Even Sharelle Eggmolesse, CEO of the North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health (North Coast) had reservations about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Ms Eggmolesse is a proud descendant of the Darumbal and Gubbi Gubbi Peoples as well as South Sea Islanders and has lived on the Sunshine Coast her whole life. 

But as the CEO of a Community Controlled health service, Sharelle made the choice to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because she sees it as her duty to be brave and act as a role model for the community. 

“As you know I’m the CEO of the organisation and as a role model I feel that I need to step up,” Ms Eggmolesse said.  

“So getting past thinking of myself, I’m quite fit and healthy so for me I’m like, ‘I don’t need to get this vaccination, I’m ok the way I am.’  

“But I didn’t do it for myself, I did it for the people that I love which is my family, my community, the staff here and anyone that’s in a vulnerable position.  

“So that’s why I got it done.” 

Sharelle is also caring for her dad and active in different committees and organisations, so she got the vax to make sure she’s much less likely to give COVID-19 to others if there is a local outbreak. 

North Coast is a proudly family-oriented team environment that has been built over several years.  

That attitude of inclusion and leadership extends to the method Sharelle used to get vaccinated, she and her team organised with the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service to get vaccinated as a group at the sunshine Coast Hospital. 

“We’ve had a tripartite relationship with the hospital and we are working closely in collaboration with them around their marketing of the campaign and developing localised messaging,” she said. 

“I thought it was important for me to show that partnership in the true sense that we are all in this together.  

“And to support not only our mob, but also our other partners and the other agencies out there so that’s why I went over to the hospital to get it done. 

“We actually went as a team, from here.  

“So, we all supported each other with that as well.  

“So, there was a group of us that went over there which was nice.” 

Sharelle is understanding of mob who may be unsure of the safety or necessity of the COVID-19 vaccines as she was once at that point too. 

But she wants to make sure mob are getting accurate information instead of memes on Facebook. 

“Well, I can fully understand, because I was there myself, around the hesitancy, and possibly some of the personal reasons that our mob may not want to get the vaccination.  

“But I think it’s important that we make this informed decision.  

“Us as an organisation here on the Sunshine Coast, we do try to put out the right information for or mob to make those informed decisions. 

“And just making sure that you are talking to the right people who are the health workers and the nurses and doctors.” 

For more information contact North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health or to book an appointment visit the Vaccine Clinic Finder.