FD36a Docker JUL05-REV.indd - Fremantle Football Club

CharitiesLending A HandAlzheimer’s Australia WA Ltd and the Cerebral Palsy Association WA wereselected as the club’s two aligned charities in season 2005.THE PARTNERSHIP with Alzheimer’s AustraliaWA Ltd was launched on 24 March at theAlzheimer’s Day Centre in Shenton Park.Players Justin Longmuir and Paul Hasleby arethe club’s Ambassadors for the Associationand for Justin he was very much lookingforward to the opportunity to help sucha worthwhile cause.“Paul and I are really pleased that we are in aposition to help raise awareness of Alzheimer’sand in particular dementia,” he said.“It’s fantastic that the football club hasidentified a charity that really needsassistance to raise their profile so we can helpto educate the community.“It’s really quite frightening when you see thefigures of the number of people with dementiaand the predictions for the years ahead.”Two of the ladies at the launch succumbedto Paul Hasleby’s charm when he sat himselfbetween them for a quiet chat on an outdoorswing, one taking the opportunity to steala kiss with no complaints from Paul whothoroughly enjoyed the attention.Alzheimer’s Australia WA CEO Frank Schapersaid at the launch: “We are thrilled to beinvolved in such a wonderful partnershipwith Fremantle Football Club. ““Dementia