Logan Hospital’s Dr Erynn McAuley is dedicated to enhancing outcomes for people living with kidney disease.
From her early fascination with nutrition to her leadership in kidney research, Erynn is helping shape a future where care is more accessible, holistic, and responsive to the needs of Pasifika and Māori communities.
As a Senior Kidney Dietitian Diabetes Educator, Erynn works closely with Pasifika and Māori communities, codesigning a culturally safe, person-centred kidney program shaped by community voices and lived experience.
“Our team's greatest strength is the combination of cultural guidance from members from the Pasifika community and the expertise that our interdisciplinary team brings,” she said.
From the beginning, Erynn’s path into dietetics was shaped by curiosity and her own experience that deepened her appreciation for nutrition, both as a science and as a tool for wellbeing.
“I have always had an interest in health and nutrition, and having grown up with chronic health conditions, nutrition has always played an important role in my life,” she explained. “This led me to start my second undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics.”
“I have always loved diving into the literature and researching. Completing my honours cemented my decision to pursue research after graduation,” she said.
That decision set her on the course to becoming a clinician-researcher, and by 2020, Erynn had completed her PhD in kidney nutrition.
Erynn soon set her sights on Logan Hospital: the only Queensland Health facility offering the opportunity to practice as a dietitian diabetes educator in kidney care.
“I could see how important it would be to have the extended diabetes education scope to provide holistic care, as approximately half our (kidney) patients are also living with diabetes,” Erynn explained.
Erynn found her niche at the Kidney Services department in late 2024, where her expertise has thrived ever since.
“My goal is to help make dietary self-management easier for all our patients. From a kidney perspective, I hope that we can see more funding into preventative health for kidney disease, so that we can truly work towards achieving Kidney Health Australia's goal of no dialysis by 2050,” she said.
“I can't help but smile when a patient comes in telling me that they are now eating veggies when they never thought they would.”