Gala event raises funds for brain surgery in Auckland

Gala event raises funds for brain surgery in Auckland

$4.5 million gift announcements launch critical research campaign

A visionary new campaign for an inaugural Chair in Neurosurgery, kick-started with donations totalling $4.5 million, was launched in Auckland and attended by more than 400 people last night.

Those attending included long-time supporters Dames Rosie Horton and Jenny Gibbs, the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for the University of Auckland, the chair and CEO of the Neurological Foundation, philanthropists, city dignitaries, University researchers and hospital neurosurgeons and neurologists.

The director of the Centre for Brian Research, Distinguished Professor Richard Faull, announced that a generous gift of $2 million from the Freemasons of New Zealand had been pivotal in the campaign initiative to establish the Chair which would be named “The Freemasons Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of Auckland” in recognition of their contribution.

Mark Winger, speaking on behalf of the Freemasons said, “We are delighted to have enjoyed a relationship with Professor Richard Faull for nigh on 15 years – facilitating brain research into Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s and associated afflictions. Our support for the Centre of Brain Research is well founded, and so it was a logical step for our support to extend to the Chair of Neurosurgery.”

A further generous gift of $1 million from the Douglas Charitable Trust (Sir Graham Douglas) has secured the appointment of a Senior Neurosurgical Research Fellow and $500,000 from the David Levene Foundation (Sir David Levene) has resulted in substantial progress towards the goal of $8 million.

“We’re thrilled that we are able to launch with the announcement of these remarkable gifts, we’re over halfway there already,” says Professor Faull.

ENDS

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