In another version of events, Ric Forlano might have remained an accountant.
The path was logical, stable, predictable and the kind of career that follows a straight line. But somewhere between one job ending and another yet to begin, an unexpected opportunity emerged. It was meant to be temporary and a role to fill the space in between, that was 30 years ago.
Today, Forlano is the Executive Director of Arthritis & Osteoporosis WA, one of the country’s most established organisations dedicated to bone and joint health. What began as an interim step became a lifelong commitment not to numbers or balance sheets, but to people.
“It was never meant to be forever,” he reflects. “But sometimes you find something that challenges you, that matters, and you stay.”
What he found was not just a job, but a cause that would shape the trajectory of his life and, in many ways, the lives of tens of thousands of Western Australians.
What is often dismissed as a condition of ageing already affects one in seven Australians, with more than 600,000 West Australians expected to be living with arthritis by 2045 a trajectory that signals a growing strain on the health system.
Forlano saw early on that the challenge was not only medical, but systemic. “This is not a trivial condition,” he says. “For many people, it impacts their independence, their mental health, their ability to work and participate in everyday life.”
Under his leadership, Arthritis & Osteoporosis WA has evolved into what is now considered a centre of excellence, a place not only for treatment and support, but for education, research and community connection. The organisation’s reach extends far beyond its physical footprint, supporting individuals at every stage of their journey with bone and joint disease.
One of the milestones Forlano speaks about with particular pride is the organisation’s long-standing association with Professor Hans Nossent, a leading figure in rheumatology. That partnership, now spanning more than a decade, reflects a broader commitment to advancing research and improving outcomes.
“We knew early on that if we wanted to make a real impact, we had to invest in knowledge,” he says. “Research is what moves everything forward.”
That philosophy has helped position the organisation at the intersection of care and innovation by supporting not just current patients, but future generations.
Despite the scale of the challenge, Forlano is quick to redirect the conversation back to something more fundamental.
“It’s always been about relationships,” he says. It is a simple idea, but one that has shaped his leadership over three decades. The organisation now includes around 30 staff and 50 volunteers a community he describes not as a workforce, but as an extended family.
“I treat my staff like family, and our volunteers are just as important,” he says. “They are the heart of what we do.”
This people-first philosophy extends to the organisation’s programs from hydrotherapy sessions to self-management courses, community talks and education services. While these initiatives provide practical support, their deeper value lies in something less tangible, connection.
“If we can help someone forget about their pain for even an hour a day, that matters,” Forlano says. “That’s impact.”
At the forefront of the organisation’s priorities is the appointment of an additional researcher, alongside a strategic expansion into regional Western Australia.
Forlano is not inclined toward grand statements about legacy. When asked about the secret to his longevity, his answer is disarmingly straightforward.
“I like a challenge,” he says. “And I like helping people.”
It is, perhaps, the simplest explanation for a 30-year career that was never meant to happen.
In a sector often defined by complexity , funding pressures, rising demand, and evolving healthcare needs his approach has remained consistent, focus on people and build strong relationships.
The result is an organisation that has not only endured for more than half a century, but continues to grow in relevance and impact.
Forlano may have started as an accountant, but the numbers he works with today are of a different kind , the number of people supported, the hours of care delivered, the lives improved.
And after three decades, the work is far from over.
“We just want to help as many people as we can,” he says.
What began as a small community initiative has grown into a centre of excellence defined not by its size, but by the lives it continues to support, strengthen and restore every day.
By Hearts and Minds
