Haematology nurses are often the steady voice, the calm presence and the guiding hand that patients rely on throughout their ITP journey. In this episode of Beyond the Count, Danielle is joined by Haematology Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Dring, who works across the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, to shine a light on the essential role nurses play in ITP care.

Rebecca shares what it’s really like to support patients beyond the platelet count — from helping families understand complex information in simple terms to offering reassurance during flare‑ups, treatment changes or moments of uncertainty. She explains how nurses bridge the gap between clinicians and patients, advocate for shared decision‑making, and create a safe space where people feel heard, understood and supported.

Through real‑world examples and heartfelt reflections, this episode highlights the compassion, communication and practical guidance that nurses bring to every appointment, phone call and treatment day. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been living with ITP for years, this conversation offers insight into the vital partnership between nurses and the ITP community — and why their role is so central to patient wellbeing.

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Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

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Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

A global overview of new treatments, real-world data and patient-centred research.

ASH 2025 delivered some of the most exciting developments the ITP community has seen in years. In this special highlights episode of Beyond the Count, Danielle takes you inside the world’s largest haematology conference to explore the research, conversations and global collaboration shaping the future of ITP care.

Across four days in Orlando, more than 30,000 experts gathered to share new discoveries. Danielle breaks down the key updates, including early CAR T‑cell therapy results, new insights into BTK inhibitors like Rilzabrutinib, important data on women’s health and fatigue, and the late‑breaking VAYHIT2 trial investigating ianalumab with eltrombopag.

You’ll also hear short audio insights from global ITP leaders — Associate Professor Phil Choi, Professor Dr Nichola Cooper, Dr Michele Lambert and Taylor Bowles from the PDSA — offering their perspectives on the most meaningful research and posters presented this year.

This episode also highlights why patient organisations like ITPANZ attend international conferences: to advocate for the patient voice, build global partnerships and bring the latest knowledge home to Australia and New Zealand.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or simply curious about what is coming next, this episode offers a clear and hopeful look at the breakthroughs emerging in ITP research.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

Clear answers on diagnosis, symptoms, and living with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)

Understanding Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) can feel overwhelming, especially in the early days after diagnosis. In this episode of Beyond the Count, Consultant Haematologist Dr Sara Ng joins Danielle to break down the essentials of ITP in simple, reassuring language.

Together, they explore what platelets do, why the immune system sometimes targets them, and how doctors diagnose ITP through a process of exclusion. Sara explains the differences between acute, persistent, and chronic ITP, the symptoms patients may notice, and how fatigue and brain fog fit into the picture.

They also discuss the wide range of experiences people have with ITP, why platelet counts alone never tell the full story, and how to understand the difference between symptoms of the condition and side effects of treatment.

Whether you are newly diagnosed, supporting a loved one, or simply looking to better understand ITP, this episode offers practical insights, compassionate guidance, and the foundational knowledge every patient should have.

In this episode of Beyond the Count, we break down what ITP is, how it’s diagnosed, and what it means for everyday life.

Read more about the I-WISh Results

Review the ITP Treatment Information Sheets

Search ITP Clinical Trials here

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

Deciding when — or whether — to treat a child with ITP can feel overwhelming for families. In this episode of Beyond the Count, Associate Professor Dr Tina Carter, Paediatric Haematologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, brings more than 30 years of experience to help parents understand how clinicians make these decisions.

Tina explains why ITP is always a diagnosis of exclusion, what doctors look for during assessment, and how factors like bleeding, age, symptoms, and family anxiety influence treatment choices. She walks us through first‑line options such as steroids and IVIG, the realities of side effects, and when second‑line therapies may be considered for children with persistent or chronic ITP.

This episode offers clear, compassionate guidance for parents navigating a new diagnosis — with practical insights, reassurance, and a reminder that most children recover well, often without treatment.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

Medical advisors play a crucial role in rare disease care, ensuring patients are not only treated but truly understood.

In this episode of Beyond the Count, host Danielle Boyle speaks with Dr Danny Hsu, Consultant Haematologist at Liverpool Hospital and Medical Advisor to ITP Australia and New Zealand. Danny explains how medical advisors help shape treatment guidelines, support patient organisations, and translate complex medical information into clear, practical language for families.

The conversation highlights how advisors strengthen trust between patients and clinicians, contribute to advocacy and education, and provide reassurance that care is guided by experts. This episode offers insight into the human side of expertise and why medical advisors are such an important part of the ITP community.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

When a toddler is diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), everyday bumps and bruises can feel overwhelming.

In this episode of Beyond the Count, host Danielle Boyle speaks with Associate Professor Dr Chris Barnes, Paediatric Haematologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and Medical Advisor to ITP Australia and New Zealand.

Together, they explore how ITP presents in children under five, why spontaneous remission is common, and what parents should watch for when it comes to bleeding and head knocks.

The conversation also covers practical tips for balancing safety with letting kids be kids, preparing daycare and playgroup staff with the correct information, and knowing when to worry versus when to relax. This episode offers clarity, reassurance, and expert guidance to help families navigate the early months of ITP with confidence.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

Hearing the words “your child has ITP” can feel overwhelming and leave parents with more questions than answers.

In this episode of Beyond the Count, host Danielle Boyle sits down with Dr Melanie Jackson, Paediatric Haematologist at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and Medical Advisor to ITP Australia and New Zealand, to unpack what a new diagnosis really means.

Together, they explore the basics of Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), what parents can expect in the first few weeks, and why treatment isn’t always the immediate next step. Dr Jackson also shares practical advice on how to talk to children about their diagnosis in ways that build trust and reassurance, while addressing common feelings of guilt and uncertainty.

This conversation is designed to give families clarity, confidence, and comfort as they navigate the early days of paediatric ITP.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au

In this episode of Beyond the Count, we’re joined by Caroline Kruse, President and CEO of PDSA and Co-founder and Chair of the International ITP Alliance.

Caroline shares how the Alliance began, why global collaboration matters in rare diseases, and how bringing together patient organisations from around the world is helping to raise awareness, share resources and strengthen support for people with ITP everywhere.

We also examine some of the Alliance’s major milestones to date, including ITP Awareness Week, and how resource sharing and collaboration have helped drive change in over 30 countries worldwide.

Support the show

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Count

For more information, resources and lived experiences about Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), visit ITPANZ.org.au.

📱 Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @ITP_ANZ
Facebook: facebook.com/ITPANZ
LinkedIn: ITP Australia & New Zealand
YouTube: @ITPANZ

🎧 Subscribe to Beyond the Count on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Do you have feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@itpaustralia.org.au