At first I was seeing the doctors and the nurse and I was getting a massage occasionally. I’ve also been getting acupuncture on and off as I’ve needed it.

I always feel much better in myself when I come in and have professionals who have studied women’s health. I prefer to come to Leichhardt Women’s rather than to see another GP, especially when it’s to do with women’s health problems because I feel there’s been a difference, they’re particularly looking at issues to do with women’s health and I feel there’s more empathy. I feel a lot more comfortable than I do in other places, especially when you get particular examinations.

The acupuncture and physio treatments here have helped with my neck and wrists a lot and that, along with the exercise in the groups, was very beneficial. They’ve given me stretches and stuff for home as well, I don’t need to go to a class every single week. If I go to something a couple of times, then I can balance that with doing my own exercises at home.

I have kept in touch with at least three of the women I met through the centre. It didn’t happen straight away, but since 2005, some were in the same groups as me, Qi Gong, and dance therapy, and we connected to each other. At the end of one of the Qi Gong classes we swapped contact details and now we go out and see movies together. We’ve been to each other’s places for lunch and we meet for coffee. It’s good to have a couple of women who live in the area, it makes it easy to connect.

They always look at what they can do things. It’s good they’re putting on new groups for women who have been coming for a long time. There are other women’s health centres, but none like this one. When I have the blood pressure taken at the women’s centre, the blood pressure reading is fine, but when I go to my regular GP doctor and he takes it, it’s up! I think because you’ve got to wait two or three hours to see him and that builds the pressure up. It’s always been fine when I’m at Leichhardt Women’s.

“When I have the blood pressure taken at the women’s centre, the blood pressure reading is fine, but when I go to my regular GP and he takes it, it’s up! I think because you’ve got to wait two or three hours to see him and that builds the pressure up. It’s always been fine when I’m at Leichhardt Women’s.”