Immune Deficiency Foundation of Australia (IDFA)

03/11/2025

💻 Webinar | Immunodeficiency Insights: Understanding Genetics: Carrier Screening and Targeted Support

Genetics can play an important role in understanding immunodeficiencies, guiding family planning, and accessing the right support. This webinar will explore what carrier screening is, how it works, and what support is available for individuals and families navigating genetic information.

Join us as experts share their insights into genetic testing and advocacy pathways, alongside an IDFA member who will provide a lived-experience perspective. Together, they’ll unpack the practical, emotional, and medical aspects of genetics in immunodeficiencies.

📆Date: Thursday 4 December 2025
⏰Time: 7pm AEDT
📍Location: Online

Can't attend? Register to get the recording!

📧 Send questions to info**.org.au** in advance to shape the webinar content.

🔗Register here: https://ow.ly/Vpn150XfpXm

29/10/2025

🌿 In Celebration of National Carers Week (12–16 October) 🌿
We’re shining a light on one of our incredible carer members, Leigh, who recently joined us for our webinar Mindfulness, Mental Health and Self-Compassion. 💚

Hear from Leigh as he shares his experiences caring for someone with an immunodeficiency, the challenges and rewards of his role, and the ways he practices self-care and mindfulness along the way.

27/10/2025

🦓 Meet Shaya 🦓

As a paediatric intensive care nurse and mother, Shaya balances her career with caring for her young son, who lives with hypogammaglobulinemia and other complex health needs.

Daily life is filled with therapies, appointments, and careful health monitoring, alongside the financial strain of ongoing treatments.

Read her full story here: https://www.idfa.org.au/shayas-story/

As a paediatric intensive care nurse and mother, Shaya balances her career with caring for her young son, who lives with hypogammaglobulinemia and other complex health needs. Daily life is filled with therapies, appointments, and careful health monitoring, alongside the financial strain of ongoing t...

27/10/2025

🎓 IDFA Deep Dives | Expert Series - Skin Conditions

We're excited to share the next instalment of our Expert Series with a focus on Skin Conditions and Primary Immunodefincies.

Presented by Louisa Tedesco (a PhD Student), this episode explores Skin Problems in Primary Immunodefincies with a focus on why skin and immunity matter, highlighting the vital connection between the body’s largest organ and the immune system. It will discuss common skin issues linked to immunodeficiency and what these signs can reveal about underlying immune health. Viewers will also learn practical ways to keep their skin healthy and discover current treatments and clinical trials that are helping to improve skin and immune outcomes for people living with immunodeficiencies.

You can access our previous episodes via our website or YouTube Channel. Keep an eye out for the next episode.

📲 Watch now and join the conversation.

👉https://youtu.be/ae91eec1RxA

26/10/2025

Gain expert skills to support IDFA members 🧠

Did you know that all Peer Mentors complete IDFA’s Self-Management of Immunodeficiencies (SMIDs) training?

This specialised education equips mentors with the knowledge and skills to guide members through the challenges of treatment, lifestyle management, and navigating the healthcare system. SMIDs ensures our mentors are prepared with both lived experience and practical tools to make a real difference.

Find out more about becoming a Peer Mentor: https://ow.ly/QpIO50XflRK

23/10/2025

IDFA 2024/2025 Annual Report

We are proud to share our latest Annual Report.

This year, together we’ve achieved some incredible milestones: Raised $1,233 through our Stride for PI campaign; Welcomed 114 new members into the IDFA community and partnered with Lifeblood Australia to host 8 Plasma Parties nationwide during International Plasma Awareness Week.

Discover more highlights and stories from the year by exploring the full report on our website.
https://ow.ly/eFCg50XflMY

23/10/2025

We are excited to share that RVA has added new pages to their RARE Portal page, two that directly impact our members - Primary and Secondary Immunodeficiencies. We are proud to work with the team at RVA to help raise awareness of Rare Diseases!

Follow the links to learn more about the Rare Portal.

The Rare Awareness Rare Education (RARE) Portal is Australia’s growing national resource for rare diseases. You can find information about a rare disease, national and state services, and general information.

🧑‍💻 Learn more at rareportal.org.au.

Subscribe to RARE Portal's newsletter to receive an end-of-year update: https://rarevoices.activehosted.com/f/7 (🔗link in bio)

22/10/2025

Your voice matters! 🗣️ Our Annual Member Survey is now open.

We are continuously striving to enhance the value we provide to our members.

If you’re a part of the IDFA community, we are eager to learn more about your involvement with IDFA and your thoughts on our events and activities.

If you can spare a few moments, we kindly invite you to complete our 2025 feedback survey. It’s designed to be a brief and should only take 15-20 mins to complete.

Insights will directly inform 2026 activities and we will share results with you.

As a thank you, participants of the survey will go in the draw to win a $100 e-gift card.

Please note: survey closes 9 November 2025

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2-OZluYF3KFnnO3YNWS2abjAQ3Vh2ga0w8ey_aTxsMHOJQw/viewform?usp=header

21/10/2025

Safer shared air: Making the invisible visible

We are excited for Carolyn Dews, IDFA CEO to be speaking at The Safer Air Project's 'Safer shared air: Making the invisible visible' conference at Parliament House and online this November.

We spend 90% of our time indoors - yet the air we breathe is often overlooked. This conference puts a spotlight on how indoor air quality affects health, equity and inclusion - and what we can do to make indoor air safer for everyone to breathe.

We'd love to see you there!

🗓 Thursday 6th November
📍 Parliament House, Canberra & online
🎟 Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/ssa-2025

15/10/2025

🌿 Celebrating National Carers Week 🌿

National Carers Week (12-18 October) is our time to recognise the dedication, patience, and expertise of unpaid carers—those supporting family, friends, or neighbours living with chronic illness, disability, or other challenges. Caring for someone with a primary immunodeficiency often means managing treatments, appointments, and daily support, and we want to say thank you.

From all of us at IDFA — thank you. 💜

Carers Australia
.

14/10/2025

Did you know...🤯

Did you know replacing the care provided by NSW carers would cost the state over $25 billion every year?

Each year Carers NSW helps raise awareness and celebrates carers as part of National Carers Week.

To learn more about 2025 National Carers Week and the many resources available visit our website www.carersnsw.org.au