Janu Dhayanathan is a passionate advocate for inclusion, disability awareness and wellbeing, whose courage in sharing her lived experience has transformed the lives of thousands of Australians.

Born with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) – a genetic condition causing tumours to grow on nerve endings throughout the body – Janu kept her diagnosis secret for more than two decades, navigating school, work and life largely in the shadows. Despite the learning difficulties, chronic pain and social isolation this brought, she pursued her post-school education with quiet determination, graduating with both a Diploma in Network Engineering and a Degree in Digital Media.

The turning point came in 2019, when Janu faced surgery to remove hundreds of tumours from her head, scalp and neck — a procedure that required her to shave her head. Rather than retreat, she stepped forward. She livestreamed the experience, shared her story publicly for the first time, and ran a fundraising campaign for the Children’s Tumour Foundation (CTF) that raised over $16,000 in a single month. It was an act of extraordinary vulnerability that became an act of liberation – and the beginning of a life lived openly.

Since then, Janu has become an Ambassador for the CTF and a mentor to young adults navigating the physical and emotional challenges of NF, a condition affecting around 1 in 2,500 people. She has shared her story on SBS Insight, ABC News, The Today Show and SBS Tamil Radio, and speaks regularly at community events and clinical symposiums.

Her advocacy spans body positivity, mental health, gender equality and cultural stigma – particularly for women in the South Asian community who have been taught to stay silent. In 2023, her work was recognised with the Cumberland Council Access and Disability Award.

Professionally, Janu has built a successful career and currently works as a Senior Analyst. She embodies the MLC School spirit of resilience and service – not merely overcoming adversity, but transforming it into purpose. Her message is simple and powerful: while pain may be inevitable, suffering is not.