Chronic Pain Australia is the national voice for the 3.6 million Australians living with chronic pain.
Chronic Pain Australia is a non-profit, non-government, registered organisation founded in 2001. The organisation is driven by a group of committed volunteers advocating to reduce the social and economic barriers to those who live with chronic pain.
our vision
To improve the quality of life of those Australians who live with chronic pain.
our mission
We believe no Australian should live with chronic pain in isolation or without access to resources, support, and affordable high-quality healthcare. Chronic Pain Australia is dedicated to supporting Australians in effectively managing their pain to preserve their dignity and self-respect, regardless of age, gender, culture, belief, rural or regional location or socio-economic background.
our Purpose
Chronic Pain Australia aims to improve the knowledge and understanding of what it is like to live with and manage chronic pain amongst health consumers, carers, family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Chronic Pain Australia is committed to empowering chronic pain warriors to work towards supported self-management of their pain.
We do this by...
Providing accessible engagement opportunities for people in pain to be connected, validated, and empowered.
Partnering with researchers, peak bodies, policymakers, and organisations to reduce the burden and improve health outcomes for the chronic pain community.
Advocating for the rights of people living with chronic pain and ensuring the voice of lived experience is acknowledged and amplified.
Destigmatising the experience of living with chronic pain across the general community through National Pain Week activities.
Our Strategic Intent
Triple AAA standards of care
Chronic Pain Australia’s strategic intent is to ensure that all Australian’s living with chronic pain receive Triple AAA standards of care – Awareness, Accessibility and Affordability.
Awareness
Bringing awareness to best-practice treatment and management of chronic pain and improving the education and knowledge of those that not only live with chronic pain but also healthcare professionals.
Accessibility
Ensuring that all those who live with chronic pain can access multidisciplinary individualised care, despite their location, age, gender, cultural or ethnic background.
Affordability
Reforming healthcare infrastructure and funding to allow for equitable and affordable access to chronic pain treatment and management no matter your socio-economic status.
Become a member today
Sign up to the national movement demanding Triple AAA standards of care for those that live with chronic pain – Awareness, Accessibility and Affordability.
Awareness, Advocacy and Submissions
Chronic Pain Australia continues to collaborate with consumers, other organisations and institutions across Australia, to raise public awareness of the current issues impacting those with the lived experience of pain in Australia and advocate for action to make pain a healthcare priority.
This is achieved by our National Pain Week activities, various advocacy campaigns and public consultation submissions to government throughout the year.
Advocacy Campaigns
Public Consultation Submissions
- Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for De prescribing Opioid Analgesics (April 2022)
- Chronic Pain MedsCheck (June 2022)
- Community-based multidisciplinary model of care
Our Founder
Educator and counsellor Dr Coralie Wales set up the "Chronic Pain Power Group" (CPPG) in 2001 in response to an ever-growing gap in knowledge and support available for people living with pain.
Initially involving local face-to-face group meetings, Coralie soon realised there were people in need all over Australia and beyond. Many of whom were isolated and alone.
Coralie invited people to share their stories with her. They arrived in hundreds from all corners of the country, revealing overwhelming distress and despair and emphasising the urgent need for community care and support to be made available to this vulnerable group. Coralie shared these stories with her friend and long-standing Rotarian Lee Furlong, who quickly activated his Rotary connections to provide $7000 seed funding to establish a nationally available support channel. Thus, Chronic Pain Australia was born.
Having incorporated in 2006, Chronic Pain Australia ran its first conference in 2007. Powered by volunteers’ dedication, including Coralie, Lee, and recruits Mandy Nielsen and David Newman, Chronic Pain Australia established the world’s first support hotline for people living with chronic pain. Further work saw the establishment of web-based resources and community connection sites, including the Chronic Pain Australia online discussion forum and the first Australian chronic pain awareness campaign – National Pain Week.
Today, Chronic Pain Australia is the voice for tens of thousands of Australians living with chronic pain. We have undertaken annual snapshot research to understand the experiences of people living with chronic pain in Australia, including how they manage it. We engage through social media, having built a community of over 9500 people that cross over into our 24/7 online forum with over 3000 users. Importantly, we continue to reduce stigma and raise awareness of chronic pain through our National Pain Week campaign each year in July.
Chronic Pain Australia is a volunteer-led organisation that is dependent on the generosity of our members and supporters.
Our People
Nicolette Ellis
Nicolette is an advanced practice pharmacist with proven skills and experience in strategic planning, leading and managing large scale projects and delivering innovative policy and governance reform. She has a professional and personal experience with chronic pain, both working closely supporting clients with chronic pain and her wife who lives with endometriosis. Nicolette is a seasoned communicator, media commentator, Key Opinion Leader and developer of healthcare education, with experience presenting to a variety of health practitioners, and health consumers. She is passionate about improving access and affordability to high-quality chronic pain management teams for those Australians who live with chronic pain.
Fiona Hodson
Fiona is a Pain Management Clinical Nurse Consultant with the Hunter Integrated Pain Service NSW, Australia and has worked in all aspects of pain service delivery over the last 25 years. Fiona was also President of the Australian Pain Society from 2017 to 2019. She actively continues to participate and promote widely the need for co-designing models of care in pain and research with consumers who have the lived experience.
