Julie McCrossin, MC:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the FASD Research Australia Centre of Research Excellence 2020 Virtual Celebration Awards.
My name is Julie McCrossin, and it's my real genuine pleasure to be your MC of this special occasion.
Let me begin by acknowledging that wherever we're standing or sitting or joining this event, we are on the land of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
I want to pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging, and I know we all acknowledge respect for those people, the original, the first Australians.
The purpose of our event this afternoon is really to celebrate all that's been achieved in the last five years and to say a huge thank you to everyone in the FASD community, whether you're involved in research, whether you're family members, carers, people affected by FASD, or of course, researchers, or involved in advocacy, we just want to say a huge thank you, and we want to highlight some of the key achievements of the last five years, and also look a little bit into the future.
Most importantly, we're going to highlight the very excellent work of mid-career researchers, and we'll meet some of them a little bit later.
Our format is going to be predominantly an interview format. My background is as a radio broadcaster, and so we'll be interviewing people. And of course we'll have award presentations.
Could I ask you when you're listening to our speakers today, if you've got questions or brief comments, could you put them all through the Q&A function? You're probably all familiar with it by now. If you look down there on the bottom, you click Q&A, and you can put questions there. We've got a question monitor who's looking at them coming through, and they'll give us an overview of the questions and bring forward some of, as many questions as we can a little bit later. Please don't put your questions in the chat function, because we'll be using that to communicate among the panellists and speakers.
Just before we formally begin, we've got a poll for you, just something that takes a minute to fill in. I'll ask Kate Harford to pop it up on your screen. When you fill it in and complete it, it will disappear. So I'll just be quiet for a moment, and Kate, can you pop up the poll? Well, I'm going to assume that an audience like this has rocketed through the poll. [Laughing]
Just before I begin my first conversation for this celebration, I also want to welcome a man called Will from TunaBlue. Will is a graphic illustrator, and he is going to be- and I think Kate's going to bring him up in one of our highlighted boxes. Yes, here he is. He is going to be illustrating issues and discussions that we're having throughout. This is quite remarkable, and you'll be able to see his interpretation of our conversations, documenting proceedings as we proceed through the afternoon.
So a big welcome in the traditional way, this is deaf sign clapping, as you would probably know, to Will.
I'd like to invite now onto the screen, if I may, the co-directors, Professor Elizabeth Elliott and Professor Carol Bower, if I could invite them to turn on their videos, and turn on their microphones, and join me on the screen.
It's great to see you, welcome to Liz. And I think we've got Carol joining us from a car, which is just terribly exciting. I can't see Carol-
Professor Carol Bower:
No, here's Carol.
Julie McCrossin:
I beg your pardon. I was getting confused there. Hi Carol [laughing].
And of course, Professor Elizabeth Elliott is a paediatrician and professor in paediatrics and child health, at the University of Sydney.
And Professor Carol Bower is a Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Telethon Kids Institute and an adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia at the Centre for Child Health Research.
So welcome to both of you, and I encourage you to learn deaf sign clapping. There is a good research evidence that people need feedback when they're presenting, even in a Zoom environment.
Look, I want just about 10 minutes with you, get a sense of what you both see as some of the key achievements.
Carol, can I just come to you just first of all, in a nutshell, what are we all fundamentally about? We've got about 50 people with us at the moment and a little bit more than that. A few more about to join us.
What's our fundamental purpose as supporters of the work?
Professor Carol Bower:
Well, the fundamental purpose of the centre is to turbo boost research into alcohol use in pregnancy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Australia because ultimately prevention of FASD and support for people with FASD in their families is what's really important.
We’re doing that through generating new knowledge and translating that knowledge into policy and practice. We're building research capacity and we'll hear a bit more from the early and mid-career researchers shortly. And our aim is to establish a national collaboration that will endure beyond the life of the CRE to support research across the nation.
Julie McCrossin:
And as I understand it, one of the achievements you want to highlight today is that you've demonstrated that the use of evidence to underpin policy and practice is a very good idea.
Professor Carol Bower:
It’s an excellent idea.
Julie McCrossin:
But why is that so important? Give us some examples.
Professor Carol Bower:
Well, a couple of examples, I think of why we've actually done this, one is to use evidence to support a very recent policy decision which is the mandatory labelling with a pregnancy warning of alcohol products in Australia and New Zealand.
Another one is our contribution to a revision of the national health and medical research council, alcohol guidelines.
And the third one is some work that we've done in youth detention, highlighting the need to assess young people in detention for FASD and other neurodevelopmental anomalies impairments which are, as it turns out extremely common amongst these young people and to train professionals in the justice system to support those young people.
Julie McCrossin:
And can I say, as an outsider, just watching in, that the achievement of the labelling on the alcohol, that's a very big deal isn't?
Professor Carol Bower:
Yes, it is a big deal, yeah.
Julie McCrossin:
I had an involuntary ‘mmm’ from Professor Elizabeth Elliott. Why is that so important, Liz?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
It's been a long time coming Julie, probably 20 years we've all been banging on. It was a big collaborative national effort. And I think that's what got it across the line.
Why is it important? It's because important because people in our community are still unaware of the harms of alcohol use in pregnancy.
Now we're not saying that this is going to be the magic bullet that it will solve all the problems but raising community awareness is really key to improving knowledge and changing behaviours.
Julie McCrossin:
Yeah, I think it's also a great demonstration that you've got to keep up advocacy when you know it's right and you'll eventually get there.
But Carol, I think another thing you're wanting to highlight today is that it's the development of a sort of a talented cohort or band of early and mid-career researchers, as you say, we're going to meet some, but why is that important achievement?
Professor Carol Bower:
Well, it's really important for me because I'm actually retiring quite soon.
And so I'm absolutely delighted that there's this band of really talented and skilled research professionals coming along who were taking over and engaged in fantastic research and will really be the backbone of prevention, diagnosis and management in the years to come.
Julie McCrossin:
So it's not only the benefit to the, hopefully the prevention of children being affected by this condition and families bearing the burden of it. But it's in a way a kind of succession planning that you and Liz are doing isn't it? Why do you see it as significant these young researchers, this band coming up, 'cause it brings you joy doesn't it?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Well, I think being in research being an academic is a hard gig. You need support.
And Carol and I have worked together for about 20 years on this topic and it really gives us great pleasure to see that we've got a whole band of health researchers but we've also impacted other professional groups, such as justice professionals and teachers and other educators.
So, you know, I think potentially there's going to be a great opportunity for collaborative research around the country.
Julie McCrossin:
And can I just applaud you for managing to work across time zones. I have developed, as I was telling Carol earlier today, timezone dementia and the fact that you went from Sydney and Perth is very admirable. But the third issue, Carol, I think you want to highlight is consumer involvement.
