Healthy Tasmania recognised at 2018 Launceston Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards

NOVEMBER 3 2018

Tasmania might be the fattest, oldest and overall sickest state in Australia, but it doesn’t have to be according to Healthy Tasmania managing director Lucy Byrne. 

For the past two years, Ms Byrne and sister Penny Terry have been working to change the conversation surrounding health in Tasmania. 

Last week, their business Healthy Tasmania won the inaugural Health Entrepreneur award at the 2018 Launceston Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. 

For Ms Byrne, the win marked a shift in thinking regarding health in the community and a positive step towards creating change.

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“I think the award reiterates the need to do health differently,” she said.

“Because at the end of the day, if you continue doing what you have always done, you are going to end up getting what you always get. 

“It is about recognising that we need new and innovative ways to combat the health issues we are having, and the possible ways of working in the sector.

“It is also a testament to the chamber for introducing the awards in the first place, and recognising health as its own sector and not just another service.”

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Founded in 2016, Healthy Tasmania aims to improve individual, social and economic health outcomes in the community.

By ‘driving collaboration to inspire community solutions’, the siblings work with partners on a range of projects aimed at enabling people to live their best life – starting with personal health. 

Through programs such as Active Launceston, which recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary, and Healthy Shed, Ms Byrne said being able to engage the community in a conversation about better health outcomes was at the root of what they had to offer. 

“Sometimes for us, the thrill comes from just making that connection,” she said. 

“We saw the crisis that was growing in acute health, and regonised a way to help. 

“From being the glue between two services, and assisting in making that connection. 

“That is something we measure our success.”

For more information visit Healthy Tasmania’s website. 

This article first appeared in The Examiner newspaper here