Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House notes that:

(1) May is Crohn's and Colitis month, designated to raise awareness of these life long gastrointestinal disorders that commonly present themselves in children, adolescents and adults;

(2) the conditions, collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), are an emerging global disease, with Australia having one of the highest rates of prevalence in the world;

(3) IBD is a chronic and largely hidden disease affecting approximately 1 in 250 people aged 5 to 49 years nationally;

(4) more than 75,000 Australians live with these conditions, with numbers expected to increase to more than 100,000 by 2022;

(5) IBD cannot be cured as yet, but it can be managed effectively, especially with the use of medications to control the abnormal inflammatory response; and

(6) the Government has acknowledged the need to improve the quality and consistency of IBD care in Australia and has announced an historic $500,000 matched funding agreement to kick start the Crohn's & Colitis Australia programme.

I am proud to bring this motion to the House, and I thank the member for Macarthur for seconding the motion. One of the biggest lessons you can learn in life is never to assume. While on the outside it may seem that a person is healthy, this can be deceiving as to what is really going on with a personal situation. This is proven to be more than true in regard to those suffering from Crohn's disease. Many people would not be aware of, or understand, what Crohn's disease is. It is not spoken about much because, like many diseases affecting the intestines and bowels, it is seen as a 'toilet disease', but it is far more than a toilet disease.

With May being Crohn's and colitis month, this is an opportunity to raise awareness of these lifelong gastrointestinal disorders that commonly present themselves in children, adolescents and young adults. Crohn's disease and colitis are the major types of inflammatory bowel disease. The conditions of Crohn's and colitis are collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease, IBD. IBDs are long-term diseases that cause visible inflammation of the digestive tract, but each has its distinct pattern which can lead to different problems.

IBD is an emerging global disease, with Australia having one of the highest rates of prevalence in the world. IBD is a chronic and largely hidden disease affecting approximately one in 250 people aged from five to 49 years old nationally. This means a large part of our population are silently living with a chronic condition that is causing much internal suffering while on the outside they may appear normal. With more than 75,000 Australians living with IBD, numbers are expected to increase to more than 100,000 by 2022.

The main distinguishing features of Crohn's disease are the location and severity of the inflammation. The inflammation can involve any part of the digestive tract, though it most commonly affects the intestines. Unlike colitis, Crohn's disease affects all layers of the intestinal wall, not just the lining. The symptoms are largely unpredictable, with a significant variation in the pattern of symptoms experienced by individual patients. Generally, the symptoms of Crohn's and colitis are similar, including stomach pains, diarrhoea, sudden urgency to go to the toilet, tiredness, weight loss and loss of appetite. Some individuals experience fever, mouth ulcers, nausea, vomiting and swelling around the rectum, and other parts of the body may become affected too, causing rashes, joint pain and inflammation.

Inflammation is a normal part of the body's self-defence system. With Crohn's disease, it is believed that the immune system of certain individuals overreacts to environmental factors, attacking healthy tissue and causing inflammation and ulceration. There is no way of telling who will be affected, but those with a family history are more likely to develop Crohn's, and it is usually identified in younger people. The relapsing and chronic nature of the disorder has broader impacts on a person's emotional, physical and social wellbeing. While there is no cure for Crohn's disease, the disease can be managed through the use of medications to control the abnormal inflammation, which allows the intestinal tissue to heal and relieves the symptoms.

The particular plight of those suffering from Crohn's disease was brought to my attention recently when I was contacted by Mr Dieter Wolf, who spoke about the suffering of his daughter Amanda. Amanda has been dealing with Crohn's for most of her life. Amanda has endured so much pain since she was diagnosed over 22 years ago and has experienced several life-threatening attacks—the most recent being last June, when Amanda spent four weeks in an induced coma. Her plight is even more heartbreaking because Amanda is a mum, and her children have had to watch her battle this crippling disease.

Through Crohn’s and Colitis Australia, Amanda and Dieter have signed up for the Great Wall of China Challenge 2016, which will be held in October 2016. The 11-day trek will be CCA's biggest fundraiser, and its goal is to raise $50,000. Every dollar raised by participants will go to continue the work of the CCA in providing research grants, raising awareness and providing support programs. I wish Amanda and Dieter all the best with this amazing fundraising effort, and I commend Amanda for her tenacity in making a difference and creating awareness by her fundraising efforts to find a cure for this insidious disease.

Last December, the government announced an historic $500,000 matched-funding agreement to kick-start the CCA program. I do hope that those suffering will have some answers on how to deal with their disease and that one day it will be cured. I commend this motion to the House.

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