As a primary health care nurse, Sonja sees daily the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment of health issues among her patients.
However, she also discovered the benefits herself on a more personal level.
Sonja was suffering from severe headaches and nausea, so she went for a medical check-up.
Through this, she discovered she had Chiari malformation, a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal.
After undergoing surgery, Sonja says she has now recovered from the brain condition that threatened to severely limit her mobility.
“I now lead a pain-free life, run half-marathons and tend to my half-acre garden in Melbourne’s Yarra Ranges without any problems,” she says.
Sonja’s advice this Women’s Health Week is to never “brush aside” symptoms.
“It’s your body trying to tell you something,” she says. “Take it from me, it’s really important to get health checks.”