HIV Futures 6 Survey now available
Wed, Nov 5 2008
HIV Futures 6: Making Positive Lives Count
HIV Futures 6 is the sixth national survey of Australian People Living with HIV/AIDS.
The survey is out now and will be available until January 15 2009.
It can be filled out and submitted online by going to www.hivfutures.org.au.
Paper copies are available from Haemophilia Social Workers/Counsellors or by calling 1800 064 398 or emailing hivfutures@latrobe.edu.au. There is an envelope attached to the survey booklet so that you can return the survey anonymously and free of charge.
The survey is about all aspects of living with HIV, including health, treatments, work, relationships and financial situation. HIV Futures provides important information on what it’s really like to be HIV positive to community organisations, service providers, doctors and government.
The HIV Futures surveys have been conducted every 2 years since 1997 by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. About 1000 PLWHA respond each time, including people with bleeding disorders.
National Raffle
Wed, Sep 10 2008
National Haemophilia Foundation Raffle
All tickets will support your local State/Territory Foundation.
1st PRIZE ~ Overnight Accommodation at Travelodge and $100 shopping centre voucher RRP $350.00
Overnight accommodation for two people in a Travelodge Hotel of choice (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Rockhampton and Newcastle) valued at $250 plus $100 Shopping Centre Voucher.
Accommodation package kindly donated by Travelodge Hotels
2nd PRIZE ~ Signed 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony Andrew Gaze memorabilia (54/500) RRP $295
3rd PRIZE ~ Natio Hamper valued at $100 and $50 iSUBSCRIBE! voucher RRP $150
Hamper kindly donated by Natio and voucher kindly donated by iSUBSCRIBE!
4th PRIZE ~ 2 dozen Topma Golf balls RRP $72
Tickets are $1 and will be drawn on Friday 24 October 2008. To purchase tickets, call 1800 807 173 or email ncoco@haemophilia.org.au
To view prizes click here - Raffle Prizes
2008 Youth Training Weekend
Thu, Jul 17 2008
2008 Youth Training Weekend
Wirrina Cove Resort, South Australia
Friday 19 ~ Sunday 21 September 2008
If you are over 15 years, come and join us in South Australia for the Youth Training Weekend. The weekend is aimed at meeting new people, having fun and learning new things at workshops such as employment and career, health and fitness. No matter whether you are still at school or already out of school and working, this weekend is aimed at people with bleeding disorders and their siblings and partners, so think about putting the weekend aside.
HFA has limited fully funded places available and there may be additional funding from your local foundation. You will need to make an application. Application forms are available to download - click here - Application Form (Youth). Deadline for applications is Friday 15 August.
Vision and Leadership Award Recipients
Fri, Jun 27 2008
Haemophilia Foundation Australia is pleased to announce the 2008 recipients of HFA Vision and Leadership Awards.
Our congratulations to:
Neil Boal - for a laptop to use to write his autobiography
Katherine Nalder - for establishing a small business
Kumar Wickremasuriya - for a computer education course
Sharyn Wishart - for an education course
A further award was given to a person with haemophilia to undertake an education course.
The Awards were established in 2007 to provide people affected by bleeding disorders with an opportunity to undertake an education activity or project to enhance their personal development or career, or develop skills for leadership and participation in the bleeding disorders community.
The Awards are generously supported by Wyeth through a pledge of up to $10,000 each year for the Awards. The Vision and Leadership Awards are administered solely by HFA under a Memorandum of Understanding with Wyeth.
The assessment panel for this second funding round included Craig Goodhand, Manager Training & Organisation Development, Elders Limited, Adelaide; Chris Bonnor, who has wide experience as a principal of secondary schools in NSW; Gavin Finkelstein, HFA President; and Sharon Caris, HFA Executive Director.
The Awards are available to people of all ages and two specific categories were established to encourage young men and women aged 15-25 and adults aged 26 yrs and over who have a bleeding disorder to apply.
Applicants were encouraged to consider what would make a difference to their life and seek assistance through this award opportunity to achieve success or reach a new goal or objective.
Unfortunately many excellent projects could not be funded this time, however we would like to congratulate the 2008 recipients.
World Hepatitis Day
Mon, May 19 2008
Today for the first time World Hepatitis Day is being marked globally. The worldwide theme is Am I number 12? 1 in 12 people worldwide are living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C
What does this mean for people with bleeding disorders? In Australia many people with bleeding disorders have been affected by hepatitis C. In 2008 HFA's Hepatitis Awareness Week message is about taking charge of your hepatitis C health by knowing your hepatitis C and liver health status:
HEP C 123
- Take Control
- Health Check
- Know your status
For Hepatitis Awareness Week 2008 HFA has released two new updates on hepatitis C for people with bleeding disorders:
HFA has also released:
At a global level hepatitis B and C is a major problem. More than 500 million people are affected and awareness is very low. The World Hepatitis Alliance has been established to achieve change internationally.
For more information on the global campaign, go to
www.worldhepatitisday.com.
For details of the Australian Hepatitis Awareness Week campaign, see the
Hepatitis Australia web site.
For information on what HFA is doing about hepatitis C, go to the
HFA hepatitis C page.
HFA Research Grants - now available!
