Annual Appeal letter - 17 October 2016

Dear Susan

This is a most important letter for me to write. I hope you take the time to read it through and give it some careful thought.

A mother once said to me, “There is nothing worse than watching your 20-year-old son suffer the debilitating effects of Type 1 diabetes.

And there is nothing better than the hope medical science might free him from his suffering.”

The mother’s grief is real when she said “It’s not his fault and he is so young. It breaks my heart. If it wasn’t for the illness his life would be fully active and the torment we share could be gone.”

Have you felt something similar with a loved-one? Maybe you have a parent with progressive dementia, a sister with the worry of breast cancer, or you might be suffering from a crippling disease yourself?

You will know that life can be full of hard knocks, and ill health is the worst kind. Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, dementia and stroke take a heavy toll on the sufferer, on the family and ultimately the on the community.

But you should know there is real hope for all these conditions, and more. Modern medicine has come a long way and there’s unlimited potential to go much further.

That’s why I’m personally writing to you today. I’m asking for a moment of your time because I am not a fundraiser – I am a parent, a member of this community and a medical man who happens to support this great cause.

Yes, I’m asking for your help.

Right now in the Wellington region, significant medical research is taking place that promises to make real advances and help transform lives. Important discoveries are being made in areas such as improving outcomes for preterm babies, and management of multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, obesity, stroke and conditions of particular concern in the Wellington region, such as asthma. You can read about three of these research projects in the attached brochure.

This kind of fundamental medical research is extremely powerful, yet relatively inexpensive. It is by far the best pathway to creating treatments that transform people’s lives, as well as strategies that prevent diseases from taking hold in the first place.

Research For Life (RFL), the Wellington Medical Research Foundation has provided vital support for quality medical research for nearly 60 years. The emphasis is on young researchers who are the next generation of talent with an innovative passion to solve some of the world’s toughest medical problems.

Grant recipients undertake research at institutions such as the Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington Hospital, Victoria University, Massey University, ESR and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.

Last year RFL funded over $200,000 in innovative medical and biomedical research but, frankly, too many quality projects miss out. More funding simply means more research happens and better outcomes will flow.

This is our very first fundraising appeal, with the goal of doubling the value of research and travel grants we award each year. This is a critical goal if we are to keep our Wellington researchers achieving the advances we need.

I am hoping today that you’ll join me and help us to transform people’s lives. You’ll be supporting the work of an army of incredibly talented people who are excited by their work, but just need the certainty that better funding can provide.

Please send a gift to Research For Life today, so that we can increase our important work and deliver on the potential we know rests with Wellington-based research.

I thank you in anticipation. In my daily work I’m committed to advancing healthcare for people. Please join me in giving something valuable back to medical research.

Yours sincerely

Professor John Nacey, President and Chairman
Research For Life

PS. I do hope you donate generously. Even better, committing to regular donations is a godsend for our work. You can do that with the attached donation form or go online at researchforlife.org.nz