With spring in the air now is a great time to be outdoors enjoying the sunshine and participating in a Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Health. Sixteen walks are planned for this period, so I encourage you to join in.
ARH has funded a project that may uncover a more effective, non-invasive way to screen for bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia.
AUSTRALIAN Rotary Health has received considerable support for its decision to change its mental health research focus to the 0–12-year-olds.
Leading researchers attending the ARH Symposium and the WA Auditor General have given strong support for mental health programs to assist this younger age group.
A recent report by the NSW Mental Health Commissioner adds further emphasis, “while no wellbeing or prevention program works for every child, every time, it is clear that child mental wellbeing can be enhanced, and a large proportion of mental health conditions can be prevented from occurring.”
Advice indicates that 50% of adults
A recent research study funded by Australian Rotary Health has kickstarted a revolutionary way we may treat blood clot formations in the brain.
experiencing mental illness show symptoms by age 14. Evidence shows that by intervening at this younger age many mental illnesses can be prevented from occurring in later life.
ARH is seeking your support and that of Rotary Clubs to develop programs through research that will improve the mental health of young Australians
A big thank you to the many clubs and individuals who have continued to support ARH over many years. Without such support we would not be able to fund the number of research projects and scholarships that we currently do. The support of our long-term generous donors was particularly important during the pandemic when clubs were not able to conduct their usual fund-raising activities. Although experiencing a few difficulties, we were able to continue all research projects during the COVID-19 lockdowns and limitations. Now, with your support, we look forward to a positive year ahead involving both the medical research and scholarship programs.
But it’s not something we tend to talk about. These illnesses include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, dementia, schizophrenia and many more. Therefore it is important that we Lift the Lid on Mental Illness by funding mental health research.
DURING October, Mental Health Month, many clubs enjoy participating in our national fundraising initiative, Hat Day. Hat Day is when clubs have fun wearing an unusual hat to raise funds for mental health research. I would encourage all clubs to feature a mental health event in October and support the new research focus on the 0–12-year-old age group.
Australians are affected by a mental illness each year!
THE Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Health continues to grow, with over 26 locations across Australia now committed to hosting the event. Over $56,000 has been raised for vital mental health research in the last year.
Lift the Lid Walks are a wonderful way to bring the community together, meet new friends and raise funds for mental health research. Funds raised for mental health research will support ARH’s focus on the very young following advice that intervention at an early age could reduce the incidence of mental illness in later life.
In 2022, we have seen successful walks at Sorrento (Vic), Mont Albert & Surrey Hills (Vic), and Mackay (Qld). We look forward to even more events going ahead in Spring and into the new year! We expect 2023 to be even bigger, so sign up today to ensure your Rotary Club is a part of this amazing initiative! Contact Kara Geyer to get involved: kara@themediahut.com.au
“With spring in the air now, it is a great time to be outdoors enjoying the sunshine and participating in a Lift the Lid Walk for Mental Health! Everyone has someone to walk for, whether it be a family member, friend or work mate” – ARH Chairman, Kevin Shadbolt ARH
CONGRATULATIONS to the Rotary Club of Glenferrie for an outstanding golf event at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne on Tuesday 24th of May. Over 100 golfers attended the event, some coming from interstate, to play at this famous course. The club was fortunate in securing former test cricketer Merv Hughes (right) as the celebrity golfer, along with professional golfer, Steffan Scutti (left).
Merv was the guest speaker at the very well attended dinner and was most entertaining. It was a very enjoyable evening with past chairman Greg Ross as MC (see right). As a result of the Charity Golf Day, the Glenferrie club donated $36,000 to ARH for medical research. Many thanks to members of the club for a very successful event.
Together we are Lifting the Lid on Mental Illness!
