about us

Shaping the Future of Sleep Health

Behind every restful night is a team committed to your wellbeing. Discover our mission, our approach, and the passion that drives us.

Our Journey to Excellence in Sleep Health

Founded on the commitment to revolutionize sleep health, Geelong Sleep Disorders Centre began its journey with one clear mission: to give individuals suffering from sleep disorders a pathway to better health and a brighter tomorrow. Driven by the pioneering spirit of our founder, Dr. John Swieca, we opened our doors with the vision of creating a haven where the mysteries of sleep are unravelled, and the quest for restorative sleep becomes a reality.

From modest beginnings, our centre has grown into a beacon of hope and innovation in the field of sleep medicine. Each step of our journey has been guided by a relentless pursuit of excellence, a deep-seated compassion for our patients, and an unwavering quest for knowledge that propels us forward.

Milestones That Define Us:

  • Opening Our Doors
    Launching with a dedicated team, eager to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with sleep.
  • Expanding Our Facilities
    Responding to the growing need, we extended our reach, enhancing our facilities to incorporate state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and comfortable, patient-friendly environments.
  • Pioneering Research
    Embarking on pioneering research, we’ve contributed valuable insights into sleep health, positioning ourselves at the forefront of medical advances.
  • Community Engagement
    Through workshops, seminars, and outreach programs, we’ve taken an active role in educating the wider community about the importance of sleep health..

Today, Geelong Sleep Disorders Centre stands as a testament to our commitment to patient care, research, and education. Our story is not just about our growth as a centre but about the countless individuals who have found solace and solutions within our walls. As we look forward, we remain dedicated to innovating, educating, and most importantly, caring for the sleep health of our community.

Dr John Swieca

Medical Director

Dr John Swieca has been the medical director of the Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre since returning from a Sleep Disorders Fellowship at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles in 1994. In his clinical practice, he cares for patients with a range of sleep disorders. Dr Swieca’s clinical interests are broad, although he specialises in the management of complex multi-factorial sleep disorders. He is a principal investigator in a range of clinical research trials. Dr Swieca is open to a range of treatment strategies for sleep apnoea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, parasomnias and narcolepsy.

Dr Swieca chairs the Sleep Physicians Council of the Australasian Sleep Association, is on the Board of the Australian Association of Consultant Physicians and serves on the Executive Committee of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group.

Dr Juan Mulder

Sleep Physician

Dr Juan Mulder is a Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Physician. Juan undertook additional training in Intensive Care, to enable him to manage complex modes of invasive and non-invasive ventilation, as well as treating critically ill patients.

He has a particular interest in sleep disorders, especially complex disorders such as insomnia, parasomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and sleep apnoea. He is also a firm believer in a multimodal approach to managing sleep disorders, given their frequently complex nature. 

Dr Mariannick Le Guen

Sleep Physician

Dr Mariannick Le Guen is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and specialises in respiratory and sleep medicine. She graduated in Medicine from Monash University and completed her physician training at Southern Health, the Geelong Hospital and Austin Health. Dr Le Guen’s experience includes all areas of sleep medicine, including sleep disordered breathing, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias and insomnia. She has been involved in research investigating obstructive sleep apnoea in patients with quadriplegia. She is a member of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, the Australian Sleep Association, the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society and the American Association of Sleep Medicine.

Dr Ksenia Chamula

Sleep Physician

Before embarking on her medical degree, Dr Ksenia Chamula completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at the University of Melbourne, focusing on Neuroscience and Anatomy.  Medical studies were also undertaken through the University of Melbourne and Dr Chamula completed her Physician training at Austin and Frankston Hospitals, gaining her Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.  Since then, she has focused on management of sleep disorders, including sleep apnoea syndromes, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders, insomnia and narcolepsy.  She enjoys the multifactorial nature of sleep disturbances and relating Sleep Medicine back to the structure and function of the brain.  Her extra-clinical work involves active membership in several subcommittees and councils within the Australasian Sleep Association, membership with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and contribution to education through the Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre.

We have established the Geelong Sleep Disorders Centre, to offer the same broad range of sleep disorders care to patients in Geelong and the surrounding region, no matter how straightforward or complex the disorders may be. This may require multidisciplinary care, including collaboration with sleep psychologists, dental sleep medicine practitioners, ENT and bariatric surgeons, other specialist physicians and CPAP therapists. Often a broad approach is required, to give patients every chance to achieve a good night’s sleep and improved daytime alertness and energy levels.

Dr. Toby Fothergill

Consultant respiratory and sleep physician

Known for his expertise in sleep disorders medicine. After completing his medical degree and both internal medicine and respiratory medicine, he underwent a clinical fellowship in sleep disorders medicine at the Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre. Dr. Fothergill is passionate about delivering holistic care for patients with all sleep/wake disorders.

Dr Caroline Kronborg

Respiratory and Sleep Physician

A Physician who strives to provide quality care together with a compassionate and personalised approach. After obtaining her medical degree from The University of Adelaide in 2009, Dr Kronborg completed her specialist training through The Alfred Hospital and Western Health in Melbourne and became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. She went on to accomplish a clinical fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre in conjunction with Western Health, where she gained valuable skills and experience in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of a broad range of sleep disorders. 

She manages patients suffering from all sleep conditions, including sleep apnoea and excessive sleepiness and has a keen interest in complex sleep disorders including insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome.  Dr Kronborg understands that a poor night’s sleep can significantly impact one’s quality of life.

Dr Kronborg is a member of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Australasian Sleep Association. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her young family and is a keen runner.

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