Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1115 Issue Date: 14 Apr, 2024

A large contingent of members and partners attended the launch of the Rotary 'Making FASD History' project on 14 June 2017 and enjoyed the opportunity of some finger food, drinks and fellowship prior to the presentation.

Aboriginal elder Mingli Wanjurri Nungala gave the welcome to country preceded by some moving words outlining the devastating impact FASD has on her community and how this project has the full support of the Aboriginal community.

Dr James Fitzpatrick, former Young Australian of the Year and nominee for Australian of the Year 2016, then presented on the work he has been involved with through Patches Paediatrics and Telethon Kids, in the Kimberley and Pilbara, on this 100% preventable, life shattering condition that affects 20% of children in the Fitzroy Valley and over 30% of youth in Banksia Hill prison.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) relates to lifelong brain damage caused by alcohol exposure in pregnancy. FASD is an umbrella term for the physical, cognitive, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disabilities that result from exposure of the foetus to alcohol.

What are the Characteristics of FASD?

As a guide, damage to the brain means individuals living with FASDs will typically experience some or all of the following characteristics:

• Memory problems

• Difficulty storing and retrieving information

• Inconsistent performance

• Impulsivity, distractibility, disorganisation

• Ability to repeat instructions, but inability to put them into action

• Difficulty with abstract thinking – mathematics, money, time

• Cognitive processing deficits – thinking which is slowed

• Slower auditory pace (may only pick up pieces of the information or instruction)

• Developmental – development is younger than chronological age

• Inability to predict outcomes or understand consequences

These problems lead to individuals with FASD doing poorly at school (60%), getting into trouble with the Juvenile Justice System (60%), and having mental health and drug and alcohol use problems themselves (80%). There are therapy and support programs that can help individuals and families living with FASD to reduce these lifelong problems 2-4 fold if FASD is diagnosed and managed early.

Rotary are initiating 'Make FASD History' in the Kalgoorlie Goldfields area to help support children with FASD and their families and anticipate receiving substantial grant funding to launch this substantial and important project.  To the people in the affected areas, Make FASD History is as important as Making Polio History was 50 years ago. 

The Rotary Aboriginal Reference Group and Rotary Club of Osborne Park are working with Rotary in Kalgoorlie to raise the funding necessary to help prevent, diagnose and treat children with FASD in Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields. The Rotary Club of Osborne Park (D9455) is the principal Club driving this project with the support of District 9455’s Aboriginal Reference Group. District 9456 has been approached regarding the participation of the three Rotary Clubs in Kalgoorlie. The plan is to include additional Rotary Clubs in Perth from Districts 9455 and 9465 to complete Rotary’s Project Management Team. Each Club will have one representative on the Project Management Team with the Aboriginal Reference group having two representatives. Meetings would be conducted by telecommunications links between Perth and the Kalgoorlie-Goldfields. Funding would be managed by the Rotary Club of Osborne Park. The Chair of the Project Management Group could be the representative of a Kalgoorlie Club or Osborne Park.

Project Objectives: To minimize the incidence of FASD and its effects on children, families/carers and the Kalgoorlie-Goldfields communities through the development of a wrap-around, holistic program containing the following service elements:

•  A strong community prevention services that minimizes fetal exposure to alcohol;

•   A recognised diagnostic service that identifies children with FASD;

• A treatment service that individually tailors early intervention to minimize the impacts of FASD;

• A network of support services to families/carers, regional service providers and professionals (i.e.health, disability, education, child-protection, police and corrective service authorities) that ensures relevant support and appropriate local service responses; and.

•  Though the use of evaluation the project can identify improvements, whilst demonstrating that the holistic program can achieve effective outcomes for children, their families/carers and the local communities at an economic cost.

It is encouraging to see both districts working together on this project which will have an important effect on our local communities.

Click the link if you'd like to read more about the project.