AUGUST 2023

Vicki Wade First Nations heart health lead with Heart Foundation, Kara Rudken and Skout Kirk RHD lived experience experts, Senator McCarthy, Kenya McAdam RHD lived experience expert, Greg McAdam Aboriginal Guide Deadly Heart Trek, Georgina Byron CEO The Snow Foundation 

Dear friends and colleagues,

Last week we co-hosted a significant rheumatic heart disease (RHD) event at Parliament House with Senator Malarndirri McCarthy. It was a remarkable morning with members from remote communities, Aboriginal leaders, and other #endRHD advocates, discussing the stark reality of First Nations people living with RHD and the opportunities for improvements.

It was a full house of politicians, key decision-makers and rheumatic heart advocates and experts. We heard from lived experience experts Kenya McAdam and Kara Rudken, who travelled from communities in remote NT and QLD, to share the need for greater education on RHD for families, communities and all those working in healthcare.

There are several community and research initiatives in place making headway.

Indigenous leaders Vicki Wade and Greg McAdam together with Paediatric Cardioloist Dr Rob Justo shared the great work of the Deadly Heart Trek, providing education, early diagnosis and treatment to many communities across Australia and the impact of programs such as Orange Sky, Remote Laundries Project and Champions4Change.

Alec Doomadgee shared his family story, paving the way for an important coroner's inquest into Doomadgee, and called for urgent healthy housing and listening to Aboriginal voices. Telethon Kids Institute Professor Jonathan Carapetis provided hope with an update on developments in early diagnosis and treatment plus a vaccine.

Senator McCarthy and Minister Burney both shared their deep commitment to ending RHD at the event.

Yet – almost 10,000 people are currently living with RHD or ARF (acute rheumatic fever) and two die each week. First Nation communities are experiencing a number of significant social and economic circumstances that lead to the exposure and spread of Strep A, which can lead to RHD including: limited access to adequate healthy housing, safe and hygienic spaces, poverty, and a limited knowledge of Strep A and its causes.

There is a strong momentum - Aboriginal leadership with NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia, community demand, collective goodwill and an evidence base in the ‘RHD Endgame Strategy’. We acknowledge and celebrate the increased funding commitment from Government, but investment and action needs to accelerate, to stop the suffering and devastation in communities.

We look forward to continuing to work together to #endRHD, ahead of the RHD World Congress in Abu Dhabi 2-4 November 2023.

Panel discussion with Dr Rob Justo, lived experience experts Kara Rudken and Kenya McAdam, and Vicki Wade - First Nations heart health lead with Heart Foundation and co-Chair Deadly Heart Trek 

Panel discussion about community initiatives in place including the Deadly Heart Trek: Alec Doomadgee, Greg McAdam, Dr Rob Justo, Vicki Wade, Georgina Byron 

Greg McAdam, Alec Doomadgee, Senator Lidia Thorpe, Vicki Wade