Tony Crook (O'Connor, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Throughout the year I have met with some inspirational young Australians from my electorate of O'Connor who suffer from type 1 diabetes. These constituents include Lauren Hope-Blythe of Katanning and Rebecca Slater of Esperance. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the bravery of these young Australians and the tireless work of these constituents and their families in raising awareness about the disease particularly through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Recently I met with Lauren and her mother, Sue, in my Albany office. During that meeting I was privileged that Lauren shared with me a personal poem she wrote about her struggle with type 1 diabetes. Lauren wrote this poem when she was nine years old and agreed for me to share it in the chamber today. The poem is titled My wish. Lauren writes:

I would like to have a fairy all sparkly and pink,

With beautiful wings and diamonds I think,

I'd ask for one wish of this it would be, please

Take away my disease, this horrible "D"

I'd wish to do sleepovers with friends without a care

I'd wish to be like other kids, it just doesn't seem fair

I'd wish to do sports and not have to think

About my blood sugars, I think it stinks!

My head sometimes hurts, and feels really funny

It feels like I'm dreaming, but for the pain in my tummy

Cramping and hurting, I know I must be low

Quick I need some honey to feed the horrible foe

Finger pricks and needles and sleepless nights

I know I need to be strong and put up a fight

How I got my disease, nobody knows why

It makes me so sad, and makes my mum cry

She hasn't slept through the night for nine years

She checks me so often for the lows that she fears

If we all work together then a cure we should find

This is my one wish and always on my mind

Please hear my story and take it to heart

Cause this is the place where my one wish will start.

I implore all members in this place to hear Lauryn's story and act on this issue. In November this year, both Lauryn and Rebecca will be part of a special group of advocates from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation who will be visiting Parliament House. These delegates will be in Parliament House as part of a Promise to Remember Me campaign—a campaign designed to start a conversation with MPs about type 1 diabetes and why the government needs to support more research. I note that the foundation is currently seeking federal government funding for an Australian type 1 diabetes clinical research network, and I fully support this request. I implore members of this House to have this conversation with diabetes sufferers and to hear their stories firsthand when they visit Parliament House this year.

There is no known cure for type 1 diabetes. Research is the only way in which type 1 diabetes management can be improved and eventually cured.