Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With a month to go until the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in 2018 in Sydney, I understand competitors are in the final stages of their preparation. Australia will be proudly represented by 72 current and former ADF personnel competing across 11 sports over eight days. One of those competitors representing our country will be a Brisbane local, Captain Emma Kadziolka, competing in athletics and indoor rowing. This 29-year-old young woman joined the Australian Army in 2013 as a nursing officer and her postings included being deployed to Iraq. Emma was diagnosed with grade II glioma, a brain tumour, in November 2016. To date the glioma has remained dormant, but Emma is acutely aware of the potential health difficulties that may lie ahead. Emma names one of her greatest achievements to date as being named the co-captain of the Australian Invictus Games team last year. Sport has played an important role in Emma's rehabilitation, giving her a focus and enabling her to channel her energy into something positive and beneficial to her mental health. I wish good luck to all of the competitors at next month's Games, including Emma, and I hope that we see many personal bests and great moments as these veterans and serving ADF personnel demonstrate the incredible healing power of sport, exemplified as it is by the Invictus Games. We're proud of you all.