So tell us how you're doing that and why that's vital.
Professor Carol Bower:
Yeah, well this is something I'm really, really pleased that we've engaged in.
With the CRE we have set up a national consumer reference group of really interested and enthusiastic people from across the country.
Some of whom have young people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or community members concerned about alcohol use in pregnancy.
And one of the really important pieces of work that they have done is to, with guidance from our consumer people here is a priority setting partnership to work out for consumers, what the important bits of research are in this area, not what the researchers think are important but what the consumers think are important. And that's been really useful and it's guiding what research we do into the future.
Julie McCrossin:
Okay, well, thank you.
And Liz, if I could come to you, could we begin perhaps with an example of research, a journey of research you've gone onto that was very much inspired by that partnership with consumers?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Well, I think a good example is our work in the Aboriginal communities really where people who've got lived experience of alcohol use and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in particularly in remote communities have approached us as clinicians and researchers and asked us to engage in that process of helping them define whether prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder are indeed a problem and then what we can do about it.
Julie McCrossin:
One of the projects I think you want to talk about and how it's progressed is the Lililwan Project. Can you just tell us about what that is and also where it's progressed in a way that you're really wanting to highlight and celebrate today.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Yes, well look, several members of our investigator group, myself, James Fitzpatrick, Jane Latimer were involved in that study which started in about 2009. And we were asked to establish the prevalence of alcohol use in pregnancy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in very remote communities in the Fitzroy Valley, in Western Australia. And we found that one in five children were affected by this disorder.
So having got the Centre for Research Excellence established the next step was in the community's mind, what should we do about this? And that has led to a number of different projects.
I guess the main one that's happened over the time of the CRE is the Jandu Yani U project, which means 'for all families' and what we've done there is address the behavioural difficulties that children have in home and in school by introducing into the community a positive parenting program but doing that very much with the help of the community.
So adjusting the material so that they were culturally appropriate linguistically appropriate during the training of local Aboriginal people with an Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal person.
And then making sure we left someone in the community for a year afterwards to support the parent purchase and to support the parents and to evaluate the impact of that program on child behaviour.
Julie McCrossin:
Now Liz, look, I want to get, I want to raise two more things with you, but just quickly what have you gained personally in your years of really close engagement with Aboriginal people and travelling to these communities?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Yes, well talk about the time difference between Perth and Sydney.
It takes me, it has taken me 18 hours to get to Fitzroy Crossing and I think I'm just transported to another world and it's a world that many Australians haven't seen.
And I suppose that to me is the personal privilege that I have had of understanding the reality of how disadvantaged people are living in these sort of communities. The challenges of climate and transport and alcohol and unemployment and lack of opportunity and the impact of the sort of historic trauma.
But just one more positive. I have really appreciated the friendships that I've made and the intellect and the capacity of so many particular senior women in these communities who have driven, really driven, this area of research.
Julie McCrossin:
I guess it's that latter point I wanted to emphasise, cause I know we have a lot of people watching us now who will be researchers and they've got to make their own decisions. Are they going to continue in this field? And I'm old enough to have known a few people live the kind of life that you two live.
And there's both this great trauma and knowing about trauma and being close to trauma but there's also enormous benefits from this absolutely transcendental engagement with a different culture.
But look, let me go to another point. And that is you're very much wanting to celebrate a guide to diagnosis that's been created and its dissemination and the training of staff just very much in a nutshell what's that all about?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Well, some years ago, Carol and I attended for funding from the federal government to develop an Australian guide to the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. We really felt this was necessary because paediatricians and other health specialists told us they didn't know how to make the diagnosis. They didn't know what the criteria were. They were worried about stigmatising families and they didn't know what to do if they did make a diagnosis. So what this has enabled us to do is to develop a standardised approach, which is consistent with the approach used internationally.
And I think it's really helped health professionals to get a handle on what they're dealing with how to make the approach to diagnosis and then how to manage those children and adolescents and adults.
Julie McCrossin:
And you’ve got this access of via a hub with e-learning modules. Can you just tell us a bit about that?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Yeah, well the first thing is we develop some E-learning modules so a sort of course to explain the use of the guide and the contents of the guide and that is placed on the Hub. And that's really the third achievement that I wanted to talk about is that again, with government funding some years ago, we established the FASD Australia Hub. We felt that there was no one stop shop for information for health professionals researchers and policy makers. So they are really our target audience. Although of course the information is useful to the general public and to families dealing with FASD themselves.
So that that's been a great achievement and Heather Jones and Peter O'Malley set that up. And Heather is continuing to manage that now that we've got an additional grant to carry that forward.
Julie McCrossin:
Well look, guys, I know we could talk about so much more but can you clap each other and Martyn Symons, Tracy Tsang, Tess Fletcher and Kelly all turn on your cameras, would you? And do the deaf sign clapping so that we can applaud these two women who've done so much for this community. And I might leave- let's have your lovely faces stay on if we would. I think Martyn's having a massage but he'll be back soon. I commend his commitment to self-care, which my generation has never managed to achieve. So I really want you to be able to do it.
But may I come now and welcome a number of early and mid career researchers.
And I'm just going to hear- we're just going to get a snapshot of the core purpose of some of the work you're doing some of the results and how your connection to this research community has assisted you.
I won't- ah, Martyn my man! Lovely to see you, if you can turn on your microphone-
Dr Martyn Symons:
Morning.
Julie McCrossin:
Stay on guys because I'll get you to clap in a minute - how was the massage?
Dr Martyn Symons:
Awesome. I really needed it.
Julie McCrossin:
[Laughing] I tell you, I've wanted one for months. So I'm going to- you've inspired me to look- self-care is so important.
So Martin you're a research fellow in Perth, the core purpose of your research - you're working on the prevention of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. For people who know nothing about what you're doing, in a nutshell, what's the purpose of your work?
Dr Martyn Symons:
So when I started with the CRE they gave me the task of preventing FASD - pretty easy. And at that time in my mind prevention was about pamphlets and ads on TV and that sort of thing.
But I was very lucky to meet up with the parent-child assistance team in the U.S, and what they do is to provide three years of case manager outreach help to women who have alcohol and drug issues and are either pregnant or have given birth recently. And that's really that length of time, the three years of a case manager coming out and visiting them every week to find out what they want to do to change their lives and connecting them to the services, which already exist in the community, to help them achieve that. But that connection and length of time really makes a huge difference in the lives of these women because they've often had difficult lives. They've not been very well connected with services. So they're being put in touch with services and just even in the first year of our pilot just with eight women, they turned their lives around completely just with that bit of help.
Julie McCrossin:
So in a nutshell, what have you learnt as a researcher from this experience?
