Message from our CEO

As some of you may know, the Neurological Foundation has made the difficult decision to suspend all donor and public-facing events until further notice. Experts worldwide are in agreement that COVID-19 represents a serious risk to members of our community, especially the elderly, and that avoiding large gatherings is a useful step that people can take which will help to contain and reduce the impact of this illness. The decision to cancel our events was not made lightly, it was to ensure we keep you, our supporters, the researchers and our wider New Zealand whānau healthy and safe.

So many of you had shared your excitement for our events this coming year, and we were so delighted to share updates on the ground-breaking research being conducted that you have directly helped fund. We are obviously disappointed that we have had to take this step, however we are working on ways we can continue to bring you latest neurological updates in innovative ways. Be assured that once this storm has passed, we will work quickly to host replacement events so that we can engage with you face to face again.

While we may not be there face to face you will still be hearing from us! We’re looking at all possible options to ensure we are keeping you involved with the research you have helped fund. For the time being though, did you know we have a lecture library? It has a fabulous selection of past events we have filmed, and we'll be adding some of our Brain Awareness Month events from this year. Keep your mind active and healthy while you are at home in these coming weeks or months.

Your contributions are still making a difference to the research that's happening even at this difficult time. Our Research Manager is working with grant recipients to extend their contracts if their research is affected by restrictions due to COVID-19. We have delayed our current application deadline to give academics time to prepare to teach remotely, and to give scientists and clinicians time to put together urgent applications to the Health Research Council for COVID-19 research. We will also be preparing to run our committees online to ensure safe self-isolation measures are being taken as well.

Keeping you connected to the research you’re so passionate about and have helped fund, has and will remain our top priority no matter the circumstances. With that promise, our team will continue to deliver Headlines to you with informative and engaging content throughout the year. Also sign up to our email newsletter and follow us on Facebook as we ramp up our digital content.

I know this is a lot of information to digest, but I’d like to leave you all on a positive note. Although this is an unsure time, please know that your generosity will continue to go towards supporting the Neurological Foundation, the neurological community and funding neurological research. We don’t know what the next couple of months will bring but with your support, we’ll get through this as a community, together.

I know you’ll join me in wishing the very best to the medical and research staff who are hard at work on a way to prevent or cure COVID-19. I look forward to keeping you up to date with how you can help continue supporting ground-breaking neurological research.

Thank you again for your continued support of the Neurological Foundation.

Yours faithfully, 

Please note: Our Auckland office is closed, and our employees will be working from home. I would like to encourage all of our supporters that need to get in touch with us to email our admin email (admin@neurological.org.nz) or call and leave a message as someone will be checking these messages.