Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Thursday I'm looking forward to catching up with Marayong local Teagan Hodges and her mum in Parliament House. Teagan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was just 11. She has been battling the condition now for six years. Though her life did change, she also decided to stand up and advocate for others who are also in her position. She's been doing some great work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and will be part of their Kids in the House event later this week.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition affecting 1,000 people in Chifley, 141 of them being children. The fight against it requires constant support from government to drive research. Clinical Research Network 111, also known as T1DCRN, is so important in continuing the marvellous work being done. In the first two phases it has supported 30 projects across 65 institutes.

As the JDRF advocate for Chifley, Teagan is now 17 and has taken part in research trials such as the hybrid closed loop trial, which is the next big thing in the management of type 1 diabetes. I wish Teagan all the success in her journey. She's deeply impressed me as a local advocate and has been speaking up so strongly for others, not sitting on the sidelines but putting her best foot forward for others in need. She really is a true Chifley champion. In Teagan's words, we look forward to the day that type 1 is type none.