My responsibilities: They’re right across the board – fundraising, memberships, PR, and strategic planning. I also give support counseling, provide information to newly diagnosed patients, and run annual awareness seminars.

Our team: We have a part-time Administration and Accounts Manager plus casual Admin employees through the Disability Employment Network and we have six regular volunteers that work between 2-12 hours a week.

Our toughest challenge: Creating a profile. More people are affected by lupus than by MS, leukaemia and muscular dystrophy combined, but a recent survey showed that only 7% of people not directly associated with a lupus patient knew of the disease.

My tips for volunteers: Pick something that you’ll enjoy, whether it’s a new challenge or because the end result will give you a sense of satisfaction.

The disease: I learnt about Lupus and its effects on the job. Lupus is an auto-immune disease which causes inflamation and pain. Although lupus can affect anybody, 90% of lupus patients are women. Of these, 90% develop the condition during their reproductive years.

What I find most rewarding: People living with lupus often have little or no social network as they can’t work and find it difficult to get out. Receiving a five or ten minute phone call is a very positive experience for them.