THE Rotary Club of Kippa Ring-North Lakes continue to raise money for mental health research. This time they hosted the inaugural ‘Swingin’ Martinis’ Lift the Lid FUNdraiser event, where 150 attendees dressed in exciting hats and came together for a fun evening of food and entertainment. They were joined by the internationally acclaimed mimicry John Reif and Vinny from the Swingin’ Martinis leaving everyone in
‘Swingin’ Martinis’Lift the Lid Event Raises Over $5.2k
ARH was pleased to host its 11th research symposium in August to introduce a new program that will support research designed to improve the mental health of Australian children between 0-12 years. The Sydney-based symposium, titled ‘Healthy Children, Bright Futures: Improving the Mental Health of 0-12 year olds,’ featured more than twenty of Australia’s leading experts to weigh in on some of the issues and research relating to children’s mental health.
ARH has funded a project that may uncover a more effective, non-invasive way to screen for bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia. In 2021, an estimated 15,500 cases of bowel cancer were diagnosed, making up 10% of all cancer diagnoses in Australia.
Currently, bowel cancer screenings involve an initial examination of stool, or a faecal occult blood test (FOBT), followed by a colonoscopy to investigate and diagnose. However, the FOBT only correctly identifies 58% of individuals with bowel cancer. A colonoscopy is often required to confirm a bowel cancer
ARH CEO Joy Gillett OAM said one of the aims of the event was to seek advice about the areas of research where ARH funding can most effectively be employed to improve the mental health of Australian children. “The three-day symposium was a fantastic opportunity to provide a forum in which Australian researchers can describe current innovative research activities relevant to the new ARH program,” Joy said. Medical Advisor to the ARH Board, Emeritus Professor Michael Sawyer said
that support from ARH for mental health research has been extremely valuable over the last two decades. “It has both led to the development of several new and innovative support programs for people with mental illness, and supported postgraduate research training for many students, boosting the research workforce in this area,” he said. All presentations were filmed and will be available shortly for anyone to view. A full written report is also being prepared for future publication.
diagnosis, which can be both costly and invasive.
In 2021, ARH PhD candidate, Liam Ryan from Deakin University was awarded a ‘Reg Kilborn’ Funding Partner PhD Scholarship co-funded by the Rotary Club of Mornington to conduct research into cell-based (cytological) bowel cancer screening methods. His research aims to help design a more effective, cheaper, non-invasive alternative to the current method we use to screen for bowel cancer.
Mr Ryan’s research so far has been
able to isolate gastrointestinal cells from frozen stool samples using specialised laboratory methods. This data suggests that methods for cell-based screening could be optimised and improved upon to design an alternative way we diagnose bowel cancer. His project also aims to optimise the isolation, collection and preservation of human cells in stools and to establish biomarkers for pre-cancerous polyps and malignant tumours in patients.
“The production of impactful, compassionate, clinical research has always been a major personal and professional motivation,” said Mr Ryan.
“The fact that bowel cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in Australia drove me to frame my research in the context of bowel cancer screening because here my work has the greatest chance of producing impactful clinical outcomes for my community.”
Mr Ryan’s research scholarship will continue into 2023. ARH
A NEW smartphone app has been found to reduce the severity of suicidal thoughts in young people, following a research study funded by Australian Rotary Health.
The LifeBuoy app is the first smartphone app that uses dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) to help young adults selfmanage suicidal ideation when out in the community.
In 2020, Dr Michelle Tye and her team at the Black Dog Institute were awarded a research grant to trial the effectiveness of the app when compared to a placebo smartphone app.
Young Australian adults with recent thoughts of suicide were recruited to the study and randomly assigned to either the LifeBuoy app group or a group with an app that delivered general nontherapeutic health and lifestyle information.
The study found that the LifeBuoy app was superior in
reducing the severity of suicidal thoughts in young people.
“While the severity of suicidal thoughts dropped in both groups over time, the changes were greater in the LifeBuoy group –showing that the app worked,” Dr Tye said.
“Both groups used their apps a similar number of times, with over 70% completing their app. This means that the changes in suicidal thoughts are likely to be driven by the therapeutic content of the LifeBuoy app, rather than an ‘expectation of success’ effect.”
The researchers also measured reductions in other mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety. However, the symptom changes in the LifeBuoy group were not considered to be meaningful.
