- Target:
- Health Minister, and Director General of Genetic Health Queensland
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.health.qld.gov.au
I sent this petition to several email addresses and never heard anything back. So much for politics.
Thank you to all for your support. Have since heard that Ngaire has gone and sounds like changes have taken place so good luck to all FAP sufferers because we are going to need it!
Thank you again,
Diane Kingston
The research into genetic causes of major illnesses is a vital part of early risk diagnosis and prevention of many serious illnesses, such as bowel cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer. These illnesses are among the most common serious illnesses affecting the Australian population.
As part of Queensland state governments cost cutting strategy, funding to Genetic Health Queensland (GHQ) has been cut.
Under previous funding arrangements, many separate organizations have been incorporated into Genetic Health Queensland and as their cost structures are now being closely scrutinized by the government. Genetic Health Queensland may be forced to further reduce many vital and life saving programmes.
Among these programmes are the support for those families who suffer from Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). This terrible condition is incurable, it often runs in families and last for generations and causes untold emotional and physical suffering. The cost of treatment and the subsequent social costs are enormous. It is a painful and debilitating illness.
We will be told that they are RESTRUCTURING not stopping funding for FAP sufferers. This restructuring could mean one person, a councillor, will be taking on the responsibility of up to 2,000 FAP families in Queensland, the concern being that people could slip through the cracks and suffer the consequences of this illness. This MUST not happen.
These facilities for the surveillance of FAP are worldwide, and have been found to SAVE MANY LIVES, please do not compromise these lifesaving facilities by fund cutting and personal cutting, they are far too important.
We greatly fear that the ongoing monitoring and support for sufferers of this condition, among others, will suffer as Genetic Health Queensland has slashed funding to this particular programme. The data collected on sufferers of FAP, is combined with data collected from around the world and contributes greatly to saving lives, improving quality of life and in increasing the knowledge pool on genetic disorders worldwide – this affects everyone. This is a priceless knowledge bank.
Please support us in our quest to stop the Queensland government’s cuts to Genetic Health Queensland, and also to ensure that the current support programme for sufferers of FAP and their families does not suffer any funding cuts.
Please look at my petition. I am an F.A.P. sufferer, I have lost my mother and one of my sisters to this disease, both before this facility was opened.
The facility of monitoring and gathering information has been RECONSTRUCTED almost to death over the years and we all need the support, monitoring and communication with this facility.
We do not compare to the numbers of sufferers of Breast cancer for instance, but behind every number and statistic, there is a face, a story and a human being.
PLEASE HELP US and don't RESTRUCTURE us any more.
We, the undersigned, call on the relevant parties to ensure that funding is maintained as required to Genetic Health Queensland to ensure the continuation of the current registration of data and support programme for sufferers of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and their families.
The Prevent cuts to Genetic Research in Queensland petition to Health Minister, and Director General of Genetic Health Queensland was written by FAP supporters network and is in the category Health at GoPetition.