John Holden Family Foundation becomes first Diamond Member of The Dementia Momentum®

HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au

The John Holden Family Foundation became the first Diamond Member of The Dementia Momentum^® when it committed $600,000 to CHeBA’s initiative to be received by mid-2016.

This contribution will fund a project led by Associate Professor Wei Wen, leader of CHeBA’s Neuroimaging Group. The project will bring together a large number of studies from around the world to collectively examine the clinical implications and the genetic basis of white matter hyperintensities and lacunes (small silent strokes), and thereby cerebral small vessel disease. The research will also examine how closely WMHs and lacunes are associated with dementia and cognitive decline among other factors.

“We are pleased to be able to donate to The Dementia Momentum^® and support its innovative, large-scale approach to improving understanding of the disease and reducing incidence through evidence-based modifiable lifestyle strategies,” said Mr Holden.

CHeBA Co-Director Professor Perminder Sachdev said large injections of funding allow researchers to achieve considerable outcomes in shorter timeframes.

“Significant funding to fully support a project allows us to conduct research proactively,” said Professor Sachdev. “We can establish and implement larger research studies from the outset.”

“The generosity of the John Holden Family Foundation is humbling,” he said.

At the signing of the gift acknowledgement, John Holden and his son Sam Holden toured CHeBA’s proteomics laboratory to see the wide ranging work of CHeBA in the field of cognitive ageing.

To join The Dementia Momentum^® or to find out more about this initiative please contact Heidi Douglass on (02) 9382 3398 or h.douglass@unsw.edu.au.