My name is Pat, and I have been married to Chris, my wonderful husband, for 23 years. We live in Melbourne, Australia, and we love to visit our superb beaches, or the great outdoors of the Australian bush. We really enjoy camping down at Wilsons Promontory or just relaxing at home with family and friends. Our interests are many and varied as you will see.

We have two terrific kids, Lauren and Danielle. Lauren is 17 and Danielle is 13.5 These two keep us very busy with all their activities!! I’m sure all the mums out there will know what I mean! Mum’s Taxi rides again!

We also have some medical problems in the family that I will tell you about as well. We are learning much as we travel along our different medical paths.

Chris works for a multimedia company who create corporate web pages . He loves painting and gardening, and cricket is a favourite game he loves to watch (Chris used to play club cricket) and his golfing skills are pretty impressive!

I was a dental nurse for 10 years, and then a dental receptionist for 6 years - now I’m a full time mum. I love to go swimming and walking is great fun - when it’s fine weather! Shopping is a firm favourite, especially with the kids, and I love to read. I must pick up my knitting needles again though. The internet has taken much of my time lately!

Lauren is in her 6th year at high school (no more to go), and Danielle is in her second year in high school. Both my girls are growing up so fast. They both go to Hampton Park Secondary College.

Eminem and 666 . Great names, hey? Her taste in music has changed radically in the last year! She also likes netball, computer games, reading, shopping (what teenage girl doesn't??!!) and swimming. She was involved in squad swimming and has done a 4 klm swim (nonstop) in 1.5 hours! She is popular at school and has many friends. She's in year 11 this year and will begin her studies towards being a chef. The introductory course begins at her high school, and leads into the higher education course to complete her qualifications to become a chef.

Danielle loves The Offspring, Destinys Child, Killing Heidi, Good Charlotte and Five - there's loads more but waaay to many to list here. She has quite an impressive collection of pictures and cds. Her other favourite things are swimming, netball, computer games, shopping (ofcourse!), singing and reading - she'll read almost anything she can get her hands on!! This is a really good thing! Danielle also has friends galore and is very popular at school. She's in year 7 this year and has settled in to high school really well.

As for me, I’m a dental nurse, and have worked as a dental receptionist for many years as well. I love meeting and talking with people. My interests are bushwalking, camping, swimming, computer adventure games (Chris thinks I’m addicted to these!), going on holidays (well who wouldn't??), knitting, reading, talking to my friends on the internet.............I’m sure I could think of heaps more if I sat here long enough!

I love watching my children participate in their chosen sports. Lauren is an excellent netballer and swimmer; and Danielle is learning the skills needed to play netball and plays with the school netball team. Both my children go swimming every week and Danielle is an avid member of Guides Australia. Guide camps are always a source of fun and adventure - usually it rains!!

Chris loves to paint (houses or fences, not pictures!), create in the garden and generally keep himself busy. He helps our neighbours with their gardens and handyman things, as well as working in an office. He enjoys a game of golf - he is a member of Cerberus Golf Club, which is run by the Navy and is beside the naval base in Hastings. Great views of the ocean!

Chris works for a multimedia company who create corporate web pages. One of Chris' passions is cricket (Chris used to play club cricket) and his golfing skills are pretty impressive. He's won the monthly medal a few times now! While we have daylight saving, he goes out to play on a Thursday evening with a friend, or sometimes they just go to the driving range for pratice.

I was a dental nurse for 10 years, and then a dental receptionist for 6 years - now I’m a full time mum. I love to go swimming and walking is great fun - when it’s fine weather! Shopping is a firm favourite, especially with the kids, and I love to read. I'd like to pick up my knitting needles again but peripheral neuropathy in my fingers is hindering that a little.

In September 1996, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. This is a not-so-common cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. I had an autologous stem cell transplant in June ‘97, and was out of action for quite a while. I’m back out in circulation again now, but I’m very careful where I go, and I’m on the alert all the time for other people’s germs! I don’t need an infection of any kind - I’m out of hospital and I intend to stay out! Please see my myeloma page for more info about this disease.

In December 1985 Chris was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and had to begin a regimen of needles to stay healthy. He is on an insulin called Humalog which is a quick acting insulin and a slower acting one for the night called Protophane. We are very adept at testing blood sugar levels and giving injections at our house! I’ve even given Chris his insulin injections on days when he has been ill!

Danielle was born with Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome and Lauren has extra heart beats - harmless, but we know about it now and can keep an eye on it.