International Day for Persons with Disability: Georgie Henry and Prof Nadia Badawi
For International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd), Women in Global Health Australia is proud to launch another special profiling series to highlight the incredible women living with disability and women advocating for persons with disabilities. This year’s theme is ‘Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress.’
Committee Member Prof Jaya Dantas had the privilege of conducting a joint interview with Georgie Henry, a senior Research Assistant at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance with a lived experience of cerebral palsy, and Professor Nadia Badawi AM, the Chair of Cerebral Palsy Research at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
What are your current roles and what was the journey to get to where you both are today?
Georgie Henry is a Senior Research Assistant at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and has lived experience of cerebral palsy – the most common lifelong physical disability. In 2020 Georgie completed her Bachelor of Psychology, graduating with First Class Honours, and is currently planning to commence her PhD in 2026. Professor Nadia Badawi AM is the co-director at the Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care and the Chair of Cerebral Palsy Research at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, University of Sydney. Nadia has an international reputation as a cerebral palsy researcher and was a finalist for Australian of the Year 2026 in NSW.
Georgie and Nadia first met in 2021 at the recommendation of a mutual connection – an incredible family with whom Georgie had worked with for years. They saw Georgie’s great potential – introducing her as exceptionally bright and a potential asset to the Research Institute. They also thought that Georgie and Nadia would get on like a house on fire. They were right.
Under the guidance of Nadia and her wonderful manager Sarah McIntyre, Georgie has become a valued member of the epidemiology team at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute. Over the years, the women have established very strong relationships - founded on mentorship, support and deep respect.
In collaboration with a wide team of clinicians, researchers and scientists, the women have a shared passion for improving the lives of babies in neonatal intensive care and people with cerebral palsy and their families. Together, the team creates the world’s leading research program focused on cerebral palsy – working towards prevention, treatment and cure. The ultimate goal: to ensure every baby born with cerebral palsy is offered a world of opportunity, no matter where they are born.
What does the International Day of Persons with Disabilities mean to you?
International Day of Persons with Disability is an opportunity to celebrate all the meaningful contributions that people living with disability bring to our world every day – right across the globe. For the research community, it’s a chance to reflect on the wonderful progress that has been made in cerebral palsy research, promoting equity and inclusion for people living with disability.
As a neonatologist, Nadia works with some of the sickest and most vulnerable babies who spend their early days in neonatal intensive care units (NICU’s) – a place where 1 in 2 people with cerebral palsy in high income countries will start their life. In efforts to give these babies their best future, International Person with Disabilities Day is an opportunity to reflect on how we must continue to invest in disability research to find new ways to offer neuroprotection, early detection and prevention of disability for this vulnerable population.
It’s also a pertinent time to reflect on how we can continue to strive to give voice and visibility to all people living with disability across the globe – no matter where a person lives. Over 85% of people living with disability reside in Low-and Middle-Income countries, where access to healthcare and disability services is extremely limited. Disability affects every person and family very differently, and true inclusion means leaving no one behind.
What is your favourite thing about what each of you do?
In Georgie and Nadia’s words: “The people”. Both women feel extremely privileged to work in a team of beautiful people who are deeply passionate about driving life-changing research. By collaborating with nurses, allied health professionals, researchers and doctors, Nadia has led a team which has made a world of difference to the lives of the tiniest, most vulnerable babies – increasing the survival rate in the Grace NICU from 80% to over 96%. Watching more families take their babies home from hospital is what it is all about.
Because, at the heart of the team’s research are people living with cerebral palsy and their families. Both women are incredibly proud to collaborate with people who have diverse lived experiences – believing the key to creating impactful research is by centering lived experience every step of the way. Creating space to listen to people’s stories, ideas, questions and lived expertise creates meaningful research outputs, which will remain relevant for generations to come. Together, the team are making a difference to the lives of people with disability and shaping the next generation of global health leaders.
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What challenges have you faced in your careers, and how have you overcome them?
When it comes to funding medical research, global disability and neonatal healthcare have been neglected. Sustaining long-term funding for these often-forgotten populations is challenging. Georgie and Nadia’s team continue to advocate for cerebral palsy to be placed as a priority population on the global health agenda.
Ensuring that women with disabilities have equal opportunity to sustainable and flexible employment is also very important to both women. Building an inclusive team requires taking the time to understand each person’s strengths and support needs. It means fostering an environment where adjustments and challenges can be openly spoken about – workshopped and navigated together. This benefits the whole team - fostering creativity, empathy and connection.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues or priorities for women in global health right now?
Financial security and health literacy are pivotal to achieving gender equality in global health. All women, including those living with disability, deserve to be empowered with the skills and resources to make informed health decisions - an increasing challenge in the current cost-of-living crisis. Continuing to support women to balance clinical, research and family responsibilities also remains an important priority, to ensure appropriate gender-representation in global health leadership. It is only then that we will drive change to create better health outcomes for everyone.
What advice would you give to young women who want to make a positive difference globally?
Georgie and Nadia agree: “Find your people”. No person can change the world alone – it takes a team who aligns with your values and is willing to amplify your voice. Seek thoughtful and compassionate mentors who can see your potential, champion your growth and are willing to help you achieve it. And when the time comes, be open to mentoring others in return. No change happens overnight either. Be patient, learn from others, ask questions, try new things, make mistakes, and never forget your “why”. Accept that not everything will go to plan – but if you have the right support around you, you can learn from experiences together.
How can we encourage others to pursue a career in gender-related health?
Visibility of diversity in gender-related health careers is key to encouraging others to get involved. All women – regardless of disability, ethnicity, sexuality or religion, should feel a sense of belonging within our community. This requires increased representation within our workforce and appropriate supports – including accessible pathways to education, mentoring and leadership opportunities. Only by creating inclusive health systems which are designed for all, can we begin to work towards better global health outcomes.
