Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a set of three complex genetic conditions that cause tumours to form on nerve cells throughout the body and affects more than 10,000 people in Australia.   

The signs, symptoms and management of each condition is different, as is the treatment for every individual.

EVERY 3 DAYS A CHILD IS BORN WITH NF IN AUSTRALIA

NF can lead to a range of significant health issues including deafness, blindness, paralysis, physical differences, bone abnormalities, cancer, learning difficulties and chronic pain. 

NF can affect anyone regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or family history and causes tumours (known as neurofibromas) to grow around the body’s nerve cells, including the spine and brain, under the surface of the skin or deep in the body.  

It is impossible to predict how mildly or severely someone with NF will be affected and roughly half of all cases arise in families with no history of NF.  

There is no known cure, and treatment options are limited.