MS Australia has today received a major funding boost of $7.4 million from MSWA, this is the largest single donation received by MS Australia from any donor. This funding will allow essential research projects underway in WA to continue, while most of the funds will be directed to the expansion of existing national projects or the implementation of new ones. All funds however will be subject to the internationally recognised high quality research management control processes implemented by MS Australia.
Associate Professor Desmond Graham, President of MS Australia, said “this funding commitment from MSWA is significant, and on behalf of MS Australia, the MS community and myself as a person living with MS, I dearly thank the MSWA Board and CEO Marcus Stafford AM for this incredibly generous donation. This funding will have a direct impact on the lives of people living with MS and our progress towards a cure.”
“This funding boost will assist to supercharge the MS research in Australia. It will accelerate the world leading work of our MS researchers, enabling them to identify new treatments for people living with MS, in particular those with the progressive forms of the disease, as well as investigate ways to enhance the brain’s defences against MS and repair myelin.”
MS results from the loss of myelin, the insulating sheath around nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord. Protecting against or repairing this myelin damage is the holy grail of MS research, as treatments that promote repair will restore function that has been lost for people with MS. In particular it will aid those with progressive forms of the disease and provide dedicated therapeutic options for them. This funding boost will be a direct contribution to finding the cure as a portion of this donation will go directly into investigating Myelin repair.
MS Australia thanks MSWA for their generous contribution to the MS research landscape. MS Australia, in partnership with the state and territory MS organisations, are committed to increasing the funding directed to MS research. We believe our Australian researchers are amongst the best in the world and certainly punch above their weight. We are looking forward to the day when we have found the cure.