Fiona is a longstanding Chronic Pain Australia board member for over 12 years and has a passion for advocating for people experiencing pain which includes some of her family and friends. This is evidenced by her ongoing clinical and consumer representation on various peak national and state-based pain-related committees, working parties and task forces.
Katherine Brain
Katherine is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Early Career Researcher with the University of Newcastle and Hunter Integrated Pain Service, NSW, Australia.
She completed her PhD in 2019 where she explored the role of nutrition in the management of chronic pain.
Through her own experiences of chronic pain, Katherine has an understanding of what it is like to live with pain. She is passionate about working with others who also experience pain to bridge the gap between nutrition and pain. Katherine also holds several leadership and advocacy roles on various national committees and interest groups.
Jennifer Maher
Jennifer Maher is a finance executive with over 20 years of experience, including more than ten as a CFO for medium-sized companies.
Brent Hedley
Brent is an accomplished leader in education, sport, healthcare, and community service. His expertise centres on the design, delivery and evaluation of systems and services which optimise health and wellbeing outcomes.
He is passionate about building the capacity to support young and disadvantaged people and finds inspiration in the collective strength of thriving and diverse communities and sports as a glue for social connection.
Brent holds post-graduate qualifications in education, educational neuroscience, health, and human services.
Brent served as the Head of Mental Health & Wellbeing at AFL Players’ Association for 6 years prior to joining Football Futures Foundation in 2021 as their inaugural Executive Officer.
Kellie Jade Ellis
Kellie Jade Ellis is a strategic and results-driven brand marketing and digital professional with over twelve years’ experience. She has worked across various sectors including sports, entertainment, FMCG, consumer health, pharmaceuticals and not-for-profit, executing innovative digital and brand marketing strategies and campaigns.
With a very personal experience living with endometriosis and a passion for preventative health, Kellie is excited to bring her diverse experience and expertise to her role on the Board at Chronic Pain Australia.
Andrew Vernon
Andrew is a senior technologist focused on Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering. He specialises in Microsoft Powerapps and has over 10 years experience in the IT sector with a strong development and delivery background. He has worked successfully with a variety of blue-chip clients to deliver major Digital Transformation projects and provide project advice to meet client objectives.
Andrew is passionate about raising awareness for Chronic Pain. He is focussed on simplifying the way people with Chronic Pain can connect with each other and provide a place to support those suffering.
Anjelo Ratnachandra
Anjelo is the founder of Beyond Pain and an award-winning practitioner. He has skills in Physiotherapy and Counselling and is the author of the self-guiding book Beyond Pain which has reached over 13 countries. Anjelo has worked in pain management and chronic illness for over two decades and has developed pioneering concepts in this field. Anjelo was the inaugural winner of Work safe’s (Vic) Treating Health Practitioner Award (2011) and Physiotherapist of the Year award at the Australian Allied Health Awards (2018). He has worked in Australia and overseas and has presented at national and international conferences.
Get Involved
Become a Member
Chronic Pain Australia is a member-based organisation and there are several different membership levels available.
Make a tax deductible Donation
We are a registered health promotion charity, and donations above $2 are tax deductible. Donations are processed through a secure PayPal network, and you can choose to make a one-off or regular monthly donation. A PayPal account is not required.
Partner with Us
Chronic Pain Australia regularly partners with organisations, peak bodies, government, and other charities to develop and deliver resources for our community. Please contact us directly should you wish to discuss partnership opportunities.
Hold a Fundraising Event
You might like to invite your friends and family to consider donating to Chronic Pain Australia in lieu of gifts for celebratory events. Alternatively, you can raise money and awareness for Chronic Pain Australia by asking people to sponsor you to participate in one of the many fundraising challenges held around the country each year.
Event proceeds can be donated to Chronic Pain Australia via our Paypal account.
Please contact us should you require any assistance or further information.
Make an in-kind donation by contributing your skills or products
Not able to make a cash donation but still want to contribute? As a volunteer-based organisation, Chronic Pain Australia is often looking for people who can help us achieve our mission. Please contact us directly should you wish to support us in this way.
Use your voice to share the story
We understand that many within our community cannot donate their time or money, but you can always use your voice to make the world a better place for people living with chronic pain. You might like to share Chronic Pain Australia information and resources with your own networks and use #ChronicPainAustralia on your social media posts to ensure your voice is amplified alongside the millions of others in the global chronic pain community.
#ChronicPainAustralia
Contact Us
Chronic Pain Australia operates Australia-wide, with volunteers across the country.
postal address
PO Box 425, Baulkham Hills , New South Wales 1755, Australia
General, membership and fundraising enquiries
Media enquiries
Chronic Pain Australia
@chronicpainaust
@chronicpainaustralia
Chronic Pain Australia
Chronic Pain Australia
Connect with us online!
Follow us for trusted information and use #ChronicPainAustralia to share your lived experiences with others. Connect with us and your community. Your voice matters.
