Arthritis Australia

About Arthritis Australia

Arthritis facts

Funding

Board of Directors | Executive | Scientific

 

 

 

Arthritis Australia's Vision and Mission statement

Vision

To bring quality of life to all people with arthritis and eliminate their suffering.

Mission

• To provide dignity, support and education for Australians suffering from arthritis and their carers.
• To radically restrict the rate of growth of arthritis in Australia.
• To be a leader in funding and advocating world class research.
• Arthritis Australia to be identified as the only independent, arthritis focused and patient driven national body.

About Arthritis Australia

Nearly one in five Australians - that's 3.85 million people - has arthritis. Arthritis Australia is a charitable not-for-profit organisation, and is the peak arthritis body in Australia. It is supported by affiliate offices in every state and territory.

Arthritis Australia:

• provides support and information to people with arthritis as well as their families and friends
• promotes awareness of the challenges facing people with arthritis across the community, and to leaders in business, industry, and government
• funds research into potential causes and possible cures as well as better ways to live with arthritis, and
• aims to keep health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and community nurses informed.

About Arthritis Australia's website

Arthritis Australia endeavours to ensure the accuracy and relevance of information on its website. Consumer information materials are reviewed and updated on an annual basis, with the process including a full literature review to ensure scientific accuracy. Development and review of all Arthritis Australia resources follow a stringent process which is in line with Arthritis's premier National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines for Consumer Information. The process is as follows:
• Audit of gaps/consumer demand
• Literature reviews to support information to be included in the resource
• Resource written
• Tested with consumer focus group re understanding of content as well as layout
• Reviewed and signed off by Arthritis Australia's Consumer Representative (and Board Member); Arthritis Australia's Resource Development Working Group (made up of a combination of health educators and consumers); Arthritis Australia's Medical Director; Arthritis Australia's Scientific Advisory Committee; Australian Rheumatology Association (co-badge our materials and are the peak group for rheumatologists - specialists in arthritis and musculoskeletal disease); and other relevant organisations pertinent to subject matter - e.g. The Australian General Practice Network, Australian Physiotherapy Association, Australian Practice Nurses Association, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The reviewer organisations are acknowledged on each material where appropriate.

News pages are reviewed on a daily basis, other amendments uploaded as they occur and, overall, a six monthly review of the full website is undertaken to maintain accuracy and relevancy.

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Arthritis facts

• nearly one in five Australians has arthritis
• today arthritis impacts directly on 3.85 million people, or 18.5 per cent of the population and indirectly on their businesses, colleagues, friends and family¹
• by 2050, it is projected there will be 7 million Australians with arthritis²
• it costs the economy about $23.9 billion a year. Emotionally and socially, the hidden costs of arthritis are immeasurable³
• arthritis is Australia's major cause of disability and pain
• it's wrong to think arthritis is just an inevitable part of getting older; it isn't!
• most people diagnosed with arthritis are of working age
• children get arthritis too
• arthritis was declared a National Health Priority in 2002
• there are more than 100 different types of arthritis
• most forms of arthritis are thought to be a reaction of the body against its own joint tissues
• osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and lupus are some of the most common forms of arthritis
• we do know you've got to move it or lose it; rest can make pain and other symptoms much worse
• there's no cure... yet
• but there's a lot that can be done
• and with your help we can make life for people with arthritis a whole lot better!
  
  *1,2,3 - Refer Arthritis Australia's website / reports - Painful realities: The economic impact of arthritis in Australia 2007 (REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LIMITED FOR ARTHRITIS AUSTRALIA 31 JULY 2007)

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Funding


This website is only funded by Arthritis Australia. Arthritis Australia relies on the generosity of community groups, individuals, and corporate sponsors for most of its funding. For more information on how you can support people with arthritis please call 1800 111 101.

Arthritis Australia wishes to acknowledge funding support from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing* for the following projects: National Arthritis Awareness Project (Mainstream Awareness Campaign, Multicultural Awareness Campaign, Pharmacies Awareness Campaign), Development of a National Bone & Joint Minimum Data Set, National Arthritis Multicultural Initiative, Resource Development Project, Awareness Program NT Rural/Remote Seminars and Juvenile Arthritis Childrens Camps and Adolescent/Young Adults Program.

* for funding period 2006-2010.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The board of directors of Arthritis Australia is made up of corporate, health and community representatives who are committed to:

• developing further initiatives for assisting Australians with arthritis
• restricting the rate of growth of arthritis in Australia
• ensuring arthritis is on the national agenda, and
• advocating world class research into the disease

The Board

Prof Patrick McNeil MBBS (Hons) PhD FRACP GradDiplHEd - Chairperson

Prof McNeil is Professor of Rheumatology at the University of New South Wales' South Western Sydney Clinical School at Liverpool Hospital. He heads a research group in the Inflammation and Infection Research Centre (IIRC) at UNSW's Kensington campus with programs exploring mast cell biology and novel inflammatory pathways in rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune connective tissue diseases. He is an author on 77 scientific publications which have been cited more than 4,000 times to date, with 17 papers cited more than 50 times including 7 papers with >100 citations. He is recognised as a national leader in academic rheumatology in Australia and has been a long-standing member of Scientific Assessment Committees for Arthritis Australia, the ARA Research Trust, and Discipline Panels for the NH & MRC.

