Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — Today I would like to acknowledge Yuroke constituent Caitlin Caruso, who has joined us today along with her uncle, Paul. Anyone who has met Caitlin will tell you that she is a strong, determined and very artistic young lady. Caitlin also makes no secret of her love for the Collingwood Football Club and her dislike of Justin Bieber and his fans. Sadly, Caitlin also suffers from an extremely rare disease called ataxia-telangiectasia, or A-T, which amongst other things affects her coordination, weakens the immune system, heightens the risk of getting cancer and leaves those with the condition in near-constant pain, with uncontrolled tremors.

Most who have the condition require the use of a wheelchair by adolescence, and Caitlin is no exception. This means she is not able to do the things that many of us take for granted, which includes dancing — something Caitlin loved to do from an early age, even with the balancing issues she had then. But as her condition has progressed, so too have the symptoms that make it impossible to dance. Sadly, over time Caitlin’s condition has continued to worsen, and this deterioration will continue.

Caitlin’s family are hopeful that developments in medicinal cannabis treatment may provide some relief from her symptoms, and they continue to monitor these developments both here and in the United States. I wish Caitlin and her family all the very best, and I thank her for visiting us today.