Natasha Robinson wins big at Excellence in Health Journalism Awards
The Australian’s health editor, Natasha Robinson, has been recognised at the National Press Club’s health journalism awards, taking out the overall winner for the second year in a row.
The Australian’s health editor, Natasha Robinson, has been named the overall winner of the National Press Club’s Excellence in Health Journalism Awards.
It’s the second year in a row Robinson has taken out the top honour, highlighting her skill as a talented health journalist who is able to distil complex issues and present them in a way that resonates with readers, scientists and doctors alike.
She won the title in recognition of her overall body of work while also taking out the Health Innovation award. Both were presented at a ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday.
Robinson was recognised for three agenda-setting stories of innovation, with the first published in November 2024. It was an exclusive look at a remarkable invention by Brisbane-born Daniel Timms. He developed a titanium heart that was implanted in the first Australian patient a year earlier.
That patient had end-stage heart failure before being implanted with the heart, which kept him alive until he was able to receive a human donor replacement.
Robinson’s second story recognised was a magazine cover piece on Jane Dudley, whose desperation in the face of crippling bipolar disorder led her to try a faecal microbial transplant experiment. The unlikely tale is so extraordinary it has attracted significant attention within medical and media circles.
The story examined the personal impact of the type of medical innovation that does not necessarily come from a hi-tech laboratory. It also told of the importance of trust between patients and doctors, and how that could lead to life-changing outcomes.
The third piece recognised was from June 2024, when Robinson brought readers the story of a team of Queensland scientists who used cutting-edge spatial biology technology to examine 100-year-old tissue samples from Spanish flu victims.
It was part of a quest to save lives during future pandemics, with the story investigating the kind of science and innovation that previously was believed to be impossible.
Robinson’s recognition comes less than a year after The Australian significantly expanded its health reporting offerings, unveiling a new digital-first section that is dedicated exclusively to examining the latest in health, medical and wellbeing news.
The section is updated frequently and provides extended reads on some of the most pressing health issues facing Australians each day.
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