Emily and Kate met at the University of Newcastle on the first day of their Occupational Therapy degree, wondering what it is that an Occupational Therapist actually does!
Fast forward through 4 years of learning, fun and a cherished friendship they graduated from the University of Newcastle as Occupational Therapists in 2007.
Emily and Kate entered the world of Occupational Therapy as new graduates with a shared love of working in adult rehabilitation. In 2009, their love for Occupational Therapy and shared sense of adventure saw them pack their lives up into a backpack and travel for 6 months before settling in London, UK.
They lived and worked as Occupational Therapists in London in a wide range of settings for the next 2 years, fitting in as much travel as they could in between.
Returning home to Australia, Emily and Kate weren’t quite ready to return to their home city of Newcastle. Emily spent the next few years working in Melbourne, whilst Kate worked in Sydney and later spent some-time working in Central QLD, all the while further expanding their skills and knowledge in working with adults with a range of neurological diagnoses.
Missing family, friends and Newcastle’s beautiful beaches saw Emily and Kate return to their hometown just a couple of months apart. Both continued to work in the adult rehabilitation space, with Kate working for NSW Health at the Hunter Brain Injury Service and Emily working first in an outpatient rehabilitation setting before moving on to working with NDIS participants when the Scheme’s trial began. In that time they celebrated each other’s weddings, and now each have two children who also happen to be the best of friends.
In 2020, after returning to work following the birth of their second children, Emily and Kate decided to take on a new challenge. Sakura Allied Health was born!
Stepping into the world of running a small allied health business has allowed Emily and Kate to combine their clinical experience and passion for supporting adults with acquired and traumatic brain injuries and other neurological diagnoses with the new challenge of building a quality, professional and vibrant team and service that is highly skilled in meeting the complex needs of this group of people.