Delegate: Michelle Chadwick
Affiliation: Sleep Disorders Australia
Short Bio: In 2013 Michelle Chadwick founded Hypersomnolence Australia, the world’s first non-profit dedicated to Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH), and established the Idiopathic Hypersomnia Patient Registry in Australia to address the lack of data about the condition. She also created the annual worldwide Idiopathic Hypersomnia Awareness Week and established Living with IH communities in the USA, UK/Europe, Canada, and Australia/NZ. She provides assistance to researchers and has spoken at various events and government hearings with regards to the needs of people living with disorders of hypersomnolence.
Michelle’s advocacy extends beyond IH. She joined Sleep Disorders Australia as a Board Director, and is now its Chairperson. She created the Living with Narcolepsy support group and also Australia’s first Sleep Health & Wellbeing Expo. As is often the case with small charities, her role is varied and she volunteers her time. Michelle makes herself available to various people including medical professionals, industry stakeholders, the media and also many people affected by sleep disorders. Advocacy is something that sleep disorders and the people affected by them desperately need in Australia so her goal is to improve the process to diagnosis and also the level of care and services available to people post diagnosis.
Activity: Sleep Disorders Australia (SDA) is a voluntary Not for Profit Health Promotion Charity that advocates for the needs of people with sleep disorders and raises awareness of sleep disorders and the significance they can have on the lives of those affected by them. We provide information and education with regard to the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders and strive to bring a better understanding of sleep health to the public.
Sleep Disorders Australia will be raising awareness of the importance of sleep and the impact sleep disorders can have on the lives of people affected by them. We will be doing this via an online campaign and directly to our members via our member newsletter. We will also be distributing thousands of copies of our information booklet and trifold brochures on a range of sleep disorder and sleep health topics. These resources will be sent free of charge to hospitals, sleep clinics, sleep specialists, general practitioners, chemists, and various community health centers throughout Australia.
Visit SDA’s website:
www.sleepoz.org.au
Location: Nationwide
Date of Activity: 8-15 March 2024
Submitted by: Michelle Chadwick
