28-07-2025
When Home Heals: Dialysis and the Power of Staying on Country
For many Yolŋu people, being forced to leave Galiwin'ku for dialysis has meant separation from family, country, and culture - sometimes for years, sometimes forever. Chronic kidney disease, largely caused by lifestyle changes introduced through Western foods, has taken a devastating toll.
For generations, Yolŋu people followed the rhythms of the seasons, knowing when and what to eat to stay strong and healthy. Traditional foods were naturally low in sugar and highly nutritious. But the shift to store-bought foods, soft drinks, and processed foods has led to widespread chronic disease - something that was once rare in these communities.
In the past, when the winds come this way, we know what to eat. It's been passed over from my grandfather. What we feel through air, it's part of the grandfather that passed over to us, so we know exactly what to eat when the season comes. Charlie Dhamarrandji, Dialysis Patient In this episode, Dr. Sarah Hanieh speaks with Charlie Yebarrarr Dhamarrandji who shares his personal journey with chronic kidney failure and receiving dialysis treatment, and Kat Baxter, a dialysis nurse from Purple House, living on country in Galiwin'ku. Together, they discuss what it means to receive dialysis on country, the reality of chronic disease in remote communities, and how Yolŋu knowledge and traditions continue to play a vital role in health and healing. Two Worlds, One Health is created by Dr Sarah Hanieh
Host : Dr Sarah Hanieh
Production assistance : Lindy Marlow
Artwork: Ruth Gulamanda Dhurrkay and Rickisha Banba Gurruwiwi
Music : Djutjuti Nha Djamarrkuli, Shepherdson College, Galiwin'ku, Department of Education, Northern Territory.
Mixed: Max Gosford
Photos credit: Lindy Marlow
Thanks to Joel Supple for her guidance. This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Yolŋu people in Galiwin'ku. I pay my respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge their ongoing connection to the land, water, and culture Links:
