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Hollywood star sings to her mother in hospital during cancer battle

Kate Beckinsale has shared an emotional video of herself singing to her mother, Judy Loe, as the 77-year-old remains in hospital while bravely battling stage four cancer. The tender moment, posted to Instagram, shows the Underworld actress gently serenading her mum with the Everly Brothers’ 1958 song Bye, Bye Love, revealing the choice had a deeply personal meaning. “When my mum was 14, she was in a harmony group with her best friends Mary, Sylvia (known as Fuzzy to this day because of an unfortunate perm decades ago), and Chris,” Beckinsale wrote. “I am a very poor substitute not being a very good singer but I want my mum’s dearest and oldest friends in her hospital room with her.” Beckinsale, 51, thanked her mother’s friends and signed off the post with love and humour, saying, “Love you all but most especially my mum. X and apologise to anybody in the hospital subject to my dreadful singing 🤍.” While the cause of Loe’s current hospital stay is unclear, the actress and her mother have been enduring wave after wave of heartbreak. Earlier this year, the family lost Roy Battersby, Loe’s husband and Beckinsale’s stepfather, who passed away at 87. He was a renowned British television director and a guiding presence in their lives. In a previous post, Beckinsale opened up about the compounding grief that’s taken a severe toll on her health. “I watched my stepfather die quite shockingly, my mother has stage 4 cancer, and I lost a lot of weight from stress and grief, quite quickly,” she wrote. She went on to reveal that the emotional strain had physical consequences. “I was in hospital for six weeks because the grief had burned a hole in my oesophagus which made me vomit copious amounts of blood, and I found eating very hard.” Support has poured in for Beckinsale online, with many followers sending kind messages. One wrote: “Bless you, darling Kate. I wish we could hold our mums’ hands and hearts forever and ever.” As she continues to care for her mother through unimaginable pain, Beckinsale’s heartfelt video stands as a raw and powerful reminder of the depth of love and the quiet ways we try to ease each other’s suffering. Images: Instagram

Caring

Jaws at 50: how two musical notes terrified an entire generation

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Our experience of the world often involves hearing our environment before seeing it. Whether it’s the sound of something moving through nearby water, or the rustling of vegetation, our fear of the unseen is rooted in our survival instincts as a species. Cinematic sound and music taps into these somewhat unsettling instincts – and this is exactly what director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams achieved in the iconic 1975 thriller Jaws. The sound design and musical score work in tandem to confront the audience with a mysterious killer animal. In what is arguably the film’s most iconic scene, featuring beach swimmers’ legs flailing underwater, the shark remains largely unseen – yet the sound perfectly conveys the threat at large. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rW23RsUTb2Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Creating tension in a soundtrack</h2> Film composers aim to create soundscapes that will profoundly move and influence their audience. And they express these intentions through the use of musical elements such as rhythm, harmony, tempo, form, dynamics, melody and texture. In Jaws, the initial encounter with the shark opens innocently with the sound of an offshore buoy and its clanging bell. The scene is established both musically and atmospherically to evoke a sense of isolation for the two characters enjoying a late-night swim on an empty beach. But once we hear the the low strings, followed by the central two-note motif played on a tuba, we know something sinister is afoot. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yrEvK-tv5OI?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> This compositional technique of alternating between two notes at an increasing speed has long been employed by composers, including by Antonín Dvořák in his 1893 work <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOofzffyDSA&pp=ygUcdGhlIG5ldyB3b3JsZCBzeW1waG9ueSBuby4gOQ==">New World Symphony</a>. John Williams <a href="https://limelight-arts.com.au/features/the-music-of-jaws-an-interview-with-john-williams/">reportedly used</a> six basses, eight cellos, four trombones and a tuba to create the blend of low frequencies that would go on to define his entire Jaws score. The bass instruments emphasise the lower end of the musical frequency spectrum, evoking a dark timbre that conveys depth, power and intensity. String players can use various <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin_technique">bowing techniques</a>, such as staccato and marcato, to deliver dark and even menacing tones, especially in the lower registers. Meanwhile, there is a marked absence of tonality in the repeating E–F notes, played with increasing speed on the tuba. Coupled with the intensifying dynamics in the instrumental blend, this accelerating two-note motif signals the looming danger before we even see it – tapping into our instinctive fear of the unknown. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BQKLJ2MuHvY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The use of the two-note motif and lower-end orchestration characterises a composition style that aims to unsettle and disorientate the audience. Another example of this style can be heard in Bernard Herrmann’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kvzZ6nkZ6Q">car crash scene audio</a> in North by Northwest (1959). Similarly, in Sergei Prokofiev’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Y4U7wNZu-CU%22%22">Scythian Suite</a>, the opening of the second movement (Dance of the Pagan Gods) uses an alternating D#–E motif. The elasticity of Williams’ motif allows the two notes to be played on different instruments throughout the soundtrack, exploring various timbral possibilities to induce a kaleidoscope of fear, panic and dread. <h2>The psychology behind our response</h2> What is it that makes the Jaws soundtrack so psychologically confronting, even without the visuals? Music scholars have various theories. <a href="https://boldentrance.com/the-power-of-jaws-is-in-john-williams-two-note-musical-score/">Some suggest</a> the two notes imitate the sound of human respiration, while others have proposed the theme evokes the heartbeat of a shark. Williams explained his approach <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-ca-john-williams-20120108-story.html">in an interview</a> with the Los Angeles Times: <blockquote> I fiddled around with the idea of creating something that was very … brainless […] Meaning something could be very repetitious, very visceral, and grab you in your gut, not in your brain. […] It could be something you could play very softly, which would indicate that the shark is far away when all you see is water. Brainless music that gets louder and gets closer to you, something is gonna swallow you up. </blockquote> Williams plays with the audience’s emotions throughout the film’s score, culminating in the scene Man Against Beast – a celebration of thematic development and heightened orchestration. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xrjUIz7fy6c?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The film’s iconic soundtrack has created a legacy that extends beyond the visual. And this suggests the score isn’t just a soundtrack – but a character in its own right. By using music to reveal what is hidden, Williams creates an intense emotional experience rife with anticipation and tension. The score’s two-note motif showcases his genius – and serves as a sonic shorthand that has kept a generation behind the breakers of every beach.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/258068/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-cole-1443114">Alison Cole</a>, Composer and Lecturer in Screen Composition, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/jaws-at-50-how-two-musical-notes-terrified-an-entire-generation-258068">original article</a>. Image: </div>

Movies

Mother accused of murdering daughter dies in hospital

An already deeply tragic case has taken a further heartbreaking turn with the death of a woman charged with the murder of her three-year-old daughter. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/chilling-new-details-emerge-after-qld-mother-s-alleged-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Ingrid Flanigan</a>, 32, was found unresponsive in her cell at the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre on Friday night. Despite being rushed to hospital, she died from her injuries overnight, Queensland Corrective Services confirmed. Flanigan had been in custody since last Monday, when she was arrested in the front yard of her Bundaberg home. Police were called to the property after reports of a seriously injured child. Her daughter, Sophia Rose, was found with multiple wounds and died at the scene despite desperate efforts to save her. The devastating loss of Sophia had already shocked the community. Now, just days later, Flanigan’s sudden death has left many struggling to make sense of the unfolding tragedy. “Queensland Corrective Services officers provided immediate assistance before paramedics transported the woman to hospital, where she died last night, June 1,” a QCS spokesperson said. “Support is being offered to the responding officers and their colleagues.” Police have confirmed that the Corrective Services Investigation Unit (CSIU) is examining the circumstances of Flanigan’s death, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. Flanigan had not entered a plea and was scheduled to appear in court in July. Her death now leaves many unanswered questions, while intensifying the sorrow surrounding an already harrowing case. Sophia’s father, Jai Ruane, a FIFO worker at a Central Queensland coal mine, was not home at the time of the incident. He has since returned and is caring for his two other children. <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bundaberg-homicide-investigation-murder-probe-launched-after-threeyearold-girl-found-dead-in-queensland/fd891d0d-9c31-46a9-9668-44cda55655e0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaking to 9NEWS</a>, Ruane shared memories of his “bubbly” little girl, who he described as the “light” of his life. “She was always smiling, always wanting to help, just so full of life and love. She just had such a huge heart,” he said. If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression, contact beyondblue on 1300224636. Images: Instagram

Bindi shares heartbreaking update from hospital bed

Beloved Aussie conservationist Bindi Irwin has updated fans following a recent health scare that saw her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/bindi-irwin-rushed-to-hospital-in-the-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rushed to hospital</a> during a trip to Las Vegas. The 26-year-old was in the city to attend the annual Steve Irwin Gala Dinner, held in honour of her late father, when she was suddenly hospitalised. In a heartfelt video recorded from her hospital bed, Irwin addressed her concerned followers, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support she’s received. “Hey guys, Bindi here. I just wanted to thank you so much for your incredible well wishes. I just got out of surgery about an hour ago,” she said in the clip, visibly groggy but smiling. Irwin revealed the extent of her medical ordeal, explaining that doctors had removed her appendix and discovered 14 new endometriosis lesions, which were also excised. Additionally, surgeons repaired a hernia during the operation. “I’m sorry if I’m a little out of it in this video,” she said, “but I just wanted you to know that I’m on the road to recovery one step at a time and I am so lucky to have so much love in my life from my beautiful family.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJkni9ypEfA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJkni9ypEfA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a> </div> </blockquote> Her younger brother, Robert Irwin, 21, confirmed that Bindi’s appendix had ruptured, calling the situation an unexpected shock for the family. Speaking from the gala event, where he stepped in for his sister, he told reporters: “She’s going to be OK, but surgery – out of all the things we were ready for, that was not one of them.” This is not the first time Irwin has opened up about her health. In March 2023, she publicly shared her struggle with endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often causing chronic pain and fatigue. At the time, she underwent surgery and disclosed that doctors had removed 37 lesions and a large ovarian cyst, commonly referred to as a “chocolate cyst”. “Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was,” she said last year. “Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain.” She also recalled the sobering words of her doctor post-operation: “How did you live with this much pain?” Bindi’s family has rallied around her once again, with brother Robert writing under her latest post, “Stay strong Bindi! Love you!” Her husband of five years, Chandler Powell, also commented: “Strongest person I know.” Image: Instagram

Caring

Bindi Irwin rushed to hospital in the US

Conservationist and TV personality Bindi Irwin was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery in Las Vegas after suffering a ruptured appendix, her brother Robert Irwin confirmed over the weekend. The 26-year-old daughter of the late Steve Irwin had travelled to Las Vegas to attend the annual Steve Irwin Gala, which honours her father’s legacy and raises funds for Wildlife Warriors, the conservation organisation he founded. However, an unexpected medical crisis derailed her plans. “She’s going to be OK, but surgery – out of all the things we were ready for, that was not one of them,” said Robert Irwin, 21, in an interview with People at the gala. “She’s just come out the other side of endometriosis and now the appendix goes. Health is so important – it really is.” Bindi had reportedly intended to attend the high-profile event despite experiencing severe discomfort. “She came to Las Vegas and was ready to come to the gala, put on a brave face in a lot of discomfort and a lot of pain and said, ‘Nope, I’m just going to tough it out, I’m going to go for it,’” Robert said. “But the surgeon said, ‘No, your appendix is going. That thing’s gotta come out.’ Health has to come first.” Their mother, Terri Irwin, 60, also skipped the gala to be by Bindi’s side during her recovery. “She’s very sad,” Robert said of his sister. “She’s devastated that she and Mum can’t be here, but I know she’ll make a speedy recovery.” “Bindi has become an incredible advocate for women’s health particularly," continued Robert, "and I think it’s really important to prioritise getting help.” Just a day before her hospitalisation, Bindi shared cheerful photos on social media alongside her mother and brother in Las Vegas. “Khaki by day – Bellagio chic by night! Here in #LasVegas for the #SteveIrwinGala raising funds and awareness for Wildlife Warriors,” she captioned the post. “Supporting conservation and remembering Dad’s extraordinary legacy.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJdlZ9zOTNd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJdlZ9zOTNd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a> </div> </blockquote> The Steve Irwin Gala is held annually to raise awareness and funds for conservation efforts in honour of Steve Irwin, who died tragically in 2006 after a stingray attack. Bindi has been candid about her long battle with endometriosis, which went undiagnosed for a decade. In a February episode of the A Life of Greatness podcast, she spoke openly about the debilitating symptoms and challenges she faced before undergoing surgery in March 2023. “Every day the fatigue and the battle,” she said, describing how the illness affected her daily life and relationships. “There’s no cure for endometriosis, but if you’re able to get surgery you have a better shot at life,” she said. “Maybe in five or 10 years, I’ll have to get another surgery, but for now, it’s all gone, which I’m very grateful for.” Despite her health setbacks, Bindi continues to inspire many through her advocacy and commitment to wildlife conservation – a mission she proudly carries forward in her father’s name. Images: Instagram

Caring

Parents whose newborn died at Northern Beaches Hospital speak out

The grieving parents of a newborn who died following a series of medical delays at Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital say their daughter’s death was “completely avoidable” – and are calling for the facility to be returned to full public control. Harper Atkinson died in February, a day after experiencing severe complications at birth at the 488-bed hospital, which operates under a controversial public-private partnership model. Her parents, Leah Pitman and Dustin Atkinson, believe she could have been saved if urgent care had been available when it was needed most. “She should be here. She should be in our arms,” Leah <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-16/harper-atkinson-death-northern-beaches-hospital-parents-speak/105180276" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ABC’s 7.30</a>. “But she’s not – and it’s because there was no urgency. No theatre ready. No proper staffing. And now we’ve lost her.” Harper’s death is the second tragedy in recent months to put Northern Beaches Hospital under scrutiny. In September 2024, toddler Joe Massa collapsed and later died after a three-hour wait in the hospital’s emergency department. Healthscope, the private operator of the facility, admitted that was an “unacceptable failing”. The NSW government has since vowed never to repeat the public-private model used at the hospital, which serves around 350,000 people on Sydney’s northern beaches. Leah was initially sent home from the hospital on a Friday due to staff shortages. She returned the next evening after going into labour at home. Though her midwife had prepared a bath for a water birth, things quickly went wrong. “I felt this intense pain in my lower back, and then my waters broke – with blood,” Leah recalled. “I looked down and just thought, ‘Oh God, is that normal?’” By 9:30pm, concern was mounting. But it wasn’t until around 10:30pm that an obstetrician arrived and diagnosed a suspected placental abruption – a life-threatening condition for both mother and baby. He immediately called for a Category One caesarean section, the most urgent level of surgical intervention. But despite the emergency, Leah was left waiting. “They kept saying, ‘Theatre’s not ready. Theatre’s not ready,’” she said. “I assumed it was busy. We later found out there is no 24/7 theatre.” Northern Beaches Hospital operates its operating theatre using an on-call model on weekends. Staff must be within 30 minutes’ reach – a delay Leah and Dustin believe cost their daughter her life. “I was on the operating table 33 minutes after the call,” Leah said. “Harper wasn’t delivered until nearly an hour after the emergency was declared.” When she was born at 11:52pm, Harper was unresponsive. It took 21 agonising minutes before she drew her first breath. The following day, Leah and Dustin were told Harper would not survive. They made the heartbreaking decision to turn off her life support. “I should be holding her for the rest of my life, not just once,” Leah said through tears. “Once isn’t enough.” The family says they were told during a hospital debrief that it was not “economically feasible” to run a 24/7 theatre service. For Dustin, that explanation only deepened their pain. “Prioritising profit over healthcare. That’s what went wrong,” he said. Northern Beaches Hospital has launched a review into Harper’s death. But her parents say the issue is already painfully clear. “Time delays,” Leah said. “Things weren’t urgent enough.” The couple is now calling for the hospital to be brought fully back under public control – and for systemic change in how emergency obstetric care is delivered across the state. “I feel incredibly angry,” Leah said. “Her death, we feel, was completely avoidable.” “We’re sharing this because Harper deserves to be more than just another sad story,” she added. “We want change – so this never happens to another family.” Image: YouTube / ABC

Caring

King Charles admitted to hospital

Reports from Buckingham palace have revealed that King Charles has been forced to cancel a series of public engagements after being admitted to hospital due to side effects from his ongoing cancer treatment. The Palace released a statement on Thursday evening confirming that the 72-year-old monarch had “experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital” following his scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer. The King has since returned to Clarence House, where he resides with Queen Camilla. “As a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow’s diary program will also be rescheduled,” the Palace added. Although the Palace did not specify the exact nature of the side effects, sources suggest such occurrences are not uncommon among cancer patients. A royal insider described the medical incident to The Daily Mail as a “most minor bump in a road that’s very much heading in the right direction”. However, in order to “protect and prioritise [his] continued very positive recovery”, King Charles has regretfully cancelled his planned engagements in Birmingham on Friday. The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February last year and has been receiving outpatient treatment since then. Initially, he had to withdraw from public duties for several weeks but resumed engagements in April. Since then, he has travelled internationally – including a visit to Australia last October – and hosted numerous state visits while continuing his recovery. Last week, King Charles visited Ulster University’s Pharmacy and Pharmacology department in Northern Ireland to learn about their groundbreaking cancer research. During his visit, he shared words of encouragement with fellow cancer patients, quoting Winston Churchill’s famous phrase: “Keep buggering on.” Regarding the side effects of treatment, he remarked, “You just have to push on, don’t you?” While the specific type of cancer affecting the King has not been disclosed, reports suggest that it was caught at a very early stage. Royal sources remain optimistic about his recovery, and say his treatment is progressing positively. Image: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet/ Millie Pilkington

Caring

Major inquiry launched into Northern Beaches Hospital following child's death

A parliamentary inquiry into the Northern Beaches Hospital’s services will be launched following the tragic death of two-year-old Joe Massa. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced on Friday that he has asked parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the safety and quality of care provided by the hospital. The inquiry will examine services dating back to the hospital’s opening in October 2018 on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Joe Massa suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital and died in September last year. His parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, claim Joe was incorrectly triaged and left waiting for hours, leading to brain damage. The grieving parents have urged the state government to review the hospital’s systems and protocols and take immediate action to upgrade its facilities. “We want change at that hospital so no other parent, no one of our family or friends, has to go through what we’ve gone through,” they said. The couple met with Minister Park, Premier Chris Minns, and NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce in February, when the parliamentary inquiry was discussed. On Friday, Park confirmed the inquiry would investigate accessibility issues that contributed to Joe’s death. “We made a commitment to Elouise and Danny to undertake the necessary reviews to understand how they and their son have been let down, as well as to learn what changes need to be made to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again,” Park stated. The inquiry will scrutinise past incidents at the hospital, including those subject to serious adverse event reviews (SAERs), assess the hospital’s responses, and determine whether necessary improvements were implemented. Additionally, it will examine patient and carer escalation systems, particularly the REACH (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help) protocol, which was found to be insufficiently accessible in Joe Massa’s case. The inquiry will also evaluate the hospital’s measures to prevent adverse events, as well as staff standards and capabilities. Park noted that a previous parliamentary inquiry in 2019 examined the hospital’s operations and management. The upcoming inquiry will specifically focus on patient safety and care quality while considering whether past recommendations have been acted upon. Public Accounts Committee chair Jason Yat-Sen Li expressed his commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation. “I understand the strong community interest in this matter, and I am confident the committee is well placed to undertake this important inquiry,” he said. “I am determined to get this inquiry underway as quickly as possible, but I also want to get it right. We will announce the opening of submissions as well as hearing dates in due course.” The NSW Health Services Union (HSU), which has raised concerns about the hospital’s operations since its opening in 2018, said the investigation is long overdue. “We have consistently seen evidence that Northern Beaches Hospital prioritises commercial interests over patient care,” said HSU secretary Gerard Hayes. “From renting out maternity wards to film crews while mothers struggle with understaffed services, to charging grieving families unnecessary fees to release their loved ones’ bodies – these practices reveal a disturbing pattern. “We hope this inquiry will finally address the systemic issues our members have been reporting for years and put patients before profits at Northern Beaches Hospital.”

Caring

AFL star's wife spends wedding anniversary in hospital amid cancer battle

AFL star Jeremy Finlayson's wife Kellie Finlayson has revealed she's had a bit of a setback with her health and is spending her second wedding anniversary in hospital. The 29-year-old is battling terminal stage four bowel cancer that metastasised in her lungs. She took to Instagram to share the update from her hospital bed, with a picture of the happy couple showing off their rings on their wedding day, and an updated photo of herself in the ward, with the caption: "Happy anniversary darl. Two years ago V. Today!" "Happy anniversary to me," she added, using a crying with laughter emoji and a bandaged love heart emoji. The AFL star shared his own anniversary message with an Instagram story, writing: "Happy anniversary <3" Kellie did not explain why she was hospitalised. The couple tied the knot back in March 2023 in South Australia. Kellie, who is a mother-of-one, was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 25. She previously opened up about her diagnosis on the Nova podcast Head Game, and shared just how hard her chemotherapy treatment was. "I lost a s--t ton of weight. I mean, I had a stoma, so I had a foreign object on my stomach. I wasn't the normal mum that she should have had, but I was as good as I possibly could be. It was hard," she said at the time. "I was allergic to one of the strands of that chemotherapy, which is why, when I did relapse, I had to change chemotherapy, which meant I lost my hair. "I was on my deathbed. I was getting anaphylactic reactions every three weeks to this chemotherapy. So I was essentially dying every three weeks, just to get better." Image: Instagram