Dr Martyn Symons:
As a researcher, I guess I've had the chance to interview these women. And we've gone through a long interview process. It takes an hour and a half. Most of them ended up crying at some point because of them explaining their background and what's happened in their lives. And just being able to interact with them, seeing the challenges they've faced but how they've been able to overcome them just with that bit of assistance that's been a very personal experience in terms of seeing what they're able to do.
Julie McCrossin:
And can I ask you, the involvement with this Centre of Excellence in research, the FASD group, how has that assisted you? What have you gained from that connection?
Dr Martyn Symons:
A lot of different things, mostly around collaborations. So for example, with the program I was just describing, that's been set up as a collaboration, through meeting- being able to go over and meet the team in the U.S and then women's health and family services who provide the program, contacted the team in the U.S and they put them in touch with me. So I'm hoping to evaluate a program that they're delivering, and the collaboration and the time that I've been able to give them to help do that evaluation is all coming from the CRE
Julie McCrossin:
Look, thank you so much Martin.
If everybody could give him a clap and if you can turn off your mic but stay with us 'cause we'll go to questions shortly.
And it's my pleasure now to invite Dr. Tracy Tsang to join us, a senior research fellow at the Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Sydney.
Hello to you, Tracy nice to see you.
Anytime I clap can everybody else do it? Trust me it's a really cheerful feeling.
Now, Tracy, I understand you've been looking at how this disability impacts on the physical body. Can you tell us a little bit about what you've been exploring in your research?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
Oh, well, my research has actually been quite diverse, but it ultimately does aim to improve prevention efforts, diagnosis, management and long-term outcomes in FASD.
So for example, one of the projects I'm currently working on with amazing Australian and overseas colleagues is the Cliniface project, where I'm helping to develop new diagnostic approaches using 3D facial imaging in FASD. And I'm also doing reviews of what others have globally found about eye and ear abnormalities associated with FASD.
Julie McCrossin:
And can you tell me, my understanding that that 3d imagery diagnostic technique is important because it's non-invasive. Could you just explain that a bit?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
Yeah, it's completely non-invasive, it's a very- it's not distressing at all for the children or the carers. It's very quick and so it's also quite easy and it can give you a lot more sensitive information compared to 2D photographs and even from a physical examination of the face by the clinician.
Julie McCrossin:
And is that technology still an innovation, has it been translated into common practice or is this still an early finding?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
It's still an early finding and there's still a lot more to be done.
Julie McCrossin:
Because my understanding as a lay person is basically, as they call it, ‘translating things into practice’ is really just another word for getting clinicians to do it. It's not an easy thing. So, do you have any thoughts there on, is it part of what you'll be doing to try and I suppose sell the idea to colleagues or to paediatricians?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
I think even with the release of the guide that Liz and Carol were talking about, with that, there was already the- I guess the emphasis on the increased reliability of using 2D photographs compared to manual physical measurements.
And then this is going to be, I suppose - it's still in its infancy - but if we can find superior reliability and sensitivity, then I guess that would be the next improvement for future guidelines.
Julie McCrossin:
Thank you, and again the same question to you of what have you gained from your connection to this research community? How has that assisted you?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
Oh, in a lot of ways. It's given me five years of job security, mentorship, experience in a variety of activities and the opportunity to develop ongoing collaborations with fantastic research with fantastic people in research that will make a difference.
It's- I also felt like I was part of a community with shared goals and complimentary talents which benefited my work in its quality and impact. And of course, the camaraderie I had with CRE members provided me with a support network.
Julie McCrossin:
Look, thank you.
And I realise I haven't reminded our audience - and welcome to everyone if you've joined us along the way - is that through the Q&A function, you can ask questions and now we'll be going to questions in about 10 minutes. So please - any questions are most welcome although I'm a person who has always got questions. I'm sure Liz and Carol have too.
Look, I just wanted to say before I move on, Tracy, it's not, I giggled when you said job security but that's actually a really important issue. I listen to the science show on ABC Radio National and you know, we want you brainiacs to stay with this important work. We have to give you job security. That's a challenge for you guys, isn't it?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
Yes, it certainly is.
Julie McCrossin:
Well, I wish you well and thank you so much for telling us about your work.
Dr Tracy Tsang:
Thank you.
Julie McCrossin:
And now I'd like to welcome Tess who's a PhD student from Perth. So if you could pop your mic on Tess - oh, you're always going to be more skilled at this technology than me - but you got a PhD scholarship with FASD Research Australia is that right?
Tess Fletcher:
Yes, I do yes.
Julie McCrossin:
And so what's the purpose of the PhD that you're doing? What is your question? And how's it going?
Tess Fletcher:
It's going well, thank you. I guess in a nutshell kind of my main focus is looking at understanding how women interpret the advice and the guidelines about alcohol in pregnancy and also the advice they get from family, friends and health professionals and how that impacts their behaviours down the line, how it translates into actual behaviour after they've put their own lens on the guidelines themselves, yep.
Julie McCrossin:
And so is this ultimately seeking to inform, as it were, public health promotion messages or initiatives?
Tess Fletcher:
Yes, definitely. It's kind of about looking at where there might be a breakdown or where there might be a good translation from those prevention efforts that are kind of on a mass scale and how that actually impacts people's behaviour down the line. So I'm trying to figure out how best to target those messages and the messages that- how they might be designed more effectively.
Julie McCrossin:
This must be a challenging area because I mean, if I could just say as a 66 year old Australian, when the NHMRC original guidelines came out about the recommended drinks, I heard almost that, well, I won't give a hyperbole. I was going to say all of Australia snorted with derision, but an awful lot of people I knew just laughed because they drank so much more on a daily basis, it couldn't be right. And I mean, you guys are obviously so informed about what this can mean for some children and for some mothers and families. So tell us what lessons you've learned so far about - yes, how one endeavours to give messaging that may influence behaviour, I guess.
Tess Fletcher:
Yes, I think that's a really prescient point about saying kind of on a broader scale even just for adults, alcohol consumption, regardless of the pregnancy or any other kind of health conditions or circumstances that people don't necessarily have the awareness of what the standard drink is or how that translates into health risks, or, you know kind of positive and negative outcomes.
So for the general population that's an issue and it's a big- one of the things that I've learned from doing this work and speaking to women and asking women about alcohol and pregnancy in general, is that there's a huge social element about what's an acceptable amount to drink and people still making choices for themselves that are in line with how they want to live their lives as well. So definitely the social element of alcohol, especially in Australia as well has been a very interesting lesson.
Julie McCrossin:
And when you say social, do you mean sort of cultural norms that have to be challenged?
