Media Events

Search for WA Twins Expands

A media event was held on Tuesday, January 17 2006 at the Western Australian Institute of Medical Research (WAIMR) to increase public awareness and highlight the expansion of the Western Australian Twin Register (WATR) to include adult multiples that is currently underway.

Professor Lyle Palmer, UWA Professor and Co-Director of the WATR, gave an outline of the planned expansion of the WATR and what it will involve. The expansion will initially include twins, triplets and quadruplets  born between 1974 and 1979.  More than 1,400 adult multiples born in these years are currently being asked to volunteer to add their names to the WA Twin Register.  

“The WA register is unique in that it’s the only population-based register of twins, triplets, quadruplets and quintuplets in Australia, and one of only a few population-based registers anywhere in the world, so we’re hoping most of those people being asked will put their hands up to join in,” said UWA Professor Lyle Palmer. 

Lending their support at the event was the President of the Australian Multiple Birth Association [WA Branch], Marie Bennett, together with her 10 year-old twins Jordan and Charlotte. Twenty two year-old twins Blake and Lloyd Whitby, and eleven year-old twins Mikala and Bianca Flatman - who are all on the WATR - also attended to support the WATR. The event was reported on the Channel 10 evening news, and in the Western Australian and Local Newspapers (please also see http://www.genepi.org.au/media).