September 13, 2024

Medical student Alexia Paglia named Young Sydneysider of the Year

Children’s health education advocate recognised for her bestselling children’s book, My Strong Heart

University of Wollongong (UOW) medical student and children’s author Alexia Paglia was named Young Sydneysider of the Year at a gala ceremony for the fourth annual Sydney Awards on Thursday (12 September 2024).

The awards celebrate the people and projects that have helped shape Sydney to be one of the world’s great cities. The Young Sydneysider of the Year award celebrates an up-and-coming leader aged 16-30 who is already making a significant impact on the city.

“I'm truly humbled and honoured to receive this recognition from the Committee for Sydney, KPMG and our incredible sponsors. Thank you to the judges for believing in my vision. This platform is an incredible privilege, allowing me to represent not only the medical community but also to advocate for women in STEMM,” Alexia said.

A compelling campaigner for children’s health education, Alexia, 24, is a Doctor of Medicine student at UOW’s Graduate School of Medicine, blending her rigorous training with a passion for community service, aiming to bridge the health literacy gap in Australia.

Her work as a clinical trials researcher in oncology led to a significant review on survivorship care for young cancer survivors, underscoring her dedication to impactful healthcare delivery.

It’s her bestselling children’s book on heart health, My Strong Heart, that sets her apart. Sparked by her motivation to make medical environments less intimidating for children, Alexia has used her book to facilitate free lessons at Sydney Children’s Hospital School, and host reading sessions at local libraries.

“The idea of creating the book came about when I was working in the hospital system during Covid-19. It taught me a lot of things, but one was the importance of advocating for health literacy,” Alexia said.

“The response that I’ve gotten from kids and even the parents and teachers has been absolutely amazing. What I really do hope that this book will do is start to advocate for positive health behaviours like diet and exercise that we know, if they’re taught at a young age, will translate into lifelong health practices.

“Winning Young Sydneysider of the Year is such an incredible honour.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave the keynote address at the awards ceremony, held at Crown Sydney.

The Sydney Awards are delivered by urban think tank Committee for Sydney, in partnership with Macquarie Business School and The Daily Telegraph.