Occupational therapist Ely Flynn embodies MAF’s mission of flying help, hope and healing to isolated Yolŋu communities.
Story by Janne Rytkönen
Ely is married to MAF aircraft maintenance engineer Josh, and mother of four active children, but she’s also an occupational therapist working part-time in a private practice based in Nhulunbuy, Arnhem Land.
Her clinic gets referrals from the Northern Territory Government for a wide variety of clients, so Ely’s job takes her to the homelands and communities of East Arnhem Land, in addition to work in Nhulunbuy town.
“Coming here is really lovely,” says Ely. “I really didn't think that I was going to be able to do that.
“I thought ‘we've got four children,’ and I didn't think that we'd have capacity for me to do this, but God really has just kind of gifted me this opportunity to be able to come out. I feel very privileged.”
Because of the vast distances, difficult terrain, and cultural perspectives, children and adults in remote Arnhem Land communities have limited access to specialist health and wellbeing services compared to Australians in urban or regional centres.
The limited access results in the under-diagnosis of health conditions and a disproportionately high burden of preventable disease.
I get a MAF chartered flight to come out and do this day's work in the school, which is beautiful, and I feel very lucky.
Ely’s clients include a community of about 1000 Yolŋu people, some 220km by unsealed road from Nhulunbuy, or about a three-hour drive by four-wheel-drive vehicle in ideal conditions.
Another of Ely’s clients is a young student in Gapuwiyak, who faces a challenging family situation and is in out-of-family kinship care. Ely’s support sessions give the young girl a better chance to live a well-adjusted life.
“I come along every two weeks, and spend half the day out here in Gapuwiyak,” Ely said.
“I see her at the school and we do some work around social skills, building emotional regulation, emotional awareness, and just networking her supports to increase that awareness.
“I work alongside the teachers, and the teachers are all incredible and they do such a wonderful job.”
Travelling to Gapuwiyak by road would not be feasible for a half-day session of occupational therapy, but thanks to MAF, healthcare is reached by those who might otherwise be forgotten.
“I get a MAF chartered flight to come out and do this day's work in the school, which is beautiful, and I feel very lucky,” Ely said.
“Everyone's a child of God and everyone has the right to life, and God wants us to flourish.”