David Motteram - Deputy Chairperson

Mr Motteram is a retired business manager and current President of Arthritis SA. He became Vice-President of Arthritis Australia in November 2009 and currently serves on the Executive and Finance Advisory Committees.

Wayne Jarman Grad Dip Fin AMP (Harvard) - Treasurer

Mr Jarman was appointed to the Board in November 2007. Wayne heads the State Government's Asset Management Task force which is leading the Electricity Reforms and privatising Lotteries, Pillar and WSN Environmental Services. Prior to this, he was Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of RBC Capitol Markets and CEO of TCorp, the New South Wales Governments Central Borrowing Authority for a period of nine years.

Mr David Graham BPharm, PhD, FPS, FAICD

Mr Graham was appointed to the Board in March 2012. He has had extensive experience at the senior executive levels across a number of health and social programs within the Australian Public Service. These included managing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the Ageing and Aged Care Program and CRS (Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services) Australia. Most recently, before his retirement from the Public Service, David was the National Manager of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, where he had worked earlier in his career. His current role is a non-executive director on a number of Boards including the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, the Independent Transport Safety Regulator (NSW), the international GMDN Agency as well as Arthritis ACT. David does work for the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) and is an adviser to the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.
At various times, he has participated in university education and is an adjunct professor at the RMIT.

Prof Graeme Jones MBBS (Hons) FRACP FAFPHM - Medical Director

Prof Jones was appointed Medical Director of Arthritis Australia in May 2003 and chairs the Grants Assessment Committee. He is Director of Rheumatology at Royal Hobart Hospital, and Head of the Musculoskeletal Unit at the Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania.

Dr Helen Cooley

Dr Helen Cooley is currently working in private practice in Hobart and is Director of Ambulatory Care at the Royal Hobart Hospital. She has been a Director on Arthritis Tasmania's Committee of Management for the past eight years, and was elected President in September 2010.

Dr Cooley is a graduate of the University of Tasmania and undertook most of her rheumatology training in Melbourne. Coming back to Tasmania in 1999, she accepted a post doctorate position at the Menzies Research Institute, focusing on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Dr Ian Dover

Dr Ian Dover began his career as a materials engineer in the international aluminium and steel industries. Over the course of 15 years he moved into positions of research, production, marketing services, sales and finally to general management. Since his first business turnaround in1991, Ian has focused on improving the performance of businesses by removing unnecessary, costly complexity. After 10 years as CEO of strategic consultants Alitek Consulting, he launched the Simpler Business Institute in 2009 as a provider of simplification education and coaching services to businesses aimed at improving performance and profits in an increasingly complex business environment.

Dr Dover has been a trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) and has served on a number of state and federal industry-government bodies. He was an invited member of the Queensland University of Technology Council and chaired the review of the Faculty of Arts in 1997. He devotes a part of his time to not-for-profit organisations and is currently President of Arthritis Queensland.

·Wendy Favorito - Consumer Representitive

Mrs Wendy Favorito is well-versed with what it means to live with arthritis and, through her personal and professional experiences, with the health system and services provided. She currently holds a
part-time position as a Senior Speech Pathologist at St.Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.

At the age of six years, Wendy was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis (JIA). In her teens and early 20s she actively assisted Arthritis New South Wales in their JIA activities, including being a member of the Working Committee for their inaugural JIA Camp. These annual camps continue to be a popular and effective support for children in NSW and interstate.

Wendy recognises the importance of widespread arthritis awareness & education and believes the support of family, friends, health professionals and workplace are paramount in managing your arthritis.

·Hilary Fowler

Ms Hilary Fowler is a retired high school science teacher, in the Territory for 25 years. She cames from a very difficult school in NSW with her four children (aged 4 to 11) and the move was the best thing they could have done.

She has taught at Taminmin High, Darwin High, NT Open Education Centre and Casuarina Senior College.

After she retired, Hilary spent six months living in Italy near her son, learning Italian, experiencing Italian life and seeing a variety of interesting places off the usual tourist track. Unfortunately this was cut short by osteoarthritis in her right knee, necessitating a return home for an arthroscopy.

Last year she returned to Italy and London for two months for her son's wedding. Since her return, Hilary has had a knee replacement and is now working on such skills as climbing stairs!