Tess Fletcher:
Yeah, the drinking culture and the kind of- the role that alcohol plays in pretty much every social engagement people partake in. So even baby showers and all that kind of thing.
So it's ubiquitous in the community and it is one of those harder behaviours to challenge because there's so much around it about being an adult and being someone who drinks alcohol.
- And how has being part of this community helped you in this work?
Tess Fletcher:
Oh, it's helped me immensely. I mean, obviously as Tracy said, a bit of job security in terms of having a scholarship has been amazing but beyond that, there's been the connection with other researchers and people eminent in the field and just a huge amount of advice and guidance that I've been getting from them, and opportunities to go overseas and do courses and all that kind of thing. It's been amazing.
Julie McCrossin:
You went to the Netherlands, didn't you?
Tess Fletcher:
I did, yes. I did an intervention mapping course for five days in the Netherlands. It was incredibly helpful, all about kind of designing interventions and evaluating them. So that's definitely informed my work now.
Julie McCrossin:
Well look, again, thank you so much.
Really, really interesting talking to you.
I'd like to come now if I could to Kelly, where's our Kelly, Kelly H who needs to wear a mask because of where she is. And so we know exactly what era we're in, in history when we see you there.
I'm so pleased I put my lipstick on, Julie.
Julie McCrossin:
[Laughing] You remind - me just very quickly - I had about of pneumonia and was in hospital and I happened to be at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney when Mardi Gras was on, and my partner came to visit me - who's a woman 'cause, you know, I'm Sydney - and she had a mask on and she’d put great big red lips on the outside of the mask. You must try that.
Kelly:
I must try that.
Julie McCrossin:
But look, you're described to me as a community member from Melbourne and that you're caring for twin girls with FASD. And my understanding is, you're a passionate advocate. And one of the things you're really passionate about is diagnostic tools. We've heard them mentioned a couple of times already, haven't we, but in terms of recognising achievements here today, what do you think it's important to emphasise to those who tuned in?
Kelly:
Oh, look, it's I suppose the diagnostic- the critical nature of diagnostic tools and services across Australia is something that I'm deeply passionate about.
I think about my life pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis, and it's essentially been a change agent and I wonder where I would be without the roadmap that has been- first the assessment, to know and understand how the alcohol exposure has affected both of my children - in different ways, might I add - and then from understanding the diagnosis, how I can then access support to enable us to live the lives that we want to live which is one that is really full and with lots of great stuff happening thanks to the toolkit that I now have.
Julie McCrossin:
Could I ask you just a little bit more about each of those things? So first of all, in terms of access to services one of my brothers is a paediatrician and I sort of know through him that whatever it is, a diagnosis is a key to open doors, hopefully. So what extra help or services have you been able to get because you got a diagnosis?
Kelly:
It's a really good question. So at the time that we, so might I add that we had some fantastic public and private health surrounding us in Melbourne at the time of my daughter's diagnosis and they did a ripper job but it was actually through watching Four Corners - good old ABC - that I understood what FASD was and that it might very well be at play with my daughter.
So I had to take my children to Queensland to a diagnostic clinic. Thankfully I had the resources and the health literacy to do that. So that's probably really important for me to say around the diagnosis. So in terms of what then that meant for me, I had one child that had an intellectual disability at that point.
So eligibility for things such as NDIS was- and she was also in a special school setting at that time. But for one of my daughters she didn't have an intellectual disability, so I knew that she was really struggling at school. I could see the benefits of a special school setting for my other daughter.
So if it wasn't for that diagnosis and that advocacy that that assessment service afforded me- I was able to put gentle pressure on the education system to actually allow my daughter who was then currently- or then not really eligible for that setting to move over to something that absolutely met her needs. So it really, for me it created eligibility for disability services, for a school setting that was going to meet their needs. And beyond that I suppose I found a community, haven’t I, really through-
Julie McCrossin:
Well, that's what I was just about to ask you that personal side because your admirable search for a diagnosis - you were really keen obviously to get it. How has it helped you personally, emotionally, to deal with this aspect of your life and your family situation?
Kelly:
Well for me as a parent I just thought I was a complete failure, that I- a little bit of history for us, I adopted the children, in Victoria we have a system called Permanent Care so I was blessed with the girls just before they were four and I had a system around me saying that a lot of trauma had occurred and as a result that's what the delay in development was about. But in fact, something organic was at play that I didn't really understand. So I was doing all of these strategies that weren't really getting us the change that we were hoping to achieve.
So for me, I just felt that I was failing. And then post-diagnosis, I knew that in fact I just needed a different approach. I needed to set them up for success. I needed to be doing things in a different way.
Julie McCrossin:
So it's so helpful. I'm hearing this obviously Kelly for the first time, this story. Look, just before we move to our next segment you're involved I think with the Victorian special interest group. So what is it and what do you gain from that kind of systemic advocacy, to use that expression?
Kelly:
Well I suppose it's, you know, you've gotta be the change you want to see. So that helps me be a contributor but in Victoria and Melbourne, we've seen the introduction of a new diagnostic clinic, which has been hugely exciting and I suppose it just allows a parent lens and a carer's lens on all the academic and health services that are moving in Victoria within that network. So, yeah, it's just providing that extra understanding of what families require.
Julie McCrossin:
Kelly, thank you so much for speaking to us.
If we could give Kelly a clap and I'd like to invite Narelle Mullan, who's been monitoring the Q&A to appear on the screen, miraculously, if your head could pop up, and I'm keen to hear what, hi Narelle - any questions for our panel members please.
Narelle Mullan:
We haven't had a lot, Julie, I think everyone's been actively listening, shall we say, but one of the early ones, which I think we might bring Liz and Carol back for this as well, actually. And in particular Liz, someone is interested to know why the numbers are increasing with more children being diagnosed with FASD.
Julie McCrossin:
Liz, can you pop up on our screen? Is Carol in? Oh, there you are Liz. Did you hear that question?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
I did, but yes, I couldn't get myself back on the screen, I had to wait for the big controller.
Julie McCrossin:
Oh no, I hate the big controller, don’t you? The fat controller.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Yes, look Narelle, I mean we hope that there are not dramatically increasing numbers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. We hope that the message is starting to get through.
However, we are documenting much larger numbers than we knew about in the past. And I think that that's likely because, one, there's increased community awareness and two, there's increased awareness amongst health professionals and amongst teachers and justice professionals and others, who are just identifying these children with problems consistent with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, referring them to GPs or paediatricians, and then health professionals have the capacity to use the guide to direct them in making this diagnosis. And I think a lot of the training has gone towards improving their confidence in being able to help families and address this issue and know where to- what to provide in the way of support after the diagnosis.