Thu, May 1 2008
Closing date 4 July 2008
Grants are now available for scientific or social research which will improve outcomes for people with haemophilia, von Willebrand disorder or related inherited bleeding disorders, and/or medically acquired blood borne viruses.
A total amount of $50,000 is available for one or more projects to be undertaken over the next year.
Download the application form/conditions of funding below or contact HFA at hfaust@haemophilia.org.au for further information.
Click here for more information about the Haemophilia Foundation Research Fund.
World Haemophilia Day 2008 – Count me in!
Mon, Apr 14 2008
April 17 is World Haemophilia Day!
This year the official theme is Count Me In!. The focus is on identifying all patients with bleeding disorders.
Every year, countries around the world join the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) in celebrating World Haemophilia Day. The common goal for this day is to increase awareness of haemophilia and reaffirm our commitment to improving care.
Registering all patients with bleeding disorders is the first step in achieving WFH’s vision of Treatment for All - that all people with bleeding disorders need access to adequate treatment and care.
Why is accurate data on numbers so important in the bleeding disorders community?
• Strength in numbers – as a rare disease group, it brings together information on how many people are affected.
• It helps to understand treatment needs and make sure people have access to the care needed to achieve and maintain their quality of life.
• It backs up your case for support so that you can be heard by governments and other health authorities.
• It builds support for a national haemophilia program.
An example of this was the national haemophilia association in Venezuela. With WFH support, the association has set up a team to diagnose and help people with haemophilia in the country’s poorer eastern regions. The team’s regional visits include blood testing and diagnosis, educating patients and families and training health professionals. More than 1,000 new patients have been registered in the past two years. Helped by the data from this program, the association was able to persuade the government to supply treatment products for all Venezuelans with haemophilia.
Global and Australian statistics
WFH collects data from national haemophilia organizations around the world to count the number of people affected with bleeding disorders – the latest WFH Global Survey (2006) identifies 205,472 people with bleeding disorders in 100 countries. All countries can benefit from this information. Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) works with Australian Haemophilia Centre Directors’ Organisation (AHCDO) and the National Blood Authority (NBA) to contribute data about haemophilia care and treatment in Australia.
WFH World Haemophilia Day awareness resources
Include:
• A new publication on outreach to identify patients (to be launched on April 17)
• Poster, news release, fact sheets on outreach and national patient registries
• Educational materials for patients on haemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and rare bleeding disorders.
World Haemophilia Day is officially celebrated on April 17, the birthday of World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) founder, Canadian Frank Schnabel, who died of AIDS in 1987 as a result of contaminated blood products.
For more information on World Haemophilia Day, WFH downloads and education resources, visit the WFH web site – www.wfh.org.
Damon Courtenay Memorial Endowment Fund
Tue, Dec 18 2007
DAMON COURTENAY MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND
Grant Applications 2008
The Damon Courtenay Memorial Endowment Fund (DCMEF) was established as a perpetual Trust in 1993 through the offices of Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) by Bryce Courtenay and the late Benita Courtenay in memory of their son, Damon.
A distribution of approximately $15,000 is to be made in 2008.
Applications are invited from individuals with haemophilia or von Willebrand disorder and other coagulation disorders. Family members or representatives of recognised haemophilia organisations may make applications on behalf of individuals. Applicants must reside in Australia.
Applications will be considered in accordance with the following conditions of the Trust:
“Income from the Fund can be distributed for the purposes of providing care, treatment, education and welfare for people with haemophilia and/or the families of such persons and/or other such matters related thereto including public education programs and other activities undertaken by HFA and its associated organisations in Australia.”
Applications must be made on the prescribed application form which can be downloaded below or by telephoning HFA on 1800 807 173 or email hfaust@haemophilia.org.au.
Closing date for 2008 submissions is 31 March 2008.
Vision and Leadership Awards
Tue, Dec 18 2007
The second round of Vision and Leadership Awards has been announced by Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) and applications will be received until the closing date of 31 March 2008.
The Vision and Leadership Awards were established in 2007 through an initiative of HFA and Wyeth to give men and women affected by haemophilia and related bleeding disorders opportunities to achieve new goals. The Awards are administered and controlled by HFA with funds provided by Wyeth.
The Awards will give people an opportunity to undertake an education activity or project to enhance their personal development or career or attend a conference, or program to develop skills for leadership and participation in the bleeding disorders community.
Applicants are encouraged to consider what would make a difference to their life and seek assistance through this award opportunity to achieve success or reach a new goal or objective.
Up to five individual awards of $2,000 each will be made to successful applicants in either of the following categories:
• Young men and women aged 15-25 who have a bleeding disorder or who are affected by bleeding disorders
• Adults aged 26 yrs and over (men or women) with a bleeding disorder or who are affected by a bleeding disorder
Application Form
The application form can be downloaded below or request a hardcopy form from HFA on 1800 807 173 (freecall).
Closing Date
Applications must be received by HFA by 31 March 2008. No late applications will be considered.
World Aids Day
Thu, Nov 29 2007
WORLD AIDS DAY
1 DECEMBER
Prevention: Everybody's business
The theme for the Australian World AIDS Day Campaign 2007 is: Prevention: Everybody's Business. The theme was chosen to remind people that HIV/AIDS remains a serious disease for which there is still no cure, and that awareness and prevention remain the best defences against its spread.
For more information visit www.afao.org.au
