Australian Rotary Health

Australian Rotary Health is the largest single Rotary project in Australia. Each year it contributes over $2m to health research. The main emphasis is Mental Health Research. Over $15m has been contributed to advances in mental health since 2000.

 

Australian Rotary Health has its origins in solving the mystery surrounding sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Ian Scott addressed the Rotary Club of Mornington on June 17, 1981, highlighting the need to fund more research to shed light on the mystery of this and other medical syndromes.

 

The effect Australian Rotary Health has had on mental illness research is shown through the success of our researchers in their long term careers, and the relevance of their funded studies to the wider community. For example, Dr Felice Jacka received funding in 2005-2008 for her PhD on the relationship between mood and anxiety disorders and nutrition. She has since gone on to discover a definite link between common foods and disorders such as anxiety and depression. These important findings were published in the acclaimed American journal “The Year in Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder: The Most Important Studies of 2010”.

 

The“Lift the Lid”Campaign was launched in 2016 to attract funds from the general community. In 2017 it becomes a national campaign. All Clubs are asked to assist this program.

 

Program representatives: Dr Peter Rogers (Melbourne), Ron Adams (Melbourne South)