Image: FASD advocate Jessica Birch with FASD Hub Chair Distinguished Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM.
September is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Month, with the spotlight on the ‘Red Shoes Rock’ campaign, which has become a symbol of advocacy and visibility for individuals with FASD in Australia.
Launched in 2013 by RJ Formanek, an adult living with FASD, the ‘Red Shoes Rock’ campaign encourages people to wear red shoes to promote conversations about this often ‘invisible disability’. What began as a personal gesture has evolved into a widespread movement, gaining momentum each year.
In celebration of FASD Awareness Day on 9 September , the FASD Hub Australia joined Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD), and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), who hosted a significant Parliamentary event in Canberra. The occasion provided a valuable platform for individuals with lived experience of FASD, health professionals, and community organisations to engage with parliamentarians and advocates for change.
The event featured compelling speeches from prominent FASD advocates, including Jessica Birch, Angelene Bruce, NOFASD Founder Sue Miers, Nyoongar woman and Senior Research Fellow specialising in FASD Dr Robyn Williams, and FASD Hub Chair Distinguished Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM. Their addresses underscored the urgent need to discuss FASD and emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Notable attendees included Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP, and Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston, who showed their support for the cause.
“Each week in my FASD clinic I meet children with devastating health, learning and behavioural problems. As well as raising awareness we must prioritise implementing evidence-based prevention policy to minimise harms from prenatal alcohol exposure,” said Professor Elizabeth Elliott.
Despite these efforts, FASD remains the leading cause of preventable disability in Australia, highlighting the need for continued advocacy and education. The Red Shoes Rock campaign remains a vital part of this ongoing mission to support individuals with FASD and promote healthier practices for those who are pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding.
