Page 2198 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 21 June 2011
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The Cystic Fibrosis Association is, as members would know, an organisation which is close to my heart. I want to pay tribute to David Jessup, the vice president of the association, who gave a heart-warming presentation on his experience in raising a family where one member has cystic fibrosis. David revealed that their daughter was born in Thailand and was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. When he said his daughter was born in Thailand, my heart sank because cystic fibrosis is unknown in the Asian community. It was a confounding disease for the medical authorities in Bangkok to deal with.
On the night there were probably about 200 people at the National Press Club, and there was an extraordinarily generous outpouring through the buying of raffle tickets, silent auctions and live auctions as well. The association raised many thousands of dollars, which goes directly into the ACT community providing financial aid and assistance to members of the community.
It is also very heart warming to attend events like this and to see the increasing number of people who are getting on in years. For instance, when my eldest daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis 30 years ago, we were told that she had a life expectancy of perhaps 15 years. It is now not the case that families are told these things, because the improved treatment over the years has extended the life expectancy of these sufferers in many cases well into adult years, and that is increasing every year. But it also gives one cause for pause, because every time there is an event like this, we have to mark that another one of the association has left us and left behind a bereaved family.
I would like to pay tribute to the 2011 committee of the ACT Cystic Fibrosis Association: Steve Williams; David Jessup, the vice president; the stalwart of the association, Barb Mills, who has been on the board for as long as I can remember; her deputy secretary, Jenny Sait; the treasurer, Ruth Riach; Tania Minogue, who was the chief organiser of the event; Katie Down and the Down family, who have been associated with the Cystic Fibrosis Association for as long as I can remember; and Katrina Hughes.
The association does great work for the hundreds of families in the ACT who have members who suffer from cystic fibrosis and for the increasing number of adults, ensuring that there are improved facilities and improved ways of treating and advocating on behalf of cystic fibrosis sufferers, both child and adult, across the community.
There is much that we can do to support organisations like this, and I encourage members to find the time to attend and support the medical charity of your choice. I suppose that CF is mine. I know that Mr Hanson does a great deal for Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation. I think it is very important that we in leadership positions here show support for these organisations that do great work in the community.
Red Nose Day
MR COE (Ginninderra) (10.05): Today I rise to talk about Red Nose Day. Red Nose Day began back in 1988 and its instant success has ensured it has remained a fixture
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