About Us

The Autoimmune Project was co-founded by Sara Jayne and Emily Little, a mother-daughter duo on a mission to find answers to the autoimmune puzzle.

We came face to face with the many significant challenges faced by individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases through Sara’s decade-long battle with a rare and life-threatening autoimmune disease. From waiting years for a diagnosis, to trialling and failing treatments at great personal expense, it became evident how easily it is for those with autoimmune disease to fall through the cracks.

The lack of information and understanding from the medical and wider community led to a shared passion to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals with autoimmune diseases by raising awareness and funds for education, research, and resources so that we may better understand, diagnose, manage and treat autoimmunity.

  • Sara Jayne

    CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

    Sara is a qualified cardiac diagnostic imaging specialist with over 20 years experience in the medical field. Her career was cut short with the diagnosis of a life-threatening autoimmune disease, which led to a decade long fight for survival. Sara is now passionate about helping others navigate the autoimmune journey.

    Sara’s experience led to her training in mind-body medicine, meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, which she integrates into her work as the Co-Founder and Director of Mindful Medics®, an organisation dedicated to improving health and wellbeing of healthcare providers.

    Sara’s passion for spreading awareness and promoting understanding of autoimmune disease and wellbeing has made her a sought-after speaker, as well as co-host of popular podcast, ‘Soul2Soul Conversations’.

  • Emily Little

    CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

    Emily is a graduate medical student at the University of Wollongong, where she hopes to one day use her knowledge and expertise to help individuals living with autoimmune diseases as a Medical Doctor.

    Prior to pursuing medicine, Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Psychological Science from UNSW in 2019. With a strong interest in the intersection between physical and mental health, Emily has held several volunteer positions advocating for health and wellbeing among university students, and has several years experience as a research assistant involved in the development of psychological programs designed to prevent anxiety and depression in young adults.

    Emily further combines her passion and experience as Co-Founder and Director of Mindful Medics®, delivering evidence-based wellbeing workshops and programs for healthcare providers.

  • Karina Machado

    AMBASSADOR

    Karina is an author, journalist, and podcast host. She was born in Uruguay and raised in Australia, where she completed her Bachelor's degree in journalism at UNSW,

    Karina has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years, covering a variety of topics including lifestyle, health, and wellbeing. She is the author of several bestselling books, and hosts several podcasts, including ‘Soul2Soul Conversations’, a podcast exploring spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth.