PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: 1 July 2012

The Neurological Foundation's 40th Anniversary Annual Appeal Week

Sunday 1 July to Saturday 7 July

The Neurological Foundation’s 40th Anniversary Annual Appeal week launches today with the comical TV ad campaign featuring real neuroscientists washing cars to raise money for their research. The reality of the campaign’s message however is very serious; funding for brain research is needed more than ever to improve the outcomes for the growing number of New Zealanders being diagnosed with brain disorders.

The world’s population is ageing rapidly and with it the incidence of the more than 1100 known neurological disorders. In the not-too-distant future enormous resources will be required to adequately care for people afflicted with conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and motor neurone diseases, stroke, epilepsy, migraine, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury. Currently, the treatment options for these disorders are extremely limited and cures do not yet exist. However, research carried out by New Zealand’s world-leading neuroscientists, and funded by the Neurological Foundation, has provided extraordinary insight into brain disease, illustrating the global significance of the dedicated work being carried out in this country. This work provides hope for the one in five New Zealanders who will be diagnosed with a brain disorder in their lifetime.

Without adequate investment in ongoing research many of these insights may never translate into clinical treatments, so Appeal week’s tongue-in-cheek spin on fundraising literally poses the question: “Imagine if neuroscientists really had to rely on car washes to fund brain research?” Every dollar donated during the Neurological Foundation’s appeal week helps to support world-class brain research projects throughout the country; each year two grant rounds fund approximately 40 research projects into disorders covering the neurological spectrum.

The Neurological Foundation is the primary non-government sponsor of neurological research and its funding has facilitated many of New Zealand’s top neuroscientists’ pioneering breakthroughs. Without the ongoing support of individual New Zealanders the Foundation could not commit to progressing research to the high level that it does. Ninety-eight per cent of funding comes from donations and bequests.

The Neurological Foundation’s 40th Anniversary Annual Appeal Week runs from Sunday 1 July to Saturday 7 July. Look out for the appeal envelope in your letterbox, in your newspaper or at your local MITRE 10 or MITRE 10 MEGA store – you can also donate online at www.brain.org.nz

This year’s Appeal marks an outstanding 21-year association between the Neurological Foundation and MITRE 10, our Annual Appeal campaign sponsor. Since 1991, MITRE 10 has contributed over $1 million to the production of our Appeal. Without this sponsorship, the Foundation could simply not facilitate the campaign.

A BIG THANKS to MITRE 10 and their staff around the country!

ENDS

© Scoop Media