"Epilepsy ACT brings hope to those living with or impacted by epilepsy throughout Canberra and the region. They provide psychosocial supports, education and training, and policy advocacy work to ensure the voice of people with epilepsy is heard."

Address to the House of Representatives, Adjournment - Epilepsy ACT

Thursday 9 March 2023

It was great to participate in and support the Epilepsy ACT Walk for Epilepsy on Sunday morning with Fiona Allardyce and ACT Minister for Health Rachel Steven-Smith. Epilepsy ACT makes a significant difference in the lives of families living with epilepsy. There are over 2,340 people in the ACT currently with a diagnosis of epilepsy and hundreds more will receive their diagnosis this year. Epilepsy ACT brings hope to those living with or impacted by epilepsy throughout Canberra and the region. They provide psychosocial supports, education and training, and policy advocacy work to ensure the voice of people with epilepsy is heard.

Last year the Albanese government announced more than $250 million in funding, through the NHMRC and across three different funding streams, to support 258 exceptional health and medical research projects. This includes funding for a team of researchers to investigate therapeutic targets for epilepsy. In one-third of people with epilepsy, currently available therapeutics do not control seizures. As recurrent seizures have significant impacts on patients and their families, there is a clear need for new anti-epileptic drugs. I'm proud to be part of a government funding programs that encourage important medical scientific innovation and supporting organisations like Epilepsy ACT, which do so much for Canberrans living with epilepsy.