunction. 

“These women are only in their 20s, so it’s quite a frightful thought, and if there is kidney dysfunction the foetus will also have problems – so in the long term, two generations will be affected.

“I want to stress that although it’s my name on the award, it’s an award for the entire team. 

“I couldn’t do the work I do without the researchers in 

Newcastle and the all-Aboriginal staff at Tamworth and Walgett, who are enormously committed to improving kidney disease outcomes.”