On this page you will find five sections:
- Support Groups
- Counselling
- Support for Canberra Hospital HTC
- Education and Resources
- Membership
HFACT offers a range of services to its membership and to the bleeding disorders community of the A.C.T and surrounding region of south east N.S.W.
To utilise some services, such as being directly involved with one of HFACT’s support groups it is obviously necessary to be a member of HFACT, or be interested in joining. People with a bleeding disorder in the region are encouraged to become members at nominal cost. See the Join HFACT page by clicking on the Support Us link above.
However, other services such as information on bleeding disorders or assistance from our counsellor do not require a person to be a member of HFACT.
Support Groups
HFACT provides mutual support to its members through support groups, social events, education programmes and one-to-one support between members. In addition to providing support for all members at our local events, HFACT has two informal support groups – Men’s Business and Women’s Wisdom.
Men’s Business
Men’s Business brings together the menfolk among the members, families and friends of HFACT in a social setting, to build bonds and provide a welcoming environment in which experiences with haemophilia can be shared. It also provides an opportunity to simply enjoy each other’s company.
Women’s Wisdom
The Women’s Wisdom group is open to all women affected in some way by bleeding disorders, whether they have a bleeding disorder themselves or are carers or family.
Both groups meet on an occasional basis in a social setting, usually on a weekend. Events are either advertised in our quarterly newsletter or via email from the respective group convenors. If you wish to be added to the contact list for either group, contact the President or Treasurer. Details are given on our contacts page.
Parent’s Network
In addition to the two adult groups, occasionally HFACT organises events for children, mainly through informal contacts between parents. If you wish to be included in events like this contact the committee or our counsellor, who can then put in you in touch with other parents. Wherever possible, events for kids will be advertised well in advance in our newsletter.
Counselling
We offer the services of a counsellor / support worker who is available to assist members, their families or other people affected by bleeding disorders. Our counsellor provides support services either from the Canberra Hospital or out in the community. You can get in contact with our counsellor either through the Canberra Hospital Haemophilia Treatment Centre or directly via our Contact Us link above. Read more about our counsellor.
Support for Canberra Hospital HTC
HFACT provides logistical and educational support for the Haemophilia Treatment Centre at Canberra Hospital. In the past this has included fund raising for and provision of computer equipment, funding staff to attend conferences, providing database support and computer education.
Educational Resources
Although HFACT does not produce our own educational materials on haemophilia, von Willebrand disorder and other related bleeding disorders, members of HFACT have access to a wide range of materials available from Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) and the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH).
Educational materials include fact sheets, comprehensive guides, posters and videos covering a wide range of topics related to the various inherited bleeding disorders. These can be obtained from HFA or through our counsellor.
Online versions of much of this material are available in the Bleeding Disorders, Living with a Bleeding Disorder and Resources sections of this web site, courtesy of HFA. See the links above.
Membership
Membership of Haemophilia Foundation Australian Capital Territory Incorporated (HFACT) is open to all people who are affected by haemophilia or related bleeding disorders, their families and carers, including medical professionals.
Membership of HFACT includes membership of the national peak organisation, Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA).
Member benefits include:
- Informal support through friendship networks.
- Formal support from our counsellor / social worker.
- Peer support groups such as Men’s Business and Women’s Wisdom.
- Family camps and kids’ functions.
- Social functions.
- Quarterly newsletters providing information about local services and events, posted or emailed to you and available on our website.
- Membership of the peak national body, HFA.
- Subscription to HFA’s National Haemophilia journal.
- Fact sheets and booklets on haemophilia, von Willebrand disorder and other bleeding disorders, for use at home or in schools, available through HFACT but produced and supplied by HFA.
- Representation and advocacy at the local and national level.
- Subsidies for medical bands or bracelets.
- HFACT supports its members by assisting them to attend national and international conferences on bleeding disorders. It does this by raising funds, either through community fund raising or applying for government grants.
- Entitlement to vote at the HFACT AGM.