Di Westaway turned her midlife crisis into a fantastic story of adventures and helping other women. Di is the Founder and Chief Adventure Chick at Wild Women On Top. She is a global leader and award-winning woman of influence who has inspired her team to create life changing adventures that get women walking in nature for good. The event that changed her life was in 2000, when Di decided to climb Mt Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere. She failed but in 2001 a movement was born. Di skilled up and started ‘Trek Training’ for women in her local national park. She trained coaches and clients, and together they travelled the world hiking iconic trails such as Mt Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu. In 2009 Di set up the charity Coastrek which is now Australia’s premier hiking challenge charity for women. You can choose to trek 50km, 30km or 20km along Australia’s most spectacular coastlines to get fit with friends and raise funds for charity. Together, the community of 70,000 trekkers has raised more than $48 million for charity. And in 2018 Coastrek established a partnership with the Australian mental health charity Beyond Blue. In 2020 Di was awarded the OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) for services in women’s health, fitness and charity services. https://www.wildwomenontop.com/ https://www.coastrek.com.au/ Instagram: @wildwomenontop This podcast will inspire you to get outside and have an adventure. For Di, that means trekking, climbing, cycling, and exploring mountains and coastlines. These adventures have transformed her life to technicolour. More and more research backs up what Di already knows: that exercise, nature, and friendship are powerful medicine for both body and mind. As she puts it, “How can I get a quick top-up when I’m feeling a bit shit? Go for a walk.” What’s the difference between walking and hiking? Di says hiking is a bit more of a mission — more adventurous and usually on a trail. The women who join Di are of all ages. Di is 65, and she and Joyce both need knee replacements — but as Di says, “Our health conditions might be obstacles, but they’re not barriers.” There’s always something we can do. Some women say they don’t have time. But Di believes self-care should be non-negotiable. When women come together for her adventures, they find more than movement. They find: Views. Giggles. Friendship. Chocolate. Champagne. Sounds perfect.Transcription link:www.joyceharper.com/podcastsDate of episode recording: 2025-04-29T00:00:00ZDuration: 01.02.31Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Joyce HarperGuests: Di WestawayProducer: Joyce Harper

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