Blog: The Brain Dialogues, filtered by tag: The Dementia Momentum®

KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au In April 2016, a donation of $25,000 was made by Roger Layton to The Dementia Momentum®. This contribution is in honour of Dr Merrilyn Layton, wife of UNSW Emeritus Professor of Marketing Roger Layton AM. Merrilyn worked with Roger in many projects including the development of higher education in Guangzhou (pictured) and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2002. She participated with Roger in DCRC committees and projects. A committed member of CHeBA’s Advisory Committee since the Centre’s launch in 2012, Professor Layton is… Read More

This article was originally published in MJA Insight. We’re using big data to identify universal and demographic-specific risk and protective factors for dementia, write Henry Brodaty and Perminder Sachdev… LAST month marked the first anniversary of The Dementia Momentum®, an initiative of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales.  The main objective of the initiative is to bring CHeBA’s “big data” approach to bear upon the epidemiology of dementia. At the same time, it aims to raise community awareness about the challenge of dementia, and presents… Read More

PROFESSOR PERMINDER SACHDEV This article was first published in InformAge, Volume 2, Issue IV December 2015 (Summer). Dementia is a global problem, and there is a worldwide effort to identify risk and protective factors, determine early biomarkers, and develop novel treatments for dementia. A survey of the international research scene reveals that many groups are working in relative isolation on projects that are similar to research conducted elsewhere. Very often, the individual projects are not large enough to provide conclusive answers to complex research questions. A recent… Read More

HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au Failure to use a standardised approach is limiting the effectiveness of research into whether microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as a blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.  Researchers at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at UNSW Australia conducted a systematic review investigating research into miRNAs as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and found that few studies assessed the same miRNAs and where they did, methodological differences between the studies made it hard to validate findings. The research, led by CHeBA PhD student Dr… Read More

KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au Following his incredible display of support as competitor in the inaugural Wipeout Dementia® campaign in May, Managing Director of Colliers International Residential, Peter Chittenden, arranged for Colliers to become the first Silver Member of The Dementia Momentum®. Colliers’ $30,000 donation came in the wake of Mr Chittenden’s personal fundraising achievement of over $7,500 in the May event.  Drawing on his positive experience, Mr Chittenden gave an inspiring presentation at the Wipeout Dementia® cocktail event hosted by AMP… Read More

KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au Since the official launch of CHeBA in 2012, dynamic husband and wife duo Tiffany and Chris Jessop have generously supported us every step of the way. In a jump from volunteer supporter to competitor and fundraiser, Chris Jessop recently participated in CHeBA’s Wipeout Dementia® campaign – a four week gruelling strength for surfing program culminating in a Surf Off contest between three teams on 28 November 2015 – and raised a sensational $5,500 for The Dementia Momentum® in the process. Tiffany is the Project Coordinator on the HALT… Read More

KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au One of the most exciting things about being involved with The Dementia Momentum® initiative is its focus on real world application, according to Ms Catriona Daly, the new co-ordinator of the International Centenarian Consortium of Dementia (ICC-Dementia) at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). “One of CHeBA’s strengths lies in its strong social justice focus. It is not just about getting research papers published, it’s about improving people’s lives and helping them overcome or cope with real problems of ageing by… Read More

KATE CROSBIE and HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au The Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) awarded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) a $300,000 philanthropic grant over three years to investigate risk and protective factors for dementia. VFFF’s contribution will go towards the salary of a post-doctoral researcher in partnership with Yulgilbar Foundation, whose expert panel provides the necessary scientific assessment. Established as a family charitable trust in 1962, VFFF is one of the larger family foundations in Australia and has an extensive history of contributing… Read More

HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au One of the fundraising highlights of the year for The Dementia Momentum® was the launch of the Wipeout Dementia® campaign; a four week strength for surfing training program culminating in a Surf Off tournament between corporate competitors. Spokesman for The Dementia Momentum®, Richard Grellman AM, said the event was an extraordinary success and credited the participants for their dedication to raising awareness and for their fundraising efforts. The four week event, sponsored by Watson Mangioni Lawyers, is in honour of Richard Grellman’s wife… Read More

KATE CROSBIE The Dementia Momentum® gained its first Bronze Member, Mrs Jan Surnicky of Rose Bay, who generously donated $10,000 in July to help advance research into dementia prevention in honour of her late husband, Emil Surnicky. Mrs Surnicky originally intended to provide the donation as a gift in her will. After discussion with her family, she decided that donating to The Dementia Momentum® initiative of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) now would help improve outcomes for patients faster and, ideally, prevent a rise in dementia incidence. “We, the Surnicky family, hope that… Read More