City 2 Surf 2016

City 2 Surf 2016
City 2 Surf 2016

The challenging City2Surf fun run is a highlight of the year for the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) with many people keen to promote the healthy brain ageing message.

This was a significant year at the start-line for Team CHeBA, with new recruits Sarah and Rob Holmes and Tori and Brett Peacock joining those who have participated alongside Co-Directors Professor Perminder Sachdev and Professor Henry Brodaty to honour a family member with dementia.  These four, who together raised $2,569 for The Dementia Momentum initiative at CHeBA, ran and power walked for Sarah’s mum, Suellen Grellman, who was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease at just 61 years of age and is now in full time high care.  Spokesman for The Dementia Momentum and Sarah’s father, Richard Grellman, said that Suellen would have been proud of their daughter’s awareness-raising efforts.  

CHeBA’s positive ageing heroes are Graham Gates (who has now completed the course for the fourth time for CHeBA at age 86), Colin Blake (who has completed every City 2 Surf except two of them since the very first event in 1971).  On behalf of all of Team CHeBA we thank these lads for the incredible inspiration and for their solid annual fundraising efforts.  Both Graham and Colin have each raised more than $3,000 for CHeBA’s research. 

Special thanks also go to Susan Coorey who is a repeat supporter and who has heartbreakingly witnessed her grandmother, her aunt and her mother all endure Alzheimer’s disease.

The City 2 Surf event is a great opportunity for CHeBA to promote the relationship between cardiovascular health and brain health, particularly its significance as a risk factor for dementia. There is incontrovertible evidence that physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and depression as well as vascular and Alzheimer’s dementia. 

All of these are risk factors for dementia

A recent analysis showed that physically inactive individuals had an 80% increased risk of dementia.  By contrast, physical exercise has positive and protective effects on brain function, not only reducing risk factors but increasing neuroplasticity.

Professor Perminder Sachdev and Professor Henry Brodaty say one of the most effective strategies we can adopt to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life is to become physically active from an early age, and remain active throughout our lives. 

A heartfelt thanks to everyone for their strong support and for collectively raising over $8,000 for The Dementia Momentum initiative at CHeBA!  Registration for the 2017 City2Surf will open soon and we welcome runners and walkers of all ages to join Team CHeBA to help promote the importance of cardiovascular health for better brain health in late life! 

For more information contact Heidi Mitchell.

Picture: Graham Gates, Professor Perminder Sachdev, Professor Henry Brodaty, Simon Gates, Brett Peacock, Rob Holmes, Sarah Holmes & Tori Peacock

 

Communications Contact

Communications contact: Heidi Douglass, Communications and Projects OffierHeidi Douglass
Team Lead – Innovations & Communications
T 0435 579 202
E h.douglass@unsw.edu.au