Episode 04: Heather Pearce

Meet Heather Pearce, the CEO of Thrive Medical and an Occupational Therapist. She is a visionary and problem-solver who works with others to achieve outcomes for regional people.

She is today’s guest on A Home in the Outback, an independent podcast about people living, working and creating in the far west.

You can listen to the interview on YouTube, Spotify or Apple podcasts.

Heather was born in the small town of Cleve on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia and grew up on a farm.

She went to boarding school and then university in Adelaide and studied occupational therapy.

Her first job out of university was working in the return to work field which she really enjoyed.

After a brief stint working overseas, she moved to Broken Hill in 2010.

She saw there was no return to work consultants in town and set up a business.  

Over the years it’s morphed and changed to respond to needs of the town.

However, after she connected with local businessman Steve Radford, she got the courage to step out and purchase an MRI machine and open Thrive Medical in 2021. 

Heather speaks to the ongoing challenges and specific needs places like Broken Hill have when it comes to providing medical services and support.

You can listen to the interview on YouTube, Spotify or apple podcasts..

The interview will also be re-broadcasted on 2DRY FM on Saturday 9 March at 11am ACST.

A Home in the Outback is produced by Katherine Waite, an interviewer and writer based in Broken Hill, NSW.

Thanks to Foundation Broken Hill for its support in this project.

Music by Aimee Volkofsky – Heart is a desert from Dust Lust.