EDITOR’S LETTER: from the desk of The Weekly’s Nicole Byers

Ihave a friend who is known for her extroverted personality. She’s the kind of person you marvel at as she enthrals a table of 30 people with her latest story, complete with theatrical embellishment. Standing at a petite 5ft, 5in, she’s not afraid to climb onto a nearby chair for greater effect. She has run her own business, worked in Paris, London and

New York and never misses an opportunity to grab a stray microphone and regale a room full of strangers with a song (despite lacking any discernible musical talent!).

So, when on a recent interstate flight together she went missing for 20 minutes I assumed she was off making friends.

The truth is she was in the toilet cubicle hyperventilating as she ran cold water over her wrists and tried to talk herself around from a panic attack.

You see, my very successful, very fabulous friend suffers from anxiety.

She’s not alone. A recent study by Jean Hailes found that 40 per cent of Australian women have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression. Even more surprising is the fact that quite often those who suffer the most are the ones we least expect.

Point in case is Aussie sporting legend Sally Pearson. Sally bravely reveals her battle with crippling anxiety in this month’s issue (see page 34). She explains how the woman we see confidently stride onto centre stage at the world’s largest sporting events is the same woman who can be frozen in fear by a single word from a stranger at a supermarket.

When strong, successful women such as Sally share their personal battles it helps us as a society take another important step towards acceptance of these kinds of health issues. Whatever her fortunes at this year’s Commonwealth Games here on the Gold Coast, she has cemented herself in my mind as a woman to admire both on and off the track.

On the topic of women we admire,

The Weekly paid a visit to renowned Indigenous artist Rene Kulitja (see page 98), who at 60 shows no signs of slowing in her mission to enrich and protect the lives of the local Anangu people and help keep their culture and spirit alive – among her many other pursuits!

I hope you enjoy the issue, whether it encourages you to face your fears, inspires you to reach for your goals or simply just offers you time out to relax.

The Weekly’s Editor Juliet Rieden pictured here at the Lodge, Canberra, where she chatted to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy. A few weeks earlier she spent the morning with the couple and their three grandchildren in Sydney. See our story on page 20.