“While the LifeBuoy app reduced the severity of suicidal ideation it did not impact other,
often comorbid, mental health symptoms such as depression or anxiety. These findings suggest that rather than digital therapeutics being multi-purpose solutions, they need to be very targeted in their design and content if they are to effectively improve health-related issues,” Dr Tye said.
The study also found higher rates of treatment completion in young people who used the LifeBuoy app compared to adherence rates in previous studies.
Globally, around one-third of all suicides occur among those aged 15 to 29 years. If you are in a crisis, call Emergency Services on 000 or Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14
More than 100 Australians have a stroke every day. The most common stroke, ischaemic stroke, is caused when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed by a clot. It is one of the top five leading causes of death for Australian men and women, accounting for 5.3% of all deaths in Australia.
ARH PhD Scholar, Jason Palazzolo from Monash University was co-funded by the Rotary District of Tasmania (9830) in 2018 to conduct research into thrombosis. One of the studies in his PhD investigated a clot-busting agent, called ‘SCE5-scuPA’, uncovering promising results for stroke patients.
SCE5-scuPA is a drug made up of two proteins; a clottargeting antibody (termed ‘SCE5’) and a clot-dissolving enzyme, urokinase (‘scuPA’). The study showed that SCE5scuPA effectively minimised the extent of brain damage and improved the neurological deficit following stroke.
Moreover, the drug presented better safety outcomes regarding intracranial bleeding side effects than another drug currently used in stroke treatment called t-PA.
“This project aimed to offer Australian and worldwide patients suffering from thrombosis an improved quality of life and significantly reduce burden of disease,” said Mr Palazzolo.
“There is a clinical need to offer stroke patients new and improved treatment options in order to increase the likelihood of their survival and reduce their disability after stroke.”
Stroke also makes up 2.7% of the total burden of disease in Australia, the third-highest disease burden in people aged 85 and over
THE ARH Awards for Research in Prevention were presented at the APMD (Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders) Symposium at the Society for Mental Health Research conference in Hobart earlier this year. The purpose of the awards is to recognise excellence in prevention research for mental disorders.
Dr Werner-Seidler from the Black Dog Institute was presented the ‘MidCareer Researcher’ award for her work on the prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety in young people.
THE ARH Western Australia Mental Health PhD Awards is an event that recognises researchers from West Australian universities who have completed an excellent PhD thesis in an area of mental health. The event was an opportunity to hear from the local researchers about their contribution to the mental health research literature.
ARH extends a congratulations to Dr Natalie Kippin, Dr Penelope Strauss and Dr Sarah Dominguez for receiving the best recognition for her PhD theses. We would also love to give an honourable mention to Dr Melissa Mulcahy and Dr Grace Zeng for their PhD theses.
Dr Wan Sim from Monash University was presented the ‘PhD Award’ for her work developing and evaluating a tailored online parenting intervention to prevent clinical anxiety and depression in children.
SPONSORED BY: LEARNMED STUDYING A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE
“Since pursuing Medicine, I have always dedicated part of my working career to bettering the quality of and access to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This is of course influenced by the inequities my own family has faced and those of my Indigenous friends’ families as well.”
SPONSORED
BY: ROTARY CLUB OF PARRAMATTA (NSW)
STUDYING A BACHELOR OF SPEECH PATHOLOGY MELISSA SCOTT
SPONSORED BY: ROTARY CLUB OF CAMDEN (NSW)
STUDYING A BACHELOR OF MIDWIFERY
“I believe integrating speech pathology with mainstream education is an excellent way to help children feel normal, rather than making them feel different or like they need extra help. I would love to collaborate speech pathology practices with existing Indigenous programs.”
“I hope to work in an Indigenous based health facility to provide maternity care. I want to ensure Indigenous women and babies are provided culturally appropriate care and to make sure the women can voice her wants and needs, while hopefully fulfilling them to the best I can.”
