Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Later today, together with my co-chairs, I'll be launching the Parliamentary Friends of Autoimmune Diseases. I thank my fellow co-conveners, the honourable member for Robertson and the honourable member for Mackellar, for their assistance in establishing this group. Over one million Australians suffer from an autoimmune disease. These are some of the most chronic health conditions faced by Australians. Most of us in this place will know someone who suffers from one of these debilitating diseases, whether it be inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto's disease, type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.

The main role of the immune system is to protect the body from harm caused by bacteria, moulds and viruses. In autoimmune diseases, for reasons we still do not understand, the immune system attacks the body's own cells, tissues and organs, resulting in inflammation and damage. We are still in the Dark Ages when it comes to understanding and treating autoimmune diseases, let alone preventing them. Whilst inflammation, environmental toxins and stress appear to play a role in autoimmune diseases, the precise triggers remain unknown, and there are currently no cures. My journey with autoimmune disease started 20 years ago, when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It is hoped that the Parliamentary Friends of Autoimmune Diseases will raise awareness and start some serious research into autoimmune diseases.