In-SPHERE Spring 2025: Special CALD issue

Partnering with communities to build a fairer health system

What happens when communities are treated not just as participants in research, but as true partners? The Spring edition of In-SPHERE explores this powerful question through stories of innovation, collaboration, and cultural connection, showing how research shaped by lived experience is changing lives across Australia’s diverse communities.

“When we partner with communities as equal collaborators, healthcare becomes more accessible, equitable, and meaningful,” says SPHERE Interim Executive Director, Professor Robert Gorkin.

This latest issue highlights research that is breaking down barriers to care for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations, from improving lung cancer outcomes and increasing clinical trial participation to co-designing reproductive health initiatives with migrant women.

It also celebrates projects driven by community leadership. The Natural Helper Project, which began with SPHERE Fellowship funding, has grown into a finalist for the NSW Health Excellence in Multicultural Healthcare Award, while My Toddler and Me supports CALD families through in-language videos about child health and development.

Across Sydney, consumer advocate Sala Ronda Thompson is guiding programs that address chronic disease in Pasifika communities, while Dr Alex Hawkey’s Making Choices project at Western Sydney University examines how system complexity and language barriers affect women’s reproductive health decisions.

“These stories demonstrate that equity in healthcare is not just an aspiration but a practice,” Prof Gorkin says.

“When researchers, clinicians, and communities collaborate to design solutions that are relevant, inclusive, and sustainable, advancements in healthcare can truly benefit everyone.”

The Spring edition of In-SPHERE is a celebration of research that listens, learns, and acts, building a stronger, fairer health system for all.

Read the full magazine here