15 Sep 2015
KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au
The first Founding Members of The Dementia Momentum® were Phil Cave AM and wife Judy Harris, who generously came on board as Platinum Members of this initiative in support of their close friend, spokesman for The Dementia Momentum®, Richard Grellman AM and his wife Suellen, who has advanced young onset Alzheimer's disease.
Their contribution of $100,000, prior to the official launch in March 2015, has been integral to the development of this research initiative.
Phil and Judy said it has always been their priority to support both Suellen and Richard as best as they could in the face of this devastating disease.
"We've seen first-hand how it cuts life short in so many ways. Richard's commitment to the goals and work of CHeBA following Suellen's diagnosis has been inspiring. We feel it is only fitting that we continue our support of Richard and Suellen by donating to The Dementia Momentum® to help accelerate developments in finding a cure or possibly preventing Alzheimer's disease," they said.
The Co-Directors of CHeBA, Professors Perminder Sachdev and Henry Brodaty are enormously grateful to Phil and Judy for their substantial contribution and said that the faith they demonstrated in the early stages of this initiative was instrumental in its success.
Richard and Phil met in their late teens while working at the same accounting firm, KPMG, which also hosted the launch of The Dementia Momentum®. Since then they have remained close friends and along with their wives, Suellen and Judy, shared many of life's milestones.
In 2011, Suellen, then aged just 60, was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's disease and she has now been in full-time residential care for over a year.
Richard said, "Suellen's diagnosis with early-onset Alzheimer's disease left me with immense feelings of frustration and helplessness. Having Phil and Judy with me - and of course Suellen - on this journey has been of fundamental value for which I am truly grateful. Their love and concern for us and their generosity towards CHeBA have been uplifting."
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.