Caring

Grieving parents blame hospital over two-year-old's death

Two grieving parents are calling for an independent investigation into a Sydney hospital after the death of their two-year-old son. Elouise and Danny Massa took their son Joe to the emergency department at Northern Beaches Hospital on the morning of September 14th after he had spent the night vomiting. The toddler had hypovolemia, a condition that occurs when the body loses too much fluid, and later tragically died. Joe's parents claim the hospital failed their son "at every level" and he would still be alive if he had received the proper care. In a statement provided to <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/grieving-parents-demand-urgent-investigation-into-sydney-hospital-after-death-of-twoyearold-son/a0de6011-adf3-49d2-8206-73ed21331c30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>, the parents said Joe's heart rate was at 183 beats per minute when they arrived at the emergency department, yet he was misclassified as a low priority, category three patient, instead of red zone, category two. The parents went on to allege that the Northern Beaches hospital missed critical warning signs, including when Joe lost consciousness, and his mother's requests for an IV drip were denied. "I can't tell you what it's like to hold your son in your arms … to be told to sit in your chair while your child is agitated, going in and out of consciousness, lips are turning blue," Mrs Massa told 2GB on Thursday morning. "To be told to wait and have your baby literally dying in your arms is unfathomable and should not be happening at any hospital." For almost three hours, Joe was not hooked up to monitoring equipment while sitting in an emergency department chair. A serious adverse event review conducted by the hospital after Joe's death identified multiple failures, with the report claiming there was a "delay and failure to recognise deterioration" in Joe's condition. Healthscope, which operates the hospital, said in a statement: "Northern Beaches Hospital offers its deepest condolences to the Massa family for the loss of their son, Joe. We recognise Joe's death has caused unimaginable heartache and grief for the family." "We have met with the family to apologise and hear directly about their tragic experience and to discuss the findings of the Serious Adverse Event Review." "We will continue to support the family in any way that we can as we implement the improvements identified in the review, including improvements around triaging processes and internal escalation processes." <div>Joe's mother said no parents should have to go through the pain their family has endured since Joe's untimely death. "Joe was the most beautiful boy, loved by his sister and brother," she said. "He loved dinosaurs. He had the most infectious smile. He was just two months off turning two years old. He was, and is still, the light of our world. The system at Northern Beaches Hospital, the emergency department, entirely failed us at every possible level." Image credits: 9News </div>

Legal

Readers response: What’s a travel memory that’s made you feel connected to past generations or history?

We asked our readers to share their favourite travel stories that made them reflect on travellers that came before them, and if they have ever felt connected to past generations or history in certain locations. Here's what they said. Yve T Plus Kaiser Kody - Egypt! Walking in the footsteps of the ancients, amazing aura. Such a wonderful history and the architecture was mind-blowing. Gail Ladds - Visiting Gallipoli last year. My Grandfather was in one of the landings and fought there. Putting my feet in the water had me crying and thinking how horrific it must have been for all of them. Anna-Therese Eastment - Quietly touching the walls of the Coliseum, and waiting to hear their whispers of history. Not the salacious ones - but the hopes and dreams of the wall builders themselves. The reply I heard was that those were fundamentally along the lines of the hopes and dreams we hold today. Sorry for the long splurge, but in the midst of all that busyness I truely felt the threads that linked us across the eons. Awesome. Denise Ryan - Skibbereen in West Cork, Ireland where my father’s family came from many generations ago. Lorraine Hodder - England. Both my paternal and maternal families originated there. I felt a real affinity with it. Jim Janush - Having a photo myself taken in 1993 on a seat in Kaunas, Lithuania, at the same place where my father had his photo taken in 1943. Ralph G Smith - Visiting the beaches of Normandy and the World War One battlefields in France! Marilyn Thomson - Walking in Tipperary, knowing my ancestors walked the same tracks and fields before coming to Australia. Bob Brownley - Standing at the empty site in Govan, Glasgow on which the house stood in which my mother was born in 1902. Steven Schulze - Cebu, Philippines at the statue of Magellan, then China, entombed warriors, Forbidden City and Great Wall. Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

Olympic legend gives health update from hospital

Former Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney has updated her fans after undergoing a "long overdue" operation and a stint in hospital. The Olympic gold-medallist has spent the "past couple of days" at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Sydney, taking to Instagram from her hospital bed to update her 30,000 followers on her condition. "Been in hospital the past couple of days - had an operation to fix an old birth injury (long overdue considering my youngest is 7 & a half!)," Rooney wrote. Rooney revealed that thankfully the surgery went off without a hitch but not everything was smooth sailing, as she added, "I had a bad reaction to the anaesthetic." "I'm home and fine but wanted to highlight our incredible nurses who care for us when we are at our most vulnerable," she wrote. "A huge thank you to Maria, Kira, Rochelle (who caught me when I blacked out) and June amongst many others who go above and beyond every day just doing their job, you are so very appreciated." Hundreds took to the comment section of Rooney's post to share their well wishes for a speedy recovery. "Oh Giaan I'm so sorry to hear that I hope you recover fast and yes they are angels that work in that system," Australian singer and actress Kate Ceberano wrote. "Sorry to read this. Get well soon," wrote Australian TV personality Barry Du Bois. "Big hugs, rest up beautiful lady," wrote fellow former Olympian Brooke Hanson OAM. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Dawn Fraser rushed to hospital

Australian sporting legend Dawn Fraser has been rushed to hospital after a fall. The 87-year-old was reportedly taken to a hospital on the Sunshine Coast last Wednesday after she sustained multiple injuries during the fall, including broken ribs. Fraser’s daughter Dawn-Lorraine Ware revealed to The Daily Telegraph that she was “out of intensive care and doing much better than she was”, having undergone surgery on Thursday following the fall. Dawn-Lorraine Ware further confirmed in a statement to Nine News that Fraser spent five days in intensive care but "she should hopefully be okay." "Mum has scared the daylights out of us. But to see her up and about today is the best Christmas present we could have asked for. She is one tough lady." "Huge thanks to the doctors and nursing staff who have been amazing. I can't thank them enough. They could not be happier with Mum's progress." Further details on Fraser’s injuries were revealed by Channel 10’s Matt Johnston, as he said on 10 News First: “We understand she suffered several broken bones, including a serious fracture to her hip.” “Upon arriving to hospital she was taken to emergency surgery immediately to replace that broken hip.” Regarded as a one of Australia's greatest ever Olympians, Fraser is one of only four swimmers to win the same individual event three times. She won the 100m freestyle at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics and held the world record for 15 years in the event. Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll led the outpouring of tributes to Fraser following her terrifying health scare, saying, "Dawn is an Olympic legend and she has continued to give back to sport for decades. We wish her the best in her recovery." Image credits: Andy Robinson/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Derryn Hinch taken to hospital

Legendary broadcaster Derryn Hinch has been admitted to hospital to undergo a procedure on his heart. The radio host kept his social media followers updated on his health issue, writing on X that he is now quite literally a “shock jock” now after undergoing an electric shock procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat. “In hospital this week for electric shock to my heart to regulate heart rhythm. Guess you can now call me a shock jock,” he tweeted on Thursday. The 80-year-old shared more details of his condition with the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/fiona-byrne/derryn-hinch-undergoes-treatment-for-heart-problem/news-story/e151ce21667cb6784dc3ea1037d3c12d" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="e151ce21667cb6784dc3ea1037d3c12d" data-tgev-label="entertainment" data-tgev-metric="ev">Herald Sun</a>, telling the publication he has been released from hospital since undergoing the procedure and is finally on the mend one month on from being diagnosed with a heart condition. “I was diagnosed about a month ago with atrial fibrillation which is the medical term for an irregular heartbeat,” he said. Hinch shared that he first consulted his doctor after “getting short of breath” and thinking “this is not normal”. He was given a ECG (electrocardiogram) during which they discovered he had atrial fibrillation. “My cardiologist booked me into hospital and on Thursday they gave me an electric shock to the heart, which is pretty scary, but it worked,” he said of his procedure last week, which saw him in and out of hospital within hours. “It put my heart back into a regular rhythm and I will just see how it improves my breathing in the weeks ahead,” he said, adding that he felt no pain. "I am in good shape. I am feeling good.” Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Readers response: What are some things older generations did as couples that we rarely see today?

We asked our readers what simple acts of romance they encountered in their lives, that younger generations don't partake in anymore, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Sharon Watson - Men would walk on the outside of the lady on the road. Also, walking hand in hand and doors & car doors were opened by men for women. Jo Hoffman - Went to cabarets for old time ballroom dancing to beautiful music! Ann MacCann - Taking walks holding hands. Judith Turpin - Ate breakfast and evening meal at the table as family. We communicated! Margaret Gerlach - Visited family and in-laws every week. Lorna Johnson - Gentlemen tipped their hats at ladies and held the door open for you. Jan Bradley - Dancing at the town hall, drive in movies, stayed together. Jane Reynolds - Spending time together as a family, playing games, talking to each other. No phones, writing and receiving letters, supporting each other, staying together, caring and helping each other. Myfawny Jones - One partner read the road map while the other drived, often on corrugated gravel roads. Lindi Williams - Played cards together. Cherylyn Thornton - Went to the drive in movies. Patricia Sutton - We had children because we wanted them, not because of the economy or that we couldn't afford them! Di Richardson - Shotgun marriages! Image credits: Shutterstock

Relationships

The Block billionaire's generous Christmas stunt

The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli, who splashed out a whopping $15 million in the show's latest auctions, is giving back to those in need this festive season with a generous act. The entrepreneur is on a mission to help people ahead of the holidays by giving away $150,000 worth of grocery vouchers in Sydney. Kicking off the stunt in the suburb of Penrith, Portelli was welcomed to the shopping centre by hundreds of fans who were waiting for their chance at free Coles shopping, with many lining up from as early as 4am. Moving on from Penrith, Portelli also visited the suburb of Fairfield West to continue giving back to those in need. "We don't contact the media, we just come out here," Portelli told Nine News as he arrived in Penrith. "We've been doing this for a long time. We've done it in multiple states, so it's the least we can do if we can get out there and share." Portelli also took to Instagram to share the details of a pit-stop he made while in Penrith, visiting two acres of land he has purchased to build a hospital. "We're building a hospital for high physical needs patients," he said in the clip. "It's going to be a really fun project and, apparently, there is a shortage in this area for those in need." Image credits: Instagram

