Joining Hands for Research, Treatment and Hope

How do the family members of one in every 3,500 males around Australia connect? How do they build community and push forward state-of-the art treatment information while fundraising to support Australian scientists? With the help of the auDA foundation, that’s how. PPA recently received an auDA Foundation grant valued at more than $13,000 to upgrade their website and enhance communication tools.

Deb Robins, PPA President and ‘Joining Hands’ coordinator said, “We hope to facilitate regular online events where guest specialists and scientists can teach us and allow us to ask questions. We also hope to build community and transparency and work towards raising the profile of this common genetic disease. Our new technology allows us to hear and even see other stakeholders.”

The support of the auDA Foundation has already contributed to the quality of the original Parent Project website with online events scheduled for the next quarter. Win/win partnerships are a large part of the Parent Project philosophy. PPA uses the grant money to work with their website provider ‘eknowhow’ and other suppliers to actualise their vision for uniting Australian families affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy- sharing outcomes and satisfaction.

The CEO of auDA, Chris Disspain, announced the grants awards in October, 2006. The auDA Foundation grants are awarded to not-for-profit projects that have as their principal aim the technical improvement of the Internet and/or the utilisation of existing Internet technology for the benefit of the Australian community. auDA awarded 16 grants totalling $275,000.

For more information, visit
www.parentproject.org.au