Julie McCrossin:
Can I just say Narelle, I'll ask you in a moment if you have another question, but what I would like to do in just the few minutes that we have, in addition to that is just to hear from some of the young people and also from Carol and Liz, maybe one priority that you want to see happen in the next five years.
You know, what's- where are we going next? What's the next priority? But I'll just quickly check with Narelle if you have another question there.
Narelle Mullan:
Yes, one question that's come to me from our team is - they’re really keen to hear from, well, any number of the panel, what they're most tired of hearing on this subject and what would they like to never hear again ideally?
Julie McCrossin:
What an interesting question. Can I come to you first, Tess? Is there anything you get fed up with hearing?
Tess Fletcher:
Fed up with hearing? Maybe not so much like a statement, but being challenged on the topic potentially is something that's getting a little bit irritating. So people kind of- pardon?
Julie McCrossin:
What I was going to say is, the question could be a common misconception that drives you mad. It might be another way of putting it, but yeah, so what- when you say people challenge you, what do you mean?
Tess Fletcher:
There's just sometimes- people who maybe aren't as involved in the conversation like to turn it into a bit of a debate, a bit of an adversarial debate which is not particularly helpful in the way-
Julie McCrossin:
And what’s the essence of the critique? Is there a common theme to what they'd say to you, possibly with a drink in hand?
Tess Fletcher:
Yes, well it actually comes from probably more men than women saying that- often it comes from they have a friend who might be a doctor who says that it's okay to drink alcohol in pregnancy and then they say to me, this doctor knows more than you would know. And so maybe, yeah. So that's a bit of a tricky one to navigate socially I guess, amongst friends and things.
Julie McCrossin:
What about you, Liz is there something that drives you mad?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Me?
Julie McCrossin:
Yeah.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Yeah, well the three things I've written down people asking, well, how much can I drink? You know, I know I can't drink a lot but how much can I drink? The second thing is you can't ask about alcohol in pregnancy because it will upset women and women tell us that they want to be asked. They want to be given clear advice.
And the other thing is you can't tell women what to do. You know, you can't- it's a paternalistic approach but actually again women tell us that they want to be asked. They want to be told and they want to be advised and supported to stop drinking during pregnancy.
Julie McCrossin:
Tracy, is there anything that you is said to you again and again, that you wish would stop?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
In addition to what Tess and Liz have already said one I could add that has been said to me a couple of times, is that there are some people who seem to have the misperception that you can diagnose FASD purely based on the facial features.
Julie McCrossin:
And what's the truth?
Dr Tracy Tsang:
No, that's only just a very small part and not everyone with FASD will have the sentinel facial features.
Julie McCrossin:
That's a really important fact, isn't it? You know, I can see that.
Thank you. And Martyn, what's something people say to you - don't get massages in the middle of webinars? No, no.
Dr Martyn Symons:
It's more a sense of reporting in the community and things that I see on Facebook and people talking about is this idea that for women who do have alcohol and drug issues, that is entirely something to do with their personal responsibility. And so why should we help them if they've gotten themselves into this situation? And really it's a whole bunch of systemic and social factors which have contributed to where they are which we need to address and to help them.
Julie McCrossin:
Isn't that a heartbreaking thing? If I could just quickly slip in a personal comment, I'm a survivor of head and neck cancer - now predominantly, that is caused by alcohol and tobacco as you would know, but there's a new - they actually are calling it, a sort of, I don't think they're using the word pandemic – epidemic, that's the word, caused by the human papilloma virus. Because evidently somebody in 1960 had oral sex. It's not the right time to go further on this, but it’s true! And I’m one of them. I happen to be a non-drinker and a non-smoker, but the cruelty towards head and neck cancer people because still the majority- it's seen as self-inflicted. And the most common secondary cancer is lung cancer, and nobody cares about lung cancer patients even though a whole lot of people haven't even smoked, but even if they have, why wouldn't you have compassion for someone with such a dreadful diagnosis?
Carol, how could we get people to be compassionate? I'll give you an easy question 'cause you're about to retire so we've got to give you the hard one.
Professor Carol Bower:
I just want to add another question that I wish wasn't- or another statement that wasn't said, and that is ‘it's just an Aboriginal problem, isn't it?’ And it's not. Anyone- consumption of alcohol in pregnancy is the problem. And the outcome is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and that's what we need to tackle.
And what was your question? Having compassion.
Julie McCrossin:
I think I'll leave that as a rhetorical question for time.
Professor Carol Bower:
Thank you, I think that's where it belongs.
Julie McCrossin:
I want to come to Kelly. Kelly, is there something- you’re really on the frontline in a human and personal way, what's something that is said that just drives you to distraction?
Kelly:
Why diagnose? What the diagnosis going to do? And yeah, I mean I think I've answered why it's so critical. So yes. Unfortunately I hear that too often.
Julie McCrossin:
Ladies and gentleman, everybody including Narelle, our question monitor, thank you so much.
Narelle Mullan:
Sorry, Julie. I do have one last question and that's come from Alex who I really would like to put to one or two people. It is a very important point for today, which is, how is everyone in this community going to stay together and stay focused on this topic?
Julie McCrossin:
Oh, golly, Liz, may I come to you first?
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Well, I wish you hadn't, Julie, but it's really my task to try and put together another grant application and to bring in the young researchers that we've nurtured during this CRE and see if we can take that forward in the next few years, because I think we have proven that having this strong research network and having so many outputs and translating those findings into policy and clinical practice has been highly valuable and we really don't want to lose this momentum.
So if anyone out there has got a lot of money they want to throw at fetal alcohol spectrum disorder research we'd be happy to take it.
Julie McCrossin:
And does one of the young researchers want to respond to that question before I end this segment of our gathering? The question is, you know how will we all stay together?
Dr Martyn Symons:
I guess to me, being in this area has allowed me to put in grants and I’m putting in more grants with collaborations across Australia, Canada the U.S, so, working collaboratively on projects is the way that I hope to stay together with the other researchers I've met and worked with.
Julie McCrossin:
And Kelly, your view in terms of the significance of families affected being in partnership with the researchers to keep people together to get the money for research.
Kelly:
Well, that's an easy question Julie. [Laughs] I think what- I think from a family perspective and the lived experience perspective, I think what I have been tapping into this year besides the local Mel- Victorian special interest group is the fantastic training. So as the girls move through their life, I'm connecting more to the things that will help me as a parent. And I wonder whether access to training supports is a way in which we keep connected as a community. So I suppose it's the provision of education and learning that might be an enabler for connection, and further informing where the gaps are around what we need to know also too.
Julie McCrossin:
And I guess that includes training in advocacy and media skills and communication, social media.
Kelly:
Oh no, I'm completely across all of that Julie. [Laughs] With my mask on today.