Money & Banking

Menopause is having a moment. How a new generation of women are shaping cultural attitudes

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridgette-glover-2232638">Bridgette Glover</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a> From hot flashes to hysteria, <a href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739170007/Periods-in-Pop-Culture-Menstruation-in-Film-and-Television">film and TV</a> have long represented menopause as scary, emotional and messy. Recently, celebrities have been sharing their personal menopause experiences on social media, helping to re-frame the conversation in popular culture. We are also seeing more stories about menopause on television, with real stories and depictions that show greater empathy for the person going through it. Menopause is having a moment. But will it help women? <h2>The change onscreen</h2> This is not what we’re used to seeing on our screens. Countless sitcoms, from All in the Family (1971–79) to Two and a Half Men (2003–15) have used the menopause madness trope for laughs. Retro sitcom That ‘70s Show (1998–2006) used mom Kitty’s menopause journey as comedic fodder for multiple episodes. When she mistakes a missed period for pregnancy, Kitty’s surprise menopause diagnosis results in an identity crisis alongside mood swings, hot flashes and irritability. But the audience is not meant to empathise. Instead, the focus is on how Kitty’s menopause impacts the men in her family. Having to navigate Kitty’s symptoms, her veteran husband likens the experience to war: “I haven’t been this frosty since Korea”. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mPLJBZiKV4U?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Even when male characters are not directly involved, women are determined to reject menopause because they see it as a marker of age that signals a loss of desirability and social worth. In Sex and the City (1998–2004), Samantha describes herself as “day-old bread” when she presumes her late period signifies menopause. This is a popular framing of menopause in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2018.1409969">post-feminist TV</a> of the 1990s and early 2000s. While the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2012.712373#d1e783">menstruating body</a> is constructed as uncontrollable and in need of management, the menopausal body requires management and maintenance to reject signals of collapse. These storylines erase the genuine experiences of confusion, discomfort and transformation that come with menopause. <h2>A cultural moment arrives</h2> <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/31/460726461/why-2015-was-the-year-of-the-period-and-we-dont-mean-punctuation">Since 2015</a>, stories of menstruation have increased in popular culture. Series like comedy Broad City (2014–19) and comedy-drama Better Things (2016–22) directly call out the lack of menopause representations. When Abbi in Broad City admits she “totally forgot about menopause”, a woman responds “Menopause isn’t represented in mainstream media. Like, no one wants to talk about it”. Similarly, in Better Things, while watching her three daughters stare at the TV Sam laments: “No one wants to hear about it, which is why nobody ever prepared you for it”. And lack of preparation becomes a key theme for perimenopausal Charlotte in the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That … (2021–) when she has a “flash period”. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9AmwXuHo-2w?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Fleabag (2016–19) included a groundbreaking monologue about menopause delivered by Kristen Scott-Thomas, playing a successful businesswoman. She describes menopause as “horrendous, but then it’s magnificent”. <blockquote> […] your entire pelvic floor crumbles, and you get fucking hot, and no one cares. But then you’re free. No longer a slave. No longer a machine with parts. </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZrnHnASRV8?wmode=transparent&start=13" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Scripted by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-menopause-20190524-story.html">celebrated</a> monologue critiques the post-feminist notion of striving to be the “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2012.712373#d1e783">idealised feminine body</a>”. Through this new feminist lens, menopause is acknowledged as both painful – physically and emotionally – and necessary for liberation. <h2>Today’s menopause on screen</h2> Alongside more recent series like The Change (2023), multiple documentaries including <a href="https://www.tamsenfadal.com/the-m-factor">The (M) Factor</a> (2024), and <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-is-no-future-for-ageing-women-how-the-substance-uses-body-horror-in-a-feminist-critique-239729">arguably</a> even films like The Substance (2024), social media has become a prolific space for raising awareness about menopause. Celebrities use social media to share tales of perimenopause and menopause, often in real time. Last year, actor Drew Barrymore experienced her “first perimenopausal hot flash” during her talk show. And ABC News Breakfast guest host, Imogen Crump, had to pause her news segment, saying <blockquote> I could keep stumbling through, but I’m having such a perimenopausal hot flush right now, live on air. </blockquote> Both Barrymore and Crump shared clips of their live segments to their social media pages, to challenge stigma and create conversations. Crump even posted to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/imogen-crump-6b74b726_perimenopause-activity-7127788484861300736-mhHh/">LinkedIn</a> to raise awareness in a professional setting. In a podcast interview clip shared to Instagram, writer and skincare founder, Zoë Foster Blake describes perimenopause as a “real mental health thing”, because of the lack of awareness. Recalling conversations with other perimenopausal women, Foster Blake says “We all think we’re crazy. We don’t know what the fuck is going on”. Feeling “crazy” is a constant theme in these conversations. As actor and <a href="https://stripesbeauty.com/pages/founder-story">menopause awareness advocate</a> Naomi Watts points out, this is largely thanks to Hollywood. Despite the stigmatising media stereotype of “crazy lady that shouts”, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ3BN9rS_7g">Watts argues</a> that with “support and community”, women experiencing perimenopause and menopause “can thrive”. In fact, Watts believes menopause should be celebrated: “we know ourselves better, we’re wiser for our cumulative experiences”. Medical professionals like American doctors <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBUCPW5OUTf/">Marie Clare Haver</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7IfaHDgXMY/">Corinne Menn</a> have been well-positioned to share their expertise and experiences via social media. They are catching and helping fuel a wave of advocacy and awareness for midlife women’s health. <h2>Building community</h2> After watching the menopause madness trope on our screens for decades, we are now seeing perimenopause and menopause depicted with more empathy. These depictions allow viewers – those who menstruate, who have menstruated, and who know menstruators – to feel seen and be informed. By sharing their experiences on social media and adding to these new screen stories, celebrities are building a community that makes the menopausal journey less lonely and helps those on it remember their worth.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/241784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridgette-glover-2232638">Bridgette Glover</a>, PhD Candidate in Media and Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/menopause-is-having-a-moment-how-a-new-generation-of-women-are-shaping-cultural-attitudes-241784">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Channel Nine star shares "alarming" hospital photos

Channel Nine star Leila McKinnon has shared a series of "alarming" photos from a hospital bed after undergoing surgery. The veteran newsreader revealed in a candid Instagram post on Thursday that she’d undergone “another delightful knee operation”, which had left her leg a startling shade of pink. “I may or may not be high as a kite right now after another delightful knee operation, but something alarming appears to have happened, is my leg pink?” McKinnon wrote alongside the images. “Surgical team did play some brilliant Chappell Roan tunes for me.” The mother-of-two, who is married to former Nine CEO David Gyngell, explained in the comments that the colour had come from a post-op disinfectant after her followers expressed their concerns. It’s understood McKinnon had undergone the operation to remove a pin inserted after an accident in 2022 which had seen her rushed to hospital. She posted a picture from her hospital bed along with X-rays of the injury at the time, along with a caption explaining that the injury was a result of a skiing accident. “Hey what did you do on the school holidays? I don’t want to show off or anything but I got a fancy piercing in my knee …” McKinnon said at the time. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Andrew O'Keefe rushed to hospital

Andrew O'Keefe has been rushed to hospital after being revived by paramedics at a party in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs over the weekend. The disgraced TV host was partying at a home in Vaucluse at 3:30am on Saturday when emergency services were called after allegedly suffering a drug overdose. Paramedics revived O'Keefe at the scene before transporting him to the nearby St Vincent's Hospital for treatment. The Daily Telegraph reported that he has since been released from hospital. In a statement, NSW Police said of the incident, "Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were called to a home unit on Old South Head Road at Vaucluse about 3.40am, responding to concerns for the welfare of a 52-year-old man." "NSW Ambulance paramedics rendered assistance to the man before taking him to St Vincent's Hospital where he was reported to be in a stable condition. Inquiries into the incident are continuing." O'Keefe's health incident comes just days after a court upheld his convictions for domestic violence assault, as District Court Judge John Pickering rejected his lawyers' arguments that a woman had inflicted scratch marks on her own arm and later blamed O'Keefe. The troubled former TV star was convicted in January of three counts of domestic violence-related assault, twice contravening an AVO against him, and two charges for possessing a prohibited drug. He was ordered to serve 18 months on a community corrections order, which involves supervision and reporting requirements, and fined $800 for the drug offences. Image credits: JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Revealed: How much regular sex each generation is having

While it's often seen as a taboo subject, researchers from Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, have just revealed their report on the sex lives of thousands of people around the world and across different generations. The report, titled The State of Dating: How Gen Z is Redefining Sexuality and Relationships is based on data from over 3,310 people of the dating app, Feeld. The participants, who came from 71 different countries and between 18-75 years old, were surveyed about their sex lives and results are not what you'd expect. Gen Z is having less sex, fewer partners and fewer relationships than other generations, reporting that on average they had had sex three times in the last month. "Gen Z and Boomers exhibited nearly identical sexual frequencies, suggesting that both the youngest and oldest adults are having the least sex," the researchers, led by Dr Justin Lehmiller, wrote in the report. Millennials and Gen X reported slightly higher figures, with both groups having sex five times in the last month. "Also, nearly half of Gen Z reported that they were single, compared to only one-ﬁfth of Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers." Despite having the least sex, Gen Z appears to be the most adventurous group in the bedroom, with 55 per cent of them saying they'd discovered a new kink since joining the app compared to 49 per cent of Millennials, 39 per cent of Gen X, and 33 per cent of Boomers. Researchers said there are two possible explanations for this. "One is simply that older adults have had more time to learn and discover what they enjoy about sex, so they may have already uncovered their kinks. "However, the other is that it also appears to be the case that younger adults today have a greater overall interest in kink than older adults, which may create greater openness to exploring and learning about one's kinks." The researchers hope that their findings will help shed new light on the evolution of sex, gender, sexuality and relationships. "Despite the longstanding tendency of humans to narrowly categorize sexuality and relationships, they have always existed on a continuum, and that continuum will only evolve and expand further as Gen Z and future generations continue their pursuit of sexual and relational self-discovery," they wrote. "The more that we can understand and embrace this simple fact of human life, the better suited we will all be to pursuing pleasure and happiness." Images: Shutterstock

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