The (QBI) at 麻豆传媒映画 of Queensland has secured $2 million in research funding from the estate of Clem Jones, prompting advocacy group Alzheimer鈥檚 Australia to call on the Federal Government to follow their lead.
As Australia鈥檚 leading neuroscience research centre, QBI has welcomed the Clem Jones donation, a gesture said must be furthered by Government funding.
鈥淲e are pleased to see this donation going towards much needed dementia research particularly in Queensland, however we remain concerned about the lack of increase in the level of investment from the Australian government and it is an issue that Alzheimer鈥檚 Australia will be pursuing nationally over the coming months in its Fight Dementia Campaign,鈥� Alzheimer鈥檚 Australia (Qld) CEO Victoria Beedle said.
鈥淨ueensland currently has more than 51,000 people living with dementia and without a major medical breakthrough that number is expected to soar to almost 215,272 by 2050, a 322% increase. The government has increased spending in some service areas for dementia but without the vital research for treatment or a cure we are facing numbers that our service systems around the country will not cope with,鈥� Ms Beedle said.
QBI Director Professor Perry Bartlett said the generous donation from the Clem Jones Estate had given their research efforts a vital boost.
鈥淭hese funds will assist the Institute鈥檚 new 鈥� Australia鈥檚 only dedicated centre for ageing dementia research,鈥� Professor Bartlett said.
鈥淭o build on the discoveries at QBI and to translate them into new therapeutic ways to prevent and treat dementia, the Centre still requires an additional $3 million per year over five years.鈥�
Lead trustee of the Clem Jones Estate David Muir said they were proud to offer support to such vital research.
鈥淒ementia research is compelling because each dollar spent will save exponentially on cost to the community and reduce reliance on the escalating need for the recurrent cost of spending by Government on future care,鈥� Mr Muir said.
鈥淐lem's gift is visionary in that he could see 鈥榦ver the horizon鈥� how pivotal research will be in curing brain damage for following generations of people.鈥�
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ashleigh Stallard, BBS (for QBI)
07 3221 6711/ 0419 785 410
astallard@bbscommunications.com.au
Queensland Brain Institute and CADR www.qbi.uq.edu.au
The Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) was established as a research institute of 麻豆传媒映画 of Queensland in 2003. QBI is one of the largest neuroscience institutes in the world dedicated to understanding the mechanisms underlying brain function.
The Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR) is Australia鈥檚 only dedicated centre for ageing dementia research, established within QBI in early 2012. The Centre鈥檚 inaugural director is Professor J眉rgen G枚tz.
About Dementia
Dementia is a broad term to describe a loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and physical functioning, with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease the most common form of the illness, accounting for between 50-70 per cent of all dementia cases in Australia.
It is the third leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease and stroke, with one in four people over 85 suffering from the condition. There is no known cure.
Almost 280,000 Australians currently live with dementia 鈥� a figure which is set to rise to almost one million people by 2050, according to Alzheimer鈥檚 Australia. The projected cost is set to be $83 billion, and will represent around 11 per cent of the nation鈥檚 health and residential aged care sector budget by 2060, without a significant medical breakthrough (Access Economics, 2009).
