Invisible Illnesses Inc

06/10/2026

🌈 TAKE THE $5 CHALLENGE 💜

What difference can $5 make?

On its own, it might feel small. But when a whole community gets behind it, small change can create a BIG impact.

💜 2,000 people × $5 = $10,000

1️⃣ DONATE $5
Every $5 helps Invisible Illnesses Inc. provide real, practical support and create places where people feel heard, believed and supported.

2️⃣ CHALLENGE 5 FRIENDS
Tag or send this post to five people and ask them to take the challenge too.

3️⃣ SHARE THE CHALLENGE
Help us spread the word and grow the impact. 🌈

You don't have to give a lot to make a difference. Lots of people giving a little can achieve something incredible.

💜 Donate here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-AU/donation-form/september-dollar5-challenge

📞 (08) 9544 6090

Together, we can make the invisible visible.

05/10/2026

🌈 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE DISABILITY SECTOR?
Weekly update — 5 October 2026

Key Australian updates affecting people with disability, carers and families:

✅ CONFIRMED: NDIS support-budget reductions have begun

From 1 October, funding in new or reassessed plans will be reduced by:
• 50% for Social, Economic and Community Participation
• 10% for Improved Daily Living Skills

The change applies to plan renewals from 1 February 2027 and will be phased in by 30 September 2027. Essential daily supports and listed support groups are excluded. The reduction itself is not reviewable, but participants can request a plan change after a significant and ongoing change in circumstances or support needs.

What this means for you: check these categories carefully in a new or reassessed plan. Ask which supports are excluded and keep current evidence of functional needs.

Official details: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/ndis-legislation-changes/amendments/funding-changes-for-ndis-supports

✅ CONFIRMED: Thriving Kids rollout has started

National information resources and the Thriving Kids Autism Helpline — 1300 654 789 — launched on 1 October. The program is intended for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low-to-moderate support needs.

NDIS access and eligibility will not change until 1 January 2028. Children with permanent and significant disability or high support needs will continue to access the NDIS.

Read more: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/11706-first-phase-thriving-kids-supports-start-today

✅ CONFIRMED: SIL guidance updated

The Supported Independent Living guideline now gives more detail about decision-making, arrangements that are not SIL, 24-hour individual support criteria and mandatory provider registration.

What this means for you: SIL participants, families and providers should check current arrangements and supporting information against the updated guidance.

Read more: https://ndis.gov.au/news/11707-updated-supported-independent-living-operational-guideline

✅ SERVICES AUSTRALIA: move away from paper cheques

People receiving Centrelink, Child Support or Medicare payments by mailed cheque are encouraged to update their bank details for safer, faster direct payments.

Read more: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/update-how-you-get-your-payments-from-us

🔬 RESEARCH — not a treatment or eligibility change

A small Australian study of young people with multiple sclerosis highlights how fatigue and cognitive difficulties can affect quality of life and vocational stability. It supports recognising invisible symptoms, but does not establish a new test or treatment.

Research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42561747/

No new confirmed changes to DSP, Carer Payment or Carer Allowance were identified this week.

Please share with someone who may need it. 💜

05/10/2026

💅 We need your hands! 💜

Our Nail Tech Student is ready to start building her practical skills — and she needs some wonderful people in our community to practise on! 🌈

Starting Thursday 8 October, she'll be available from 9am–3pm for appointments.

Come and treat yourself while helping a student gain the practice, confidence and hands-on experience she needs. Sometimes supporting someone really can be as simple as lending them your hands. 🥰💅

✨ $10 to replace stock used
📅 Starting Thursday 8 October
⏰ 9am–3pm
📍 Invisible Illnesses Inc. — 1/12 Day Road, East Rockingham
📞 Appointments essential — call (08) 9544 6090

Places will be limited, so give us a call and book your hands in!

💜 Support skills. Build confidence. Make a difference.

04/10/2026

🌱 VOLUNTEER GARDENER WANTED 🌱

Do you enjoy being outdoors, getting your hands dirty and making a space feel welcoming?