Julie McCrossin:
Next time, Kelly, I want the lipstick.
Kelly:
There'll be lipstick.
Julie McCrossin:
I need to close this segment 'cause I'm the time monitor, but can you all clap?And I know if you can't be seen on the screen could you wiggle your hands too? It will make you feel you're part of all this.
And I'll ask everybody except Liz and Carol if they could, to turn off their cameras. And I'd now like to hand over to Professor Elizabeth Elliot, Professor Carol Bower who are going to give us, I think a preview of the FASD Research Australia impact report. And I will just disappear until you conclude this segment.
Professor Carol Bower:
Unfortunately, the, because of illness in the family, the impact report hasn't been able to be finalised so that it's ready to circulate today, we were going to launch it but we will provide a link to it when we send it early next week, when we send around the link to the webinar of these proceedings today. So there'll be a link then to the impact report which highlights some of the achievements of the last five years of the CRE. But we have got a little short video or slideshow to show you that picks out some of the features of the last five years.
So over to Kate, I think who's going to start that for us.
[Music plays over a slideshow of the FASD CRE Impact Report]
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Thanks Kate and Heather, and I think Carol and I would both very much like to thank you for all your hard work in putting together the report under duress with a short time frame and preparing that little video for today. Heather will kill me for saying this but this is going to be a living document. So although we will finalise it and send it to you next week, we would be grateful if you identified any real errors or if there were any major omissions that you could let us know and we will be adding to it towards the end of the year. Thank you.
Julie McCrossin:
And so that's the end of that segment. So can you redo the clapping? And I just thought that overview through imagery was absolutely fantastic. So thank you so much.
Well, ladies and gentlemen we now move to the 2020 celebration awards. I'm calling them.
And our first award is the Sue Miers Lifetime Achievement Award. And this prestigious lifetime achievement award recognises and celebrates an outstanding and sustained contribution to the field of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and alcohol use on the local national international level. And this award is named in honour of Sue Miers who we're going to see physically shortly. Sue was the first recipient of the award in 2018.
In awarding this award, the judges consider the promotion of awareness the advancing of knowledge, the improving of services the providing of advocacy, a significant contribution to the field and benefits to Australian researchers to health and other professionals. And of course, most importantly, are people living with FASD and their families.
This award is sponsored by FASD Research Australia and to present the award I'd like you to welcome and invite Heather D’Antoine to turn on her microphone and turn on her camera.
Heather is a member of the FASD Research Australian Executive and I welcome you, Heather, now to the screen.
Heather D’Antoine:
Thank you. Thank you, Julie, from the lands of the Larrakia people it is really my great privilege to announce the recipient of this award, who is an internationally recognised public health researcher, who has spent almost her entire research career working in birth defects, aiming to improve maternal and child health. She has qualifications in medicine and epidemiology and public health.
She commenced her research career in 1980 and for the last 20 years has led a team of multidisciplinary researchers in studies on alcohol and pregnancy in FASD, successfully collaborating with relevant state, national and international colleagues and organisations and consumer and community members. She has been a generous participant in countless committees and has consistently involved consumers in community reference groups, steering groups and as investigators.
We are immensely proud of her achievements, not just for her contribution to health research but her commitment to its translation into practical health outcomes and her passion for involving consumers and community members in the process.
Throughout her career, this person has supported and developed the next generation of health and medical researchers in WA - we've heard from a few of them today, but only a few - and has mentored supervised more than 30 early career researchers, PhD candidates, master's students, medical students, myself, in each she has instilled her commitment to using scientific research for the benefit of the wider community.
Many of those she has supervised and mentored have gone on to outstanding research careers and/or significant leadership positions.
I'm pleased to announce, and humbled, that the recipient of the 2020 Sue Miers Lifetime Achievement Award is Professor Carol Bower from the Telethon Kids Institute. Congratulations, Carol.
I might say, I was in awe of Carol in the early nineties, Carol won't remember me, but I was an MPH student listening to her present about her PhD. I think it was on folate and spinal tube defects.
Thank you. I'll hand you over to Carol.
Professor Carol Bower:
Thank you, Heather. And thank you, Sue Miers.
I'm honoured beyond words I do have something to say. Bear with me. My deep and abiding thanks to Sue Miers whose early and relentless advocacy pushed me and many others into this field of research.
And I also want to honour the memory of our colleague and friend, Jan Payne. Jan’s intellectual rigour and compassion and commitment to research has really formed the very solid evidence-based foundation for pretty much all of our research. So thank you, Jan.
And thank you Sue for getting us off our bums and getting on and doing something about FASD.
I'm not going to thank everybody that has been important here, but I will mention three people. Liz Elliott for your long and wonderful collaboration, collegiality and friendship; Heather Jones and Narelle Mullan for cracking the whip and keeping, trying to herd the cats and get things done on time. They have all been fantastic and wonderful, wonderful friends as well.
And I think my main accomplishment really is the good fortune I've had to work with wonderful passionate people who engage in good science, work collaboratively, who are strong advocates and who have kindness in their hearts.
Thank you all.
Julie McCrossin:
Thank you so much, Carol, and I urge everybody wherever you are to do your deaf sign clapping.
Thank you very much, that was a moving tribute to the work of colleagues.
Ladies and gentlemen, I move now to our next award, and our next award is the Community Award. This award is sponsored by Sue Miers and recognises the voluntary achievements and contributions to the community, people living with FASD in their families, and support networks by a person who has helped people and added value to their lives. The review panel members considered each person's achievements and they took into account these sorts of factors, what the person had done in their volunteer time, how they had helped people and added value to people living with FASD and their families, how they demonstrated initiative and leadership in bringing positive change, how they've promoted awareness of the impact of FASD and alcohol use in pregnancy, how they've acted as mentors and what inspiring qualities they've brought to be outstanding role models.
So to present the awards, it's very exciting to be- to welcome Sue Miers not just because I've heard so much about your work but because she's in a car.
Over to you Sue.
Sue Miers:
Thank you, Julie.
And I’d just firstly like to congratulate Carol. Carol taught me so much in my journey. She taught me patience. She taught me pragmatism. I couldn't think of a more worthy recipient and without Carol we wouldn't be where we are today. So thank you. Thank you very much everybody who voted for Carol 'cause I think that's absolutely fantastic.
And I also would like to acknowledge Jan Payne and I was on top of things until Carol mentioned Jan. So she made me all teary too.
Anyway, let's go. The recipient of this award is a quiet achiever and has worked hard to raise awareness of FASD, support parents and carers and promote promising and best practices for interventions and management.
She was a founding member of the board of FASD Australia and a founder of the National Helpline.
