Angelo Condell

And now… Coming soon this Winter August 2025 to a park near you… It’s the epic odyssey of one guy skipping jump-rope 100 times every day for a month to raise awareness for Australian kids and families living with genetic conditions…

… Actually, the ‘epic odyssey’ here is definitely not the skipping part. In reality, it’s the /diagnostic/ odysseys and clinical journeys which children and families face when they experience living with rare genomic disorders and paediatric cancers.

These families need your help to get the most out of genetics research in Australia, so if you’re reading this, please consider donating to (or fundraising for!) Jeans for Genes this year. 

Even a small donation, if you can, is better than none! We would appreciate it so much.

I’ve dedicated my life so far to genetics: I work hard in my career as a clinical bioinformatician and ‘DNA detective’. As a scientist, every day I wade through massive oceans of genetic datasets, trying to pinpoint and discover answers for our patients on their clinical journeys.

Unfortunately though, the important genetic research which underpins our field is costly: Sequencing machines, high-powered computers, chemical reagents… Funding should not be a barrier in searching for genetic answers that can truly change lives. It shouldn’t be up to our local families to face this alone.

Some of you may also know I was born with (and still live with) a genetic disorder myself: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), due to a defect in the COL5A2 gene. I know firsthand that families with kids affected by rare genetic conditions experience childhood and family-life differently, and things can be overwhelming at times.

But, it’s thanks to genetic researchers and organisations like Jeans for Genes which bring positivity and make the experience feel less isolating – I know when I was a kid, Jeans for Genes really meant a lot to me. And I’m sure I’m not alone in that, it means a lot to other kids and families on their genetics journeys too. Knowing that there are researchers working hard to find answers makes the world of a difference.

It’s with pride that I say Jeans for Genes makes a positive impact on young peoples’ lives for families touched by genetic conditions. Every dollar donated, even loose change if you can, will go to the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) at Westmead, helping our local genomics researchers, students, and clinical professionals to continue their incredible work in the field of genetics.

Genetic researchers need your support: Help us to help kids and families living with genetic conditions.