• Patrick Sheehan
Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst, Vic
• Richard G Woods Rotary Club of Lavington, NSW
• Anthony K Cooper Rotary Club of Canberra, ACT
• Lesley & Tom Fisk
Rotary Club of Sandy Bay, Tas
• Elizabeth Dumonic
Rotary Club of Glenferrie, Vic
• Rotary Club of Glenferrie, Vic
• Noel Dunn OAM Rotary Club of Ryde, NSW
• Phil Lacey
Rotary Club of Mt Druitt, NSW
• Nerida Lacey Rotary Club of Mt Druitt, NSW
• Bruce Cairns
Rotary Club of Palm Beach, WA
• Tony Davies
Rotary Club of Devonport North, Tas
• Jennifer Smith Rotary Club of Sumner Park, Qld
• John Ranieri WA no Club
• Rotary Club of Runaway Bay, Qld
• Frank O’Neill
Rotary Club of Moree-on-Gwydir, NSW
• Richard Farmer
Rotary Club of Five Dock, NSW
• Anthony Hughes Rotary Club of Adelaide, SA
• Warren Fricke
Rotary Club of Oakleigh Clayton Huntingdale, Vic
• Di North Rotary Club of West Wollongong, NSW
• Ian Langford Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong, NSW
• James Castley e-Club of Greater Sydney, NSW
• Judith Pinczuk
Rotary Club of Perth, WA
• Rev David Oxley Rotary Club of Scarborough, WA
• Heather Newbould
No Club, NSW
• Bob Laslett
Rotary Club of Forest Hill, Vic
• Hugh Forrest Rotary Club of Beaumaris, Vic
• Betty Gebert
Rotary Club of Campbelltown, SA
• David Langworthy Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong, Vic
• David Koch Rotary Club of Cairns Sunrise, Qld
• Steven Aquilina Rotary Club of Southbank, Vic
• David Bamford OAM Rotary Club of Blacktown City, NSW
• Rhondda Tilbrook Rotary Club of Matilda Bay, WA
• Dennis Lovely Rotary Club of Blacktown City, NSW
• William Payne Rotary Club of Ryde, NSW
• Lorraine Coffey
Rotary Club of Armidale AM
• Leonard Glare
Rotary Club of Belconnen, ACT
• Milt Golenberg
Rotary Club of Holbrook, NSW
• Joyce Wearn
Rotary Club of Northern Yorke Peninsula, NT
• Michael Milston
Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak, NSW
• Ken Jeffery Rotary Club of Stirling, SA
• John Maclean
Rotary Club of Darwin, NT
• Richard Seeley Rotary Club of Balwyn, Vic
• Michael Borel
Rotary Club of Granville, NSW
• Anthony Calear Rotary Club of Granville, NSW
• Kim Hutchins Rotary Club of Granville, NSW
• Phillipa Lovely
Rotary Club of Blacktown City, NSW
• Satnam Singh Ranjodh
Rotary Club of Granville, NSW
• Robert Stockwell
Rotary Club of Granville, NSW
Upcoming Australian Rotary Health fundraising events can
found
Take the chance of a lifetime to trek selected highlights of South Australia’s iconic Heysen trail. Starting in Adelaide, with hosted accommodation for 5 nights fully catered, the 70kms of South Australian landscapes and environments is an unmissable
Join the event at Moreland, Vic: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/ moreland
For Mental Health Month, Rotary District 9820 is hosting a presentation via Zoom with Rotary Scholar and physiotherapist, Sarah Large.
Contact arh@rotary9820.org.au for the zoom link.
Join the event at Mooloolaba, Qld: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/ mooloolaba
Take the chance of a lifetime to trek selected highlights of South Australia’s iconic Heysen trail.
LIFT THE LID WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH –TOWNSVILLE, QLD
Join the event at Townsville, Qld: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/ townsville
LIFT THE LID WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH – KIPPARING NORTH LAKES & PINE RIVERS, QLD
Join the event at Lake Eden, Qld: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/ northlakes
LIFT THE LID WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH –BOORAGOON, APPLECROSS, ATTADALE & MELVILLE, WA
Join the event at Melville, WA: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/ booragoon
LIFT THE LID WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH – BRIBIE ISLAND, QLD
Join the event at Bribie Island, Qld: www.liftthelidwalk.com.au/bribieisland
