MEDIA ALERT
DATE: Tuesday 23 April
EVENT TIME: 11:30am – 1:30pm
VENUE: National Press Club, 16 National Circuit Barton, ACT
ABC24 News Channel Broadcast: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Copy of speech embargoed until: 1:30pm
Australian sporting legend, and Dementia Australia Ambassador, Wally Lewis AM will address the National Press Club of Australia (NPC) in Canberra tomorrow to share his experience of living with probable CTE, and to call on the Australian Government to invest $18M to fund CTE awareness, research and support programs recommended by the Concussion and CTE Coalition.
Mr Lewis will be joined by recently retired, 24-year-old, AFL Premiership player Nathan Murphy, who bravely announced his retirement from the sport earlier this month after experiencing multiple concussions, including in last years’ AFL Grand Final. Nathan sensationally hung up his boots after medical advice suggested that his migraines, panic attacks and anxiety may have been caused by the concussions he experienced throughout his playing career.
CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is the only preventable form of dementia, and some estimates suggest thousands of people are impacted. CTE affects brain function over time and can result in changes in mood, personality, behaviour, and cognitive function. Funding for research to identify an increasingly strong causal link between repeated traumatic brain injuries and CTE is required.
The Concussion and CTE Coalition, (Dementia Australia, Brain Foundation, ConneCTErs, Associate Professor Fatima Nasrallah of the Queensland Brain Institute at The University of Queensland, Dr Rowena Mobbs of Mater Hospital Sydney are working together to promote awareness and understanding of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and its impact on individuals, families and communities.
For more information: Concussion and CTE Coalition’s Pre-Budget Submission and Joint Position Statement.
For support and information please contact the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500, dementia.org.au, the Brain Foundation brainfoundation.org.au, or Connecters Australia connecters.org.au.
Media contacts:
Christine Bolt 0400 004 553 | christine.bolt@dementia.org.au
David Edghill 0482 163 156 | david.edghill@dementia.org.au
When talking or writing about dementia please refer to Dementia-Friendly Language Guidelines.
