What’s New?
JAFA has negotiated with A Current Affair to do a story on the lack of services for Juvenile Arthritis across Australia. The story was aired on Friday November 16th.
Upcoming events
The next JAFA Online Symposium is scheduled for February 2021 and will include a focus on ages and stages of juvenile arthritis.
past events
JAFA’s second Online Symposium - “Critical Issues for Juvenile Arthritis: Advances in Treatment and Research, Uveitis & Pain Management October 11, 2020.
The video features talks by leading Australian paediatric rheumatologists, a senior ophthalmology specialist in uveitis, and a highly experienced physiotherapist plus announcements about future national projects and programs.
Questions in the NSW Parliament about Juvenile Arthritis - Independent MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich asked questions in The NSW Parliament about juvenile arthritis services on JAFAs’ behalf on August 5. The response from the NSW Health Minister was posted last week and can be viewed at: Ministers response.
There are some 6,000 children and young people with juvenile arthritis in NSW but only 0.55FTE paediatric rheumatologist time in the public health system to provide them with medical treatment, and only one specialist rheumatology nurse. With the help of the JAFA Community of parents, JAFA has been campaigning strongly for improved services for children and young people in NSW since late last year when it presented the Health Minister with a Proposal to Enhance NSW Paediatric Rheumatology Services.
JAFA’s Online Symposium - “Critical Issues for Juvenile Arthritis: Treatment, Research, COVID-19 & Beyond” 7pm to 8.30pm, Thursday 14 May, 2020.
The video shows the first in JAFA’s Symposia Series which featured four of Australia’s leading paediatric rheumatologists talking about topical issues in juvenile arthritis treatment and research, and the impact pf COVID-19. It also features a 30 minute Q&A session with the speakers plus two paediatric rheumatology nurses and an experienced parent.
Making Friends with ‘Friends’
In January 2020 the JAFA Board met with Dr Mike Freelander at the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre to talk about raising awareness of juvenile arthritis.
Dr Freelander is the Member for the Federal seat of Macarthur and is Co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Child and Adolescent Health. He is a paediatrician by trade and is very familiar with the plight of children with juvenile arthritis and the difficulties their families face in accessing the required specialist services.
Pictured left to right: Prof Stephen Colagiuri, Assoc Prof Ruth Colagiuri, Dr Mike Freelander, Prof Steve Simpson (Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre) and Victoria Allen (Chair of the JAFA Board).