Our association exists now just over a year and a half! We have come a long way since we started with 4 members. The response has been overwhelming. We are growing rapidly through new diagnoses made in Queensland of both infants and young adolescents and through the support of parents of older children. We now count 36+ members. We regularly meet, exchange ideas and information and work towards solutions for our children locally. With the growing support we also have a better chance to attract funding of our state government to promote our mission.

In this year we have obtained incorporation, tax exempt status, deductible gift recipient status and charity registration. This entitles us to a tax deductibility for donations over $2 to the association and fundraising opportunities. Together with the incorporated associations of Victoria, NSW and S. Australia, we make up the Australian PWSA which is maintained by the representing state delegates.

With the donations received and the coordinator's attendance to the 3rd international Scientific and General PWS conference recently held in the USA we have now accumulated a wealth of information. Our library of the most recent books and booklets from the UK, USA and New Zealand is continually growing.

Membership is $ 30 for families ($20 for pensioners)

Out of your membership fee we pay:

• 4 copies of our National Newsletter "The Open Door" ($5)
  
• Contribution to the Australian PWSA which subscribes to the International PWSA . The association receives the Newsletter "Wavelength", which can be downloaded from the web or will be posted($7).

The rest of your membership is used for our Queensland association and any donations are therefore welcome.

• We send a number of our own newsletters to keep you up to date with local news and other interesting developments.
  
• We are continually expanding our library of resources, particularly with respect to literature, information pamphlets and scientific journal articles published on PWS for parents, care givers and their children. We also receive some overseas PWSA Newsletters.
• Information pamphlets for family, teachers, care givers and employers.
  
• We have an annual picnic and are looking forward to introduce other contact weekends.
  
• We have evening and daytime parent meetings to be advised in our local newsletter.
  
• In the interest of early intervention for children and adolescents with PWS, we have also instigated the setting up of a multi-disciplinary clinic at the Mater Hospital for children and adolescents with PWS. Anyone who is interested can ring the Mater and ask for a booking in the PWS clinic. You will need a GP referral to attend.

Let me introduce our management committee:

President:	Lisa Piccolo Ph:      (07) 3392 2636
Vice President:	Karen Meimaris
Secretary:	David Tokin PO Box 8295 Woolloongabba   QLD   4102 Email:   pwsaqld@yahoo.com.au
Treasurer:	Dominique Wright
Newsletter Editor:	To be advised
Parent Liaison:	Melissa Parrish
Librarian:	Elly Scheermeyer

Membership fee is $30.00 for families/carers and $20.00 for pensioners.
Library joining fee to cover initial postage etc. $10.00

Please make cheques payable to Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Queensland (Australia) Inc or let us know if you want to deposit into our account at Bank of Queensland direct.

Click here to download a membership application form (56K), please forward to Secetary's address.

We hope to see many new faces in 2008!