Not quitting, focusing

This week I stood down as chair of Migraine Australia. I’m thrilled to be handing over control to the wonderful Brenda Moore, who like so many living with migraine was forced out of her senior role in health because of this perfectly evil disease.

We needed to widen the team and spread the workload for the ongoing health of the organisation anyway, but it really is a huge relief to be handing over to a team of competent people. This isn’t me quitting: I will remain on the board and do what I can, but will largely pull back my efforts to the strategic campaigns (y’know, what I’m actually good at).

I have been worried that the organisation would collapse as it almost did last time I tried to take a break. This time I’m confident it will be ok. And it needs to be ok, because heading into an election year I need to be at my best, not exhausted. I need to be healthy, not besieged by migraine that even Aimovig can’t keep away if I’m not taking care of myself. And I need to be focused on ripping the Government a new one if they still haven’t listed our medications come the election.

Also, given our new medications still aren’t on the PBS and our Government is just flat out lying about what the problem is, I can’t keep hoping and waiting – I need to get a great job with a decent and stable salary that allows me to afford the $10k a year for Aimovig. That means not consulting – the inconsistency of work and drama about clients not paying their bills is not consistent with needing to pay for expensive medication every 28 days! And I refuse to go back to the dark.

It will be an adjustment for me but I’m really looking forward to getting back to work, and feel an obligation to get into something meaty to demonstrate how transformative these medications are. Stepping back from the administration of Migraine Australia allows me to take a great, hard job, and still contribute to the campaigns on the side.

The organisation will of course still need lots of people to step up. Anyone can be a volunteer, you all have something to contribute. If you are not in Australia, consider volunteering with a migraine patient group in your country – we all need to work together all around the world to change the perception of our disorder, raise awareness, raise money, and make a difference.