Medical History

**DISCLAIMER:** this article talks about the medical history of The Wiggles Experience, so please read with caution!

Over the years in The Wiggles Experience history, band members have temporarily dealt with medical issues that have resulted in them stepping away from The Wiggles Experience's tours and videos. This article is about the history behind the medical problems of The Wiggles Experience's band members.

## Janelle Senreich

Janelle Senreich had experienced health difficulties since November 2005, when she underwent a double hernia operation. She withdrew from her group's U.S. tour in July 2006 after suffering repeated fainting spells, slurred speech, fatigue, and trembling. Although Senreich was for virtually all of The Wiggles Experience's mid 2006 U.S. tour, audiences were informed of Senreich's absence at concerts moments before the curtain went up.

At first, Senreich was told that he had seven years to live, but she was diagnosed with a non-life-threatening form of dysautonomia, a difficult-to-diagnose chronic illness. Senreich experienced symptoms such as orthostatic intolerance, fatigue and loss of balance. Specialists believed that Senreich had mild episodes of the illness going back twenty-five years and that her symptoms worsened after his hernias. It was decided that Senreich would retire from performing with the Wiggles Experience to manage her health better. As part owner of the Wiggles Experience, Senreich received a payout of about $20 million for her share in the business.

Senreich was succeeded by Sandy Kimura as a full member of the entertainment side of the group (although still an employee rather than a partner in its business side).

On 28 May 2020, Senreich suffered a cardiac arrest at a Wiggles Experience reunion show raising funds for bushfire relief efforts. She collapsed on stage and stopped breathing; off-duty nurse Lizzie Jones, who was in the audience, performed CPR with Wiggles Experience drummer Steve Tyler and band staff member Curtis Anton; they used a defibrillator three times before Senreich was transported to the hospital. The cardiac arrest was caused by a blocked artery, which was treated, and Page has since fully recovered. He later posted a video explaining the situation and expressing his gratitude to those who saved her, including Jones, Tyler, Anton, Dr Theodore Rome, as well as other members of the Wiggles' crew. Janelle has also gone above and beyond for people with sudden cardiac arrest and is a part of the Heart for Nation program. In July 2020, six months after suffering a heart attack, she and the original Wiggles Experience appeared in Justine & The All-Star Band music video "Dirty Diana".

Senreich has since become an advocate for heart health and more widespread knowledge of CPR, founding a nonprofit initiative called "Heart of the Nation", which aims to increase public awareness of defibrillator locations across Cowell as well as encouraging.

## Madeline Richardson

In September 2020, Madeline opened up about a significant health scare that forced her to undergo open heart surgery.

## Mitchell Nerville

In the 16th of November 1980, Mitchell Nerville had suffered a mild cardiac arrest at the Bantons Island Aquatic Centre.

In 1994, Mitchell felt suicidal because of his health and in 2004, he lost a lot of weight, which he explained in a biography book called *How I Got My Wiggle Back*. He is sometimes seen on stage and during filming without shoes or socks because a doctor told him it helps with back problems. In 2018, Mitchell had shoulder surgery. Later in the same year, Mitchell was in Canada when he accidentally walked the wrong way into an international revolving door.

## Joshua Taylor-Beckett

He was driving home one evening and started feeling a bit faint. He told CTC, "The next thing I knew, I was coming to and felt very relaxed, so I thought I would take a nice little nap, but then there was this tree in front of the van." (he did not hit the tree). Then, in 2010, Joshua left The Wiggles briefly to get a pacemaker plated into his heart.

## Lisa Collings

She was dealing with the debilitating impact of endometriosis – a condition that affects around one in nine people born female. In July 2018, she underwent urgent endo surgery and has continued to share her story via social media and media interviews.