Immune Deficiency Foundation of Australia (IDFA)

16/11/2025

🦓 Meet Alison 🦓

For Alison, caring is not just something she does—it’s who she is. As a mother to two teenage daughters living with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID), her life is stitched together with illness, resilience, and a deep love for her husband and daughters.

https://www.idfa.org.au/alisons-story/

13/11/2025

Tips and Resources | Mindfulness, Mental Health and Self-Compassion

Living with a primary (PID) or secondary immunodeficiency (SID) isn’t just about managing the physical challenges—it can also take a deep emotional toll. Stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm are common, and it can sometimes feel like you’re carrying that weight alone.

This webinar was designed to give you tools, strategies, and perspectives to help lighten that load. Explore how mindfulness, mental health awareness, and self-compassion can support people living with chronic conditions to care for both body and mind.

Explore IDFA’s Life Balance Tools, created specifically for people living with immunodeficiencies. These tools offer practical strategies for managing energy, reducing stress, balancing health with work and personal life, and building self-advocacy skills.

Order your resources and watch the webinar via the links below.

https://youtu.be/6rUBZPJTHAE
https://www.idfa.org.au/idfa-products/life-balance-tools/

12/11/2025

On a truly cold wet November Melbourne day, IDFA Members met in a cosy café in Dingley and enjoyed morning tea, coffee and conversations. This coffee club, turned into a four hour event, with members sharing stories, and connecting over common experiences. We are grateful for Lyn and Cheryl who worked hard to help organise and make this event a possibility.

If you're around, there is another coffee club in Melbourne on Saturday, 29th at Airport West. Register here: https://www.idfa.org.au/event/coffee-club-in-airport-west-vic/

Or, if you'd like to host your own coffee club, IDFA can help promote and get members to attend.
https://www.idfa.org.au/community/community-events/idfa-coffee-club/

10/11/2025

Today is Remembrance Day. A day to honour the courage, service, and sacrifice of all Australians who have served, and continue to serve.

For many veterans and their families, today carries significant emotional weight. It may stir grief or quiet reflection. If you know someone who is feeling heavy or distressed, reach out. A gentle check-in can mean the world 💛

If today brings up difficult emotions for you or someone close to you, we encourage you to reach out to Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling for free and confidential support. The line is available 24/7 on 1800 011 046. Other support services can be found at ruok.org.au/findhelp

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)