Page 2154 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 8 May 2012
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It was a tremendous afternoon which raised funds for a very important and hardworking organisation here in the ACT. Like any fundraising activity, it was dependent on volunteers. I would like to thank Verity Alexandra, Elizabeth Bartlett, Hans Brunner, Helen Cody, Helen Davies, Anna Earnshaw, Andrew Fleming, Margot Geering, David Graham, Frances Madden, Oona O’Beirne, Norah Sekhon, Shirley Syme, John Martin and Erika Stokes for their efforts in volunteering. I would also like to thank Michael Farr, who is the volunteer coordinator of Arthritis ACT.
For those of you who may be unaware of Arthritis ACT, I will read from its website:
Arthritis ACT … is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve the quality of life of people in the ACT who are suffering from arthritis, osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal conditions. It was established in 1977 and is affiliated with Arthritis Australia and other State and/or Territory Arthritis Foundations.
Its mission is:
… to be a dynamic, credible and viable organisation providing quality services, contributing to research, and improving the health and wellbeing of people in the ACT and surrounding regions with arthritis, osteoporosis and related conditions.
The activities that are undertaken by Arthritis ACT include self-management courses, warm water exercise, a variety of support groups, seminars, a newsletter, education and training opportunities and so on.
I would like to thank the board of Arthritis ACT: the president, Bill Wood; vice-president, Ms Anna Hackett; secretary, Ms Kristine Riethmiller, who is a director of Arthritis Australia; treasurer, Mr Andrew Fleming; and members, Dr David Graham, Helen Tyrrell, Helen Davies, Wendy Prowse and Helen Krig.
For those of you who may be unaware, as I was, about some of the complexities about arthritis and osteoporosis, there are over 150 different forms of arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions that affect about one in three people in Australia. Nearly 60 per cent of people with arthritis are under the age of 65, and arthritis affects one child in 250, some of whom are babies under 12 months. I had a mother, Julie, come to see me yesterday to talk to me about her child, who has juvenile arthritis. I was very moved by what Julie had to tell me. I really commend her for her advocacy—on behalf of her son, but also on behalf of other children with juvenile arthritis. I will be making representations to the Chief Minister on her behalf.
Ten per cent of people aged 20 have symptoms of osteoarthritis, often as a result of poor sports injury management. By the age of 35, arthritis and related conditions are the most common of all chronic conditions. By the age of 45, they are the second most frequent cause of disability. Come the age of 70, 45 per cent of the population has some form of arthritis, and musculoskeletal disease is the greatest single cause of disability in Australia.
With regard to osteoporosis, the Arthritis ACT website says:
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