Joanna 'Jo' Mathieson
Jo Mathieson is a specialist rescue paramedic on The Australian Medical Drama All Saints. Her character was taken up by the lovely Mirrah Foulkes.
In her mid 20’s, Jo (never “Joanna” unless you’re her father or you want a thick lip) is a real action girl. A specialist Rescue Paramedic who is just as much at ease climbing down a cliff face as she is with the one-on-one medical scenarios her job exposes her to.
Growing up in a large family, Jo learnt at an early age to stand up or be overlooked. It’s not that her parents were inattentive in any way, but rather that having a ton of brothers and sisters often means only the squeaky wheel gets oiled.
Jo is very much that squeaky wheel.
She’s brilliant at what she does, fit and focused, with the ability to think outside the square. But these attributes can also be her undoing as she tends to be impulsive and rebellious if a rule doesn’t make sense to her.
You’re never in any doubt about what Jo thinks of a given situation or idea. And she’s not one to back down from that opinion either.
She gets a real buzz from the adrenalin rush of the rescues she participates in, but that’s not to the exclusion of empathy or compassion. She knows when to be tough, and when to hold a hand and command trust from a patient. If she says she can do something, one look into her eyes tells you you’re in safe hands.
A fiercely loyal friend and a team player, Jo has not made much room in her life for romance. She’s had a few relationships but most have ended prematurely with the man in her life finding her strength and independence, often the things that attracted them to her in the first place, too hard to handle in the long run.
When Jo does find Mr Right, he’ll be a lucky man because she loves as she lives – at a 100% every minute of every day.