She was another person who realised early on that many children in foster care were born with a disability, which impacted on their potential. It created challenges for healthy development of the individual, and it place families trying to do their best under pressure. She's cared for over 100 children, providing dedicated, patient and caring parenting.
When she realised that health professionals didn't understand FASD, she personally visited practices in her local area delivering some of the earliest alcohol and pregnancy advice flyers ever developed in Australia. She also conducted schools education on alcohol and pregnancy. Again, a pioneer in FASD awareness raising in Australia.
For 30 years, she's continued her mission and inspired many on the way. So I'm pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2020 Community Award is Neroli Endacott.
Congratulations, Neroli.
Neroli Endacott:
Wow, thank you, Sue. I'm honoured to accept this award on behalf of myself and the many others who walked the FASD walk over the past 30 years. I've been extremely privileged to work with FASD pioneers like Sue, who was always my go-to. Thanks Sue.
Thank you to the FASD Research Australia Centre and all those involved at this award ceremony shining the light on FASD is magic. Thank you.
Julie McCrossin:
Thank you very much.
And again, I urge everybody to - wherever you are - to clap.
I'm getting emotional.
Well ladies and gentlemen, our third award is the Early and Mid-career Researcher Award and in fact two awards. These awards recognise outstanding contribution to the field of FASD and alcohol use in pregnancy research, acknowledging the career stage of the person. This may be based on a contribution to knowledge and/or a translation of research, as indicated by the following characteristics or criteria that the review panel have taken into consideration. The number of publications or presentations in the field, the number of grants on which the researcher is an investigator, contribution to government inquiries or reviews involvement in advocacy, membership and active contribution to scientific committees, advisory committees or steering committee groups, professional bodies or organisations, mentorship, training or teaching and also peer review. And finally the translation of research into clinical practice, policy and advocacy.
So the first of these two awards is for early career researchers, less than five years after their PhD. And just before I invite Carol to present the award, we have a little video of Carol offering advice to early and mid-career researchers - let's have a look at the advice.
[Video plays]
Professor Stephen Zubrick, Chief Investigator FASD Research Australia:
By any standard, this is hard work and difficult work, and some would say unglamorous. What's kept you going? And what would you say to a young person wanting to take up this type of research?
Professor Carol Bower:
Well, I think what kept me going is that being able to see that you might be able to prevent what is a very serious and lifelong disability - it makes it worthwhile keeping at it. And then in terms of advice - and I will note that I've learned a heck of a lot more from the people with whom I've worked than I'm sure I've passed on to them - but I think that the important things are to be passionate about what you're doing, be open to serendipity, I think two things coming together at one time really led to a whole new area of research for me, I was busy doing other things and so this- but it seemed like a good idea and so I followed my heart really.
Have humility and generosity, not one single person knows everything and everybody in the team knows something, so make sure you learn from everybody's contribution, and don't underestimate the time that this work takes, especially in public health. Be in it for the long haul, you'll almost certainly outlast several governments, government ministers, strategic action plans, reports, restructures.
If it's important enough, stick with it, and finally - don't forget to have fun.
[Music]
Julie McCrossin:
Well, thank you. Thank you so much. Have I turned my microphone on? Yes. Thank you, I think that's good advice for life.
Could I invite Carol to now come forward and present the award?
Professor Carol Bower:
So this is the early career researcher. The recipient of this award has a vision to raise awareness within society regarding FASD and to prevent future children being affected. For those affected, her research aims to contribute - I have to take my glasses off, sorry - to contribute to further evolving, implementing and evaluating effective assessment diagnosis and intervention approaches, ensuring that children and families and have access to the appropriate services they need.
In just over three years since obtaining her PhD in 2017, she's published more than 25 papers, being involved in health, professional training and caregiver workshops with more than 300 participants and being involved in many community awareness events.
She's already recognised as a leader in the field and is the current co-chair of the Australia New Zealand FASD Clinical Network and a member of the organising and scientific committee for the 2020 FASD conference that we're not having now.
She's passionate about training a broad range of students and health professionals and she supervises masters and PhD students.
I'm pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2020 early career research award is Dr. Natasha Reid.
Congratulations, Tash. Is she with us? Where are you Tash?
Dr Natasha Reid:
Thank you very much, Carol.
And congratulations on your award. Very well deserved.
Oh, thank you very much to the judges and the panel and to the CRE. I really appreciate you guys giving me this lovely award.
It's a great honour and a privilege and I think we can all agree that being able to work in this field and work with all the great collaborators that we have in this group in Australia is a great honour and a privilege as well.
It's made it extra special today receiving a ward with Neroli, given without Neroli here in Queensland we wouldn't be where we are today. So Neroli, was really the person who we could describe as maybe the match that lit the flame here in Queensland, without her the clinic wouldn't have started at the Gold Coast when it did. And without that, I wouldn't have had a place to do my PhD. So I personally owe a lot to Neroli, but here in Queensland we owe a lot to Neroli as well. So thanks Neroli – it’s extra special.
And thank you all. And a big thank you to Kerryn who I know nominated me. So thank you Kerryn. Without Kerryn, I wouldn't have a job, and not just have a job but she's been just an awesome supporter. So yeah, big thanks to Kerryn.
Julie McCrossin:
Well, thank you so much.
And I’ll just share with our audience that Tash is in Queensland, I'm in Sydney and Carol, you're in Perth and we're all in different time zones and I am having timezone dementia. So this is just absolutely amazing, but congratulations Tash Reid.
Dr Natasha Reid:
Thanks Julie.
Julie McCrossin:
I come now to the second award in this part of this category, the Mid-Career Researcher, less than 10 years after the PhD was awarded. And this award is sponsored and presented by Professor Elizabeth Elliott. So I welcome Liz back to the screen.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Thanks, Julie.
And I think we forgot to say that Carol sponsored the previous award. So thank you very much for that Carol.
Julie McCrossin:
And I'll just say Liz, we can't see you yet. If you're able to turn your camera on or if someone's over, ah, there you are.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Okay, so the mid-career researcher. The recipient of this award is a researcher and a lecturer in social work, social policy and rural health at Latrobe University in Australia.
Her role has provided her with a platform to inform graduate social workers about FASD and the challenges families face over the life course.
She's also known for her research into health and human service sector responses to FASD which stems from her extensive practice experience in child and adolescent mental health with families affected by FASD. She’s been engaged in FASD practice and research since 2008 and she undertook her diagnostic team training and evidence-based intervention training in the U.S and Canada.
Her research has highlighted why a social work response to FASD is needed and it explores social work frameworks and models that underpin current FASD informed practice. This was informed by her time working in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. So together with colleagues from these countries, she's made a submission to many national inquiries.
She was the inaugural co-chair of the Australian New Zealand FASD clinical network, and she currently chairs the Victorian FASD Special Interest Group.
