“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.’’ Unfortunately I can’t claim this pearl of wisdom as my own, as it was stated by Ralph Waldo Emerson. But regardless of its author, this truism is certainly applicable to the work of the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund (ARHRF).

Rotarians have shown, and continue to show, enormous enthusiasm for the ARHRF. In 2002-03 contributions rose to $A1,123,736, up just over 10 per cent on the previous 12 months.

The ARHRF has now distributed almost $9 million to medical researchers in Australia since 1985. The ARHRF is recognised as one of the largest independent medical research funds in the country.

This year, $791,629 has been shared by 14 research projects and recipients of six postgraduate scholarships (Ian Scott Fellowships) and one postdoctoral scholarship (the Royce Abbey Postdoctoral Fellowship).

In addition, thanks to a new funding initiative known as Funding Partners which involves partnerships with Rotary clubs, Districts or universities to fund research outside the ARHRF’s current research focus area of mental health, four PhD scholarships have been awarded, as well as a one-year research project grant.

Further information about Funding Partners is on the following pages.

The Indigenous Health Scholarship scheme is now being supported in almost every state and territory, and the enthusiasm for the ARHRF’s community mental health forums continues unabated.

More than 270 community and youth forums have been held, attracting an estimated audience of 33,000. The community forums organised by Probus which began last year, are also proving popular.

During the past 12 months, the ARHRF adopted the national Bowelscan program as an official ARHRF program, and introduced the inaugural ARHRF Medal.

Four people have been recognised for extraordinary contributions to the ARHRF.
They are mental health advocate Fay Jackson, Professor Michael Sawyer, District 9810 Past Governor Fred Hay, of the Rotary Club of Waverley, Vic., and Past President Loch Adams of the Rotary Club of Moorabbin, Vic.

In future there will be only one recipient of the ARHRF Medal each year.

The past 12 months also saw a changing of the guard in terms of the ARHRF board. We said goodbye to immediate past chairman and retired director District 9690 Past Governor Denis Green, of the Rotary Club of Penrith Valley, N.S.W., and to retired director District 9630 Past Governor Tony Williams, of the Rotary Club of Ipswich North, Qld. District 9520 Past Governor Ian Oliver, of the Rotary Club of Waikerie, S.A., became vice-chairman, and I was appointed the chairman’s role for the next two years.

We also welcomed new directors in District 9630 Past Governor Mel Langley, of the Rotary Club of Cleveland, Qld., and District 9800 Past Governor Des Jones, of the Rotary Club of Prahran, Vic.