·Dr Irene Froyland

Dr Froyland was appointed to the Board in November 2009·and is Vice-President of Arthritis WA. She retired as Foundation Director of Corruption Prevention, Education and Research (CPER) in the Corruption and Crime Commission but remain an Adjunct Assoc Prof in the School of Justice and Law at Edith Cowan University.·

·Roger Mattar

Mr Mattar commenced legal work as a student volunteer at Redfern Legal Centre, (NSW ) while completing his commerce/law degree at UNSW. Following his graduation, Roger worked at Clayton Utz, Sydney initially as a paralegal and later as a solicitor, for 3 years in the property, construction and banking practice groups. Since then, Roger has been a solicitor at Kemp Strang lawyers (commencing November 1997) where he was made a partner of the Property Banking and Finance group in 2004.

Roger also practises in the area of retirement villages and aged care law and acts for insolvency practitioners in the sale of businesses.

EMERITUS DIRECTORS

Ita Buttrose AO OBE

Mona Marabani MBBS (Hons) FRACP

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EXECUTIVE

Ainslie Cahill

Ms Cahill was appointed CEO of Arthritis Australia in December 2005, having served as its Marketing and Business Development Manager from August 2003. She has more than 25 years' experience in a variety of industries, including senior management/board positions in vocational education (TAFE NSW), public relations (Write Communications Group), publishing (Capricorn Publishing Pty Ltd) and film, television and theatre production (Melaleuka Productions Pty Ltd). Ainslie is currently the Secretary of Arthritis Australia.

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SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE

This committee provides the Arthritis Australia Board with medical expertise.

Peter Youssef MBBS (Hons) FRACP PhD - Chair

Assoc Prof Youssef is a staff specialist in rheumatology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. He is the Co-Chair of the Australian Rheumatology Association Scientific Programs Committee and rheumatology sub-editor of the IMJ. His research interests are in the mechanisms of joint damage in inflammatory arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, and the effects of therapy on the synovium.

Peter Brooks MD FRACP FRCP (Edin) FAFRM FAFPHM MD Lund (Hons Causa)

Prof Brooks is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Interim Director, Australian health workforce Institute - University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland. He is the author of more than 300 publications in the areas of rheumatic diseases, drug therapy and psychological aspects of chronic disease.

Simon Burnet MBBS FRACP

Dr Burnet is Arthritis South Australia's Alternate Director. An Adelaide-based rheumatologist, he is a consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and also Medical Director of Arthritis SA.

Julien de Jager MB BCh FRACGP FRACP

Dr de Jager is Senior Visiting Rheumatologist at the Gold Coast Hospital and a visiting consultant rheumatologist at Allamanda and Pindara private hospitals in Queensland. He is an international fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and a past President of the Australian Rheumatology Association.

Anna Dorai Raj MRCP (UK) FRACP Grad Certin Higher Education

Dr Dorai Raj is a rheumatologist in private practice in Canberra, a visiting medical officer at the Canberra Hospital and Unit Head of Rheumatology. She is a clinical lecturer at the Australian National University Medical School.

John Edmonds MBBS MA FRACP

Prof Edmonds is a Conjoint Professor at the University of NSW and the former Director of Rheumatology at St George Hospital in Sydney. He is currently Chair of the St George Medical Research Foundation and a past President of the Australian Rheumatology Association.

Graeme Jones MBBS (Hons) FRACP FAFPHM MMedSc MD - Medical Director

Medical Director Prof Jones was appointed Medical Director of Arthritis Australia in May 2003 and chairs the Grants Assessment Committee. He is Director of Rheumatology at Royal Hobart Hospital, and Head of the Musculoskeletal Unit at the Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania.

John Hart MBBS FRACS FAOrthA FASMF FACSP

Assoc Prof Hart is an orthopaedic surgeon based in Melbourne. He was Head of the Orthopaedic Unit at the Alfred Hospital from 1980 until 2003 and is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Surgery at Monash University.

Mona Marabani MBBS (Hons) FRACP

A practising rheumatologist, Dr Marabani was appointed President in June 2006. She was formerly Acting President (from February 2006) and Vice-President (from June 2003). She is also a member of the Arthritis Australia Executive, Finance Advisory and Scientific Advisory Committees, and has served the Australian Rheumatology Association as a councillor, the NSW branch as Honorary Secretary, and the NSW Advanced Trainee Selection Committee as Chair. Dr Marabani maintains an active interest in health education.

Andrew Taylor MBBS FRACP

Dr Taylor is a Consultant Rheumatologist at Royal Perth Hospital and is engaged in private practice at St John of God Healthcare, Murdoch. He is currently Director of the Goatcher Clinical Research Unit of the Rheumatology Department at Royal Perth Hospital.

A register disclosing relationships between members of the Scientific Advisory Committee and pharmaceutical companies is available upon request. Please call Ainslie Cahill on 02 9518 4441.

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Reviewed and updated April 2013