Severe ME Day Webinar 2025: Lived Experience Forum

Host: Julie Hughes Julie Hughes has been an occupational therapist for over thirty years. She has a long standing interest in ME and has worked in this area as both a clinician and researcher. She studied in Brisbane but then lived and worked in the UK for many years before returning to live in QLD in 2017 where she commenced as a Lecturer in Occupational therapy on the Australian Catholic University (ACU) campus in Brisbane. She is the occupational therapy advisor for MEGA. She also provides Telehealth Occupational Therapy service called ME Exhaustion Management by Telehealth. LinkedIn:   / julie-hughes-846b4852   === Special Guests: Clare Batkin Clare Batkin is an occupational therapist, clinical educator, sessional academic and founder of the clinical education business Your OT Tutor. Clare has over 15 years’ experience as an OT working with adult clients across public and private sectors with her most recent work focusing on completing Functional Capacity Assessments for adult NDIS participants. She is a self-proclaimed “OT Nerd” who loves sharing her enthusiasm for learning and evidence-based practice with other therapists to help them become better OTs who love what they do. LinkedIn:   / clare-batkin   Joanne Mak Joanne Mak, founder of My Rehab Team, is passionate about enabling people to be excited about their potential through rehabilitation. Working in community rehabilitation for many years in the UK has grounded her strong belief in the significant benefits of community based service. The completion of a Masters degree in Rehabilitation further consolidated her view and understanding. In 2010, she returned back to Brisbane to be closer to her family. She worked briefly for MS Queensland. Subsequent to that, she worked in the outpatients rehabilitation service at the Ipswich Hospital. It was during those months that she noticed a need for a neurological service which is delivered in a mobile, multi-professional manner and is being made efficient and seamless by the sharing of skills between professionals – trans-disciplinary practice. The service also needs to respond to the changing needs by being patient-driven in design. This gave birth to My Rehab Team. The journey of re-learning about M.E. and the invaluable experience gained are the reasons that Jo agreed to the invitation to share at the Severe M.E. Webinar. LinkedIn:   / joanne-mak-9a17a115   Jon Mitchell Jon Mitchell is the co-founder and NDIS specialist at Smart Places Australia, a pioneering provider of smart home solutions tailored for people with disability. With a background in rehabilitative equipment and occupational therapy studies, Jon brings deep insight into accessibility needs. He works closely with occupational therapists and healthcare professionals to deliver customised automation—smart lighting, locks, climate control, and more—that enhances independence and safety. Passionate about inclusive design, Jon leads with empathy and innovation, ensuring every solution supports real-life functionality. His commitment to improving everyday living through technology has made Smart Places a trusted name in Australia’s disability support landscape. LinkedIn:   / jon-mitchell-37426a223   === Panelists: Sandra Adrienne Ketra Shelley === We would be grateful for your donation to achieve our goals. As a small charity with big dreams, your donation is critical for us to continue with Webinar Events and tackle our goals. https://megroupaustralia.org.au/donate/ #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #SevereME #MEcfs #LongCovid #HealthLiteracy #MEGAdream