Zoom meeting with PDG Greg Ross
By the fantastic Graeme Thompson
On 21st October, the guest speaker at the Club’s zoom meeting was PDG Greg Ross and he spoke about the excellent work by the Australian Rotary Health (ARH) as well as the Lift the Lid initiative. Greg gave a brief about the history of ARH which began in 1981 under the leadership of Royce Abbey. One of the early projects funded by ARH concerned Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which identified that sleeping face down was a significant risk factor for babies dying, transforming the understanding of SIDS. In 2000 funding research into mental health became a focus of ARH. Later in 2009 an Indigenous Health school program was funded.
Currently ARH operated with a staff of 5, a board of 12 and a separate search board that reviews the 300 grant applications received each year.
Over the years a $18 million fund was established which fluctuates according to the current economic environment.
In 2016 “lift the Lid” was established as a means of creating awareness of mental health issues during Mental Health Month (October) both in the community and Rotary, encouraging financial support. An early example of a successful fundraiser was a bike ride from Victor Harbour to Broken Hill, raising $70K.
In coming years, the focus for support will be studies addressing mental health issues in children up to the age of 14.