So I'm sure you can all guess who the winner is.
It's Kerryn Bagley and I'm pleased to congratulate you Kerryn, on this award.
Dr Kerryn Bagley:
Fantastic, thank you so much, Elizabeth.
It's really an honour to have my work recognised in this way. I've been working in the juncture of practice and research in FASD for a number of years now and it's really wonderful to witness how far things have progressed in Australia since I started my journey in New Zealand in 2008. And I've been really fortunate to have been able to work clinically and in advocacy and capacity building, teaching social work students - I actually have a number of social work students who are watching here today which is great - and doing research with so many fantastic dedicated clinicians and researchers and families and people living with FASD.
So there's lots of people that I would like to thank individually, but I recognise we're not at the Emmy's. I do want to acknowledge the strong parents and carers advocates that we have in Australia and also the increasing number of youth and adult advocates who live with FASD. And Neroli obviously being one of those people and Kelly who is based in Victoria and they share their stories so generously, often in the face of stigma and in the face of discrimination.
And I strongly believe that those personal stories in conjunction with quality research and clinical practice are a strong force for addressing the needs of those with FASD in Australia and making FASD better known and understood.
So I look forward to continue my work in the FASD space in research and capacity building with my wonderful colleagues at the Victorian Special Interest Group. We actually have two FASD diagnostic clinics in Victoria now, which is fantastic.
And also my colleagues at Latrobe and colleagues nationally and internationally, and congratulations to everybody today who's been involved in this and also who's won an award.
Thank you.
Julie McCrossin:
Thank you so much, Kerryn.
And I’d just like to say a special welcome to the social work students that you mentioned because as I've had in my own life experience, a deep awareness of the tremendous value of social workers. And Liz is still with us because we're moving now to our fourth and final award, and this is the best poster award.
And in this new online conference world that we're all in, people were asked to submit virtual posters, which focused on prevention activities across Australia, New Zealand where the research organisations activities or programs being conducted by service providers or state territory, local governments or community organisations and the review panel members who were considering each poster reflected on, did the poster summarise all aspects of the research or activity in a concise and comprehensible manner. What was the overall appearance? Was it professional or aesthetically pleasing, was the space used effectively with a mix of text images and graphics?And of course, originality, innovation and knowledge translation.
This award is sponsored by the FASD Hub, and to present the award I'm pleased to, again, welcome Professor Elizabeth Elliott, the co-director of FASD Research Australia and the chair of the FASD Hub advisory group. So over to you, Liz.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Thanks again, Julie. And again, we're delighted that the Hub is able to sponsor this award.
As you say this is different times and different ways of doing things.
And I'm pleased to announce that the winning poster is called Pre-Testie Bestie. Now this describes a novel social media campaign highlighting the critical role of a friend in supporting safe choices about alcohol during pregnancy. And the winners of this prize are Dr. Rebecca Pedruzzi and Isabella Pruiti-Ciarello. And they have developed this poster and done this research and conducted a pilot study using this innovative approach in Newcastle. So I hope we can hear from them now. Congratulations.
Dr Rebecca Pedruzzi:
Thank you very much, Liz.
And thank you to the FASD Hub, on behalf of the team, it was really awesome to be able to implement and evaluate a campaign that has- that is novel, different and not deficit-based. And in terms of pleasing to the eye, thank you to Isabella who's been our marketing and health promotion student who's been working on this.
So we have her to thank for the visual aspects of that.
Julie McCrossin:
And can I just ask Liz, perhaps you could let us know, how do we get to see it? You know, where can we go to see it?
Dr Rebecca Pedruzzi:
Yeah, this is really this is actually a very good question, Julie. I was just speaking to- so Pre-Testie Bestie was actually created in New Zealand and I was in touch with the New Zealanders yesterday and they've informed me that the talent rights have run out because we all of a sudden noticed that the videos have disappeared. So basically you have to do some very thorough Google searching at the moment, but we're hoping we might be able to use some dollars to open up those talents rights for a couple of months so we can get some dissemination basically, some better dissemination.
Julie McCrossin:
Thank you very much.
Dr Rebecca Pedruzzi:
And the poster will be living on the FASD Hub, is my understanding. So yeah, so you can get on there and have a look.
Julie McCrossin:
Well, congratulations, thank you. And I'd like to just say farewell because my role is now concluded. Just before I throw to Liz, I just want to say it's an absolute honour to be part of this. I could not admire the work you're doing more. And so thank you very much for having me, and I'll hand over to Liz to conclude proceedings.
Thank you.
Professor Elizabeth Elliott:
Thanks Julie. And firstly, I'd like to thank you Julie for compèring this afternoon. You always do such a brilliant job. Julie and I were at school together, so we've known each other for a long time, and I've always admired and appreciated your work, Julie.
I'd also like to congratulate again all the winners today and particularly Carol for the Sue Miers Lifetime Award. I really wanted to say- take this opportunity to say how much I've enjoyed sharing the co-directorship of the CRE with Carol. I've learned much from her tenacity, her compassion and her intellect and I've really appreciated her friendship and support.
Now, I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing her the very best for her retirement and a real plus for me is that she's coming over the other side, she's coming to live in Sydney. So I look forward to seeing more of you, Carol.
I also want to thank the team at the CRE and, in particular, Narelle, Heather and Kate and in these things, they're always the workers and these three have really done a huge amount for today and also for the running of the CRE, particularly Narelle and Heather, for the CRE over the last five years.
I want to thank Sue Miers and NOFASD and its CEO Louise Gray for the support that they've always given us, and of course the support that they gave to many hundreds of families and people living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Now I'm hoping you'll agree that this has been a very successful endeavour. This CRE it has not been without its challenges. However, I think you'll agree that we have established a network of researchers. We've had a very good output and there has been a really translational impact as you've heard both into clinical practice and into policy. I particularly want to thank the fantastic researchers who've helped us, the clinicians with whom we have links, the justice and educational professionals who've had an input.
And as I mentioned earlier the leadership and initiative of people living in Aboriginal communities and particularly Aboriginal people themselves.
I've mentioned NOFASD and other parent support groups, and I also want to thank FARE, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, because they have partnered with us in many endeavours, including running conferences, running symposia and conducting studies.
Now I hope we have got a great future ahead in our challenge of decreasing- hopefully eliminating prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
We will be applying for funding to try and keep this network together. But in the meantime, thank you everyone for your participation over the last five years. And I look forward to an ongoing collaboration with all of you and hopefully many more.
Thank you.
Julie McCrossin:
And I think ladies and gentlemen, we now conclude our proceedings. So thank you to all the people in cyberspace who made this possible. Thank you very much.