Nurturing home-grown medical research

Sustained support crucial to medical research

Alan Rees watched as his father, the pre-eminent landscape painter the late Lloyd Frederic Rees AC CMG, lost his vision to macular degeneration.

Years later the artist’s only son developed a form of the same eye disease, but medical advances meant there was a treatment to preserve his sight. Big breakthroughs like these are often only possible with philanthropic support.

It’s with this knowledge that Alan and wife Jan donate to the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania. 2023 marked 25 years since their first gift.

The pair are part of a special group of people who give regularly, which helps Menzies plan for the future, and ensures momentum on promising projects.

Alan and Jan describe their decision to support Menzies as personal, philosophical and practical.

“When Dad had macular degeneration there was no treatment and now my sight can be preserved by an injection in the eye,” Alan said.

Alan and Jan have four children and they would like to see the next generation enjoy healthier lives, free from the illnesses that have afflicted their predecessors.

Philanthropy has also been a feature of their family history.

“Most people know my father as an artist,” Alan said.

“However, he was also a civic-minded person who felt his role as a member of society acutely and did quite a few things to improve the physical environment during his lifetime.”

Lloyd famously convinced a council to introduce the first pedestrian mall in NSW and raised money for a waterfall in Sydney. The couple also want to show their support for home-grown research efforts.

“We remember when Menzies was first proposed and people were worried that Tasmania would not be able to carry out medical research because it was too costly and the State was too small, however, it has become a leader in population health research,” Alan said.

“We have been very pleased to play a small part in its success.”

Following her heart with the gift of art

For Rose McCarthy giving has gone full circle.

The 66-year-old grandmother of six enrolled in a free online course run by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre during the pandemic.

“My father had Parkinson’s disease and both my parents ended up in aged care in the last few years of their life,” Rose said.

“I spent a lot of time visiting them and I had a lot of exposure to residents with dementia.

“I like old people and I think they have a lot to offer.”

After completing two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Rose enrolled in a tuition-free Diploma of Dementia Care at the University of Tasmania.

“I felt very privileged to be able to study for no fees, so when I completed the diploma, I made a donation to cover the costs.

“The work that Wicking does is so worthwhile and I thought that if I could make a contribution then I should.

“Hopefully it helps ensure more people can benefit from the courses, so we can better support people as they age.”

Rose soon found a way to apply her new knowledge. She established an arts engagement program for people with dementia. Called Remembering with Art, the program is held at the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) in NSW.

“Engaging with art can be a stimulus for people, activating emotional, intellectual and sensory responses,” she said.

Now, once a month, a small group of residents journey by bus to the gallery to discuss and reminisce about art.

In addition to her donation to Wicking, Rose has built a powerful program that is benefiting her community, thanks to being gifted a tertiary education.

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The Wicking Dementia Centre is at the forefront of translational research of relevance to people living with dementia and their caregivers. It undertakes multidisciplinary research around key themes of care, cause and prevention of dementia.