We’re looking for a volunteer gardener to help clean up and maintain the gardens at our Community House in Warnbro. 💚

You’ll be helping us create a brighter, friendlier space for the people and families who use our services — and you’ll be part of a supportive community team while you do it.

🌼 General garden tidy-ups
🌿 Weeding and light maintenance
💧 Watering and caring for plants
🪴 Helping us keep the space looking loved

Interested?
📞 Call 08 9544 6090 to find out more.

Invisible Illnesses Inc.
From Struggle to Strength: Inspiring Hearts, Igniting Hope.

03/10/2026

🌈 WORDS MATTER. INCLUSION MATTERS. YOUR VOICE MATTERS.

The City of Rockingham is currently asking our community for feedback on a proposed update to its Freedom of the City of Rockingham Policy.

One of the proposed changes is moving away from the traditional term “Honorary Freeman of the City” towards the more inclusive and gender-neutral “Freedom of the City of Rockingham.”

At Invisible Illnesses Inc., we support modern, inclusive language that reflects the diverse community we live in.

For some people, changing a few words might not seem important.

But language matters.

It can help people feel seen, represented and included.

Updating language doesn't mean erasing our history or disrespecting tradition. We can acknowledge where we've come from while making sure the language we use today includes the whole community.

💜 Sometimes inclusion requires enormous systemic change.

🌈 Sometimes it starts with changing a word, a title, a form or an old way of doing things.

Those small changes can say:

You are recognised.
You are represented.
You belong here too.

We encourage our community to read the proposed policy, consider the change and have your say directly with the City of Rockingham.

If inclusive, gender-neutral terminology is something you support, this consultation is an opportunity to tell Council that directly.

📅 Consultation closes Friday 23 October 2026.

👉 Have your say:
https://yourthoughts.rockingham.wa.gov.au/council-policy-freedom-city-rockingham

Please share this consultation with friends, family and others in our Rockingham community so as many people as possible have the opportunity to participate. 💜🌈

Invisible Illnesses Inc.
From Struggle to Strength: Inspiring Hearts, Igniting Hope.

Share your thoughts on the proposed policy by Friday 23 October 2026.

02/10/2026

🌭 FRIDAY BOREDOM BUSTER! 🛍️🌈

Need to get the kids out of the house? Come and join us for our Friday Sizzle & $5 Clothes Bag Sale!

🌭 Sausage Sizzle — $3 each
🛍️ $5 Clothes Bag Sale
👕 Fill a bag with clothes, shoes, accessories and more
💜 Great bargains, good food and family-friendly fun

📅 Every Friday
⏰ 11am–2pm
📍 Invisible Illnesses Inc. — 1/12 Day Road, East Rockingham

Bring the kids, grab some lunch, hunt for bargains and support a great local cause at the same time.

Limits may apply and some items may be excluded from the bag sale.

🌈 Shopping that gives back

29/09/2026

🌈 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Want to use your skills, build experience, meet good people and make a real difference in your community? We have a range of volunteer opportunities with Invisible Illnesses Inc. and Shop 4 A Cause. 💜

Watch the reel, find a role that feels like you, and get in touch.

📧 [email protected]
☎️ (08) 9544 6090

28/09/2026

🌈 MEET THE TEAM — MICHELLE GREENWOOD

Meet Michelle Greenwood, Founder & CEO of Invisible Illnesses Inc. 💜

Michelle is the person behind the ideas, the advocacy, the problem-solving — and quite a few very long to-do lists. 😄

Her own lived experience of invisible illness showed her just how isolating it can be when people don't understand what you're going through. Rather than accepting the gaps she saw in support, Michelle set out to help change them.

What began as people connecting over coffee has grown into Invisible Illnesses Inc. — a community built around support, education, advocacy, inclusion and empowerment.

Today, Michelle works across the organisation: developing programs, building partnerships, advocating for change, supporting volunteers and finding practical ways to help people in the community.

She is also a Mum, Grandma, friend, problem-solver, volunteer champion and occasional chaos coordinator. 💜

People matter. Community matters. And sometimes one person believing in you can change everything.

🌈 From Struggle to Strength: Inspiring Hearts, Igniting Hope.