PELVIC FLOOR PIONEER FIGHTING FOR WOMEN'S DIGNITY IS SA'S AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
A surgeon who has spent her career improving pelvic floor care for women has been named South Australia's 2027 Australian of the Year.
Dr Fariba Behnia-Willison, a 60-year-old endo-gynaecologist and reconstructive surgeon from Somerton Park, received the honour at a ceremony in Adelaide on Thursday night, November 5.
Why this pelvic floor surgeon stands out
Dr Behnia-Willison is an Iranian-Australian who has lived on three continents, and she told the ABC that she saw women denied their freedom in different ways along the way.
That experience shaped her whole career.
"Me wanting to be a voice for the women made me a surgeon," she said.
She has helped develop a safer approach to pelvic floor reconstruction, and she advocates for restoring dignity to women seeking healthcare.
According to Glam Adelaide, she champions the TGA-approved Victoria Graft System from SmartFem, which builds a pelvic floor graft using a patient's own blood as an alternative to synthetic mesh.
For many Australian women who followed the long controversy over synthetic mesh implants, that will feel like very welcome progress.
She also provides free restorative surgery to survivors of female genital mutilation through Desert Flower South Australia.
The Canberra Times reports that her work has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of women.
Three more South Australians to celebrate
Dr Behnia-Willison was honoured alongside three other inspiring locals.
Dr Roger Hunt, 69, from North Adelaide, was named SA's Senior Australian of the Year for more than four decades improving end-of-life care.
He began at the state's first publicly funded hospice, was a founding member of Daw House Hospice and helped establish Palliative Care Australia.
Edward Robinson, 23, from Blair Athol, is SA's Young Australian of the Year.
He founded Robinson Aerospace in 2022 while still studying engineering, and his RASCube kits let students build working satellite replicas and run real experiments.
More than 1,700 kits have reached over 200 schools in 18 countries.
SA's Local Hero is Neil Davis, 63, from Woodcroft, who founded the Sammy D Foundation in 2008 after his 17-year-old son, Sam, was killed by a single punch at a party.
He has since given more than 2,000 presentations in schools, sporting clubs and youth justice programs, teaching young people about the consequences of violence.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Carrie Leeson described the group as "a truly inspiring group of people."
Pelvic floor health: why it matters for every woman
Dr Behnia-Willison's win is also a timely nudge to think about our own pelvic floor health, a topic many women still feel too embarrassed to raise.
Pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, heavy lifting and simply getting older can all affect these important muscles.
Common signs that something may not be right include leaking when you laugh, cough or exercise, a sudden urge to rush to the toilet, or a feeling of heaviness.
These symptoms are common, but that does not mean you have to put up with them.
If anything sounds familiar, speak to your GP, who can refer you to a women's health physiotherapist or specialist if needed.
The Continence Foundation of Australia also runs a free National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 if you would like confidential information and advice.
What happens next
Dr Behnia-Willison and her fellow South Australian recipients now join the state and territory honourees from around the country as finalists for the national awards.
The 2027 Australian of the Year recipients will be announced in Canberra on January 25, 2027, the evening before Australia Day.
Whatever happens in January, women across South Australia already have good reason to cheer for a surgeon who has made their comfort and dignity her life's work.
