Supporting children with undiagnosed and rare genetic conditions.

Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) is a community of unique children and their families. We provide information, support and systemic advocacy for families caring for a child with an undiagnosed or rare genetic condition. In Australia, we estimate around 2500 children are born with an undiagnosed condition every year.

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Support For you And Your Family

SWAN Australia is here to help families connect, access critical health care and support services and navigate the complex web of diagnostic testing.

Our office is open Monday to Thursday. If you require assistance, please contact Heather on 0404 280 441 (M, T and Th) or Ant on 0466 122 290 (M and W).

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Become A Member

If you are caring for a child with an undiagnosed or rare genetic condition, become a SWAN member today and benefit from our supportive community of families. Receive practical support and information and enjoy opportunities to meet other SWAN families.

Donate

Give the gift that helps change lives by donating to SWAN. Your generous contribution will help us continue to support SWAN families and advocate for their complex needs in the broader community.

Ben Hondros is undergoing intense training to raise money for SWAN on Saturday 27 May. Ben’s 10 Hour Challenge is the ultimate physical sacrifice and consists of 100 pull ups, 200 push ups and a 4.2 km run ON REPEAT for 10 hours.

Ben heard about SWAN through a family he supports at Care Culture (disability service provider on Sydney’s Northern Beaches). In Ben’s words “I chose to raise money for SWAN as I believe SWAN can most effectively address the key issues affecting children with disability”.

Information

Learn about genetic and genomics testing. We have a range of useful resources, including practical resources and video resources. Still have questions? Please email info@swanaus.org.au or phone 0404 280 441

Support

Book an appointment with our Telehealth Patient Pathways Nurse. SWAN members are welcome to attend our peer support or information event. Find out more about the support available for you and your family here.

Advocacy

SWAN advocates on a range of health and disability issues, including genomics and the NDIS. Click here to learn more about our advocacy work.

Easy English

Easy English information is available on the following pages:  Who We Are, Genetic and Genomic Testing, Finding a Diagnosis and Siblings. Below is an example Easy English button. It will not work on this page. To activate the Easy English pages of our resources, click on the slide button on the specific pages that feature the Easy English button.

 
  Enable Easy English. 
Our Easy English resources are written with everyday words, simple sentences and pictures.

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What's in a diagnosis?

An undiagnosed genetic condition is a rare disease that is thought to be genetic, but where the specific cause of the condition’s symptoms, signs or characteristics are not known.

Sometimes geneticists cannot find a diagnosis for our child. This can be heartbreaking and leave us feeling numb, confused and even more anxious. We can struggle to find the right direction to take and know how to support our child’s growth and development. Our children’s medical conditions, physical condition, cognitive processes and behaviours might not make sense. It may be difficult to connect and engage with our children and the wider community.

SWAN's 10th Birthday and Undiagnosed Children's Awareness Day (UCAD)

Please join us in celebrating Undiagnosed Children’s Awareness Day and SWAN’s 10th Birthday on Sunday 23rd October! SWAN will host morning tea and lunch gatherings around the country. This event is exclusive to SWAN members and their families.

Upcoming Events

June 2023
No event found!

SWAN's 10th Birthday and Undiagnosed Children's Awareness Day (UCAD)

Please join us in celebrating Undiagnosed Children’s Awareness Day and SWAN’s 10th Birthday on Sunday 23rd October! SWAN will host morning tea and lunch gatherings around the country. This event is exclusive to SWAN members and their families.

Become A Member

If you are caring for a child with an undiagnosed or rare genetic condition, become a SWAN member today and benefit from our supportive community of families. Receive practical support and information and enjoy opportunities to meet other SWAN families.

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Genetic undiagnosed and rare disease patient pathways nurse

Our telehealth patient pathways nurse is a free and confidential information support service for SWAN families living in Australia.

Stay in Touch!

Be the first to hear about our news, events and advocacy campaigns by signing up for our newsletter. We will keep you informed about everything that’s happening in the SWAN community with regular updates direct to your inbox.

Signing up for our newsletter is not the same as becoming a member of SWAN. Our membership is open to all SWAN parents and full-time carers. Simply fill in our online membership form. If you have signed up to become a SWAN member, you will automatically receive our newsletter and do not need to subscribe here.

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SWAN Disability Transition Pre-Conference Dinner

Please join SWAN members for a relaxing pre-conference dinner. This is a great opportunity to get to know other SWAN members and share a laugh, information and stories.

Please click on the buttons below to register for the dinner closest to your home.

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