Make the first break the last

Make the first break the last

Every three minutes, an Australian suffers a fracture because of osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens the bones. These fractures can be devastating- more people die every year from complications of osteoporosis than from breast and prostate cancer combined!

Fortunately these fractures and deaths can be prevented if the early warning signs of osteoporosis are identified and treatment is initiated. With a common early warning sign being a bone fracture

We are calling on the Federal and State Governments to work together to:

  • fund Fracture Liaison Services that care specifically for Australians with osteoporosis through targeted fracture treatment
  • establish nationwide ...

Every three minutes, an Australian suffers a fracture because of osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens the bones. These fractures can be devastating- more people die every year from complications of osteoporosis than from breast and prostate cancer combined!

Fortunately these fractures and deaths can be prevented if the early warning signs of osteoporosis are identified and treatment is initiated. With a common early warning sign being a bone fracture

We are calling on the Federal and State Governments to work together to:

  • fund Fracture Liaison Services that care specifically for Australians with osteoporosis through targeted fracture treatment
  • establish nationwide standards for these services to ensure that all Australians receive quality care no matter where in the country they live.

Contact your local representative urging them take action on this issue today!

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Write to your local Member

Osteoporotic fractures have devastating effects on many Australians across the country, even though these fractures can be easily and cheaply prevented.

As such the SOS Fracture Alliance asks for all Australians to join our call for action to improve fracture prevention by writing to their local Members in both Federal and State Parliament, raising this issue with them and urging them to make the simple but much needed changes to save countless Australian lives and prevent needless suffering and disability.

Use the box below to compose a personal message to send to your Federal and State representatives urging them to take action. If you click on “Email Tips” (right above the box) you’ll find some suggestions of what we think is important that you could include. However, your letter should be personal. If you can, tell them about your own story or that of a relative or friend. Stay polite and factual but show that you really care about this matter.

Compose your email

Email Tips +

Your letter to your local member of parliament should be personal. If you can, tell them about your own story or that of a relative or friend. Stay polite and factual but show that you really care about this matter. Here are some of the points we think are important to get across:

  • Every year, 180,000 older Australian break a bone because of osteoporosis, that’s 1 person every three minutes!
  • Every year, more people die from complications of osteoporosis than from breast and prostate cancer together.
  • Many of these deaths can be prevented if the early signs of osteoporosis are identified so that people get the treatment they need.
  • Osteoporosis can be successfully treated easily and all treatments are subsidised by Medicare.
  • We urgently need more Fracture Liaison Services that care for Australians who have broken a bone because of osteoporosis.
  • We also need nationwide clinical care standards for these services to ensure that all Australians receive quality care no matter where in the country they live.

Urge the recipient of your letter raise these matters with their colleagues, the Health Minister and the Department of Health. Call on them to establish more services for patients with osteoporosis and to push for National Clinical Standards for secondary fracture prevention now!

 

If you can't think what to write, here's an example letter:

Dear [Member Name],

Every three minutes, an Australian suffers an osteoporotic bone fracture, with more people dying every year from complications of osteoporosis than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

Most these devastating fractures can be prevented if the early signs of osteoporosis are identified so that people get the treatment they need. Osteoporosis can be successfully treated easily and affordably.

We urgently need National Standards for healthcare facilities that treat fractures which include testing for osteoporosis to prevent secondary fractures.

I urge you to raise this with the Health Minister and the Department of Health- call on them to fund Fracture Liasion Services across the country and establish national standards for secondary fracture prevention now!

Kind regards,

[Your name]