Speaking and Appearances
Hardship and adversity can lead us to a place we never imagined.
Speaker Melissa shares her lived experience of overcoming adversity, navigating through stroke recovery, embracing neurodiversity, and how all this led to her stepping into a true and authentic version of herself.
Melissa aims to raise awareness, educate, and inspire her audience to step into the unknown and, achieve personal growth. Her focus is to empower people to find their voice and seek ways to overcome life’s adversities.
Topics include; supporting oneself through adversity, stroke recovery, neurodiversity, advocating, finding your voice, mindfulness and meditation, motivation and personal development, and finally wellness and health.
Her talks evoke laughter, tears, and provide nuggets of guidance for the audience to take away.
Melissa Gough
“Elephant Mother” Film Event
It was a wonderful experience hosting the film Elephant Mother at Palace Cinemas Westgarth and Palace Cinemas Kino in Melbourne, Australia. This sell out event was screened over two nights, receiving a standing ovation.
Lek Chailert is a renowned conservationist receiving international acclaim and has been documented by National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, the BBC and CNN as well as in print media around the world, including The Guardian, USA Today and Forbes. She has received widespread recognition for her work protecting elephants.
She has been honoured by Hilary Clinton as one of the six Heroes of Global Conversation and in 2022 was awarded the Legion D'Honneur by Emmanuel Macron, the French Prime Min, and has also been the recipient of numerous awards for conservation and ecotourism.
The film follows Lek’s quest to help save Thailand’s iconic and once sacred elephants, as she struggles to rescue abused elephants from the officially cruel but secretive and deceptive Thai tourist industry. Hoping to give them a life free from chains and exploitation, and even though Lek is globally renowned in her work, the odds are all stacked up against her against big businesses, political agendas and traffickers. However, as the world hurtles into a global pandemic, Lek cleverly identifies this time of uncertainty and fear as an opportunity to work in unisom with those against her and turn the tables.
This event also featured a Q and A with Lek and the audience and I so enjoyed hosting it.
Should you be interested in spending time at The Elephant Nature Park, there are opportunities to visit, volunteer, as well as donating and sponsoring opportunities please go to the website Elephant Nature Park
THE YOUNG STROKE SERVICE AT THE FLOREY INSTITUTE OF NEUROSCIENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH
I am honoured to be on the Advisory Panel and feature in the promotional content on The Young Stroke Service project which launched on May 15th 2023.
It comes after six years of research into the unmet needs and challenges faced by young stroke survivors. The service has been designed and informed by a team of experts in rehabilitation, neurology, general practice, accessibility and digital health service innovation – and, at its centre, young people who have experienced stroke.
The Young Stroke Service pilots in Victoria and will be expanding to South Australia in the coming months, aiming to create a new model of care that supports young people once they leave hospital with their recovery and life goals.
Held at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the launch was marked by the Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney MP. It comes a year after the service received $10 million from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.
I am excited to be involved in such an innovative research service and see how it will improve how stroke is diagnosed and treated for young people.
— Melissa Gough —
Presentation Review -The VIEW Woman’s Group
“Thank you for your presentation Melissa.
Your courage and resilience was significant when sharing your journey. We particularly enjoyed how you challenged us to all think about our own lives and that ‘it is never too late to make positive changes,’ and to make ourselves accountable, through the worksheet you provided, to really plant those seeds.
It is clear to see that Melissa is passionate about creating a supportive environment and holding space to enable others to grow when navigating significant adversities or life in general.”
Chris, President of The Dingley & Cheltenham Women’s VIEW Group.
— The VIEW Woman’s Group —