Page 4941 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
There are many people across Canberra who are affected by juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes. It is a lesser known disease than type 2 diabetes, and it is different in that it is not brought on by lifestyle factors; it is brought on essentially just by bad luck more than anything else. It is not something that can be cured at this stage. It is imperative that we raise as much money as we can to help create awareness of this insidious disease and also to find a cure.
It is a particularly nasty disease because it often affects young children. Certainly at the lunch at the Brassey we heard a number of stories from people who are affected by type 1 diabetes and from partners who live with people with type 1 diabetes. It really brought home just what a difficult disease it is to live with—that is, the management of it and the insulin requirements. It is hard for parents of young children who have diabetes, and it is a difficult disease to live with for people who have to continually inject themselves with insulin.
Someone who I have met regularly—and I met her again on Sunday—is Vashti Biffanti and we have had a number of discussions about living with type 1 diabetes. She has type 1 diabetes and is just one of the many Canberrans who are suffering from this disease, people who are out there getting on with their lives and working hard to raise funds to find a cure.
So to Stan Platis and all of those in the JDRF here in the ACT, to all those that got out there on Sunday and walked around the lake to raise money for such an important cure—including my wife and young son, who had to be carried only a short part of the distance, thank goodness—well done to you all. Keep up the good work.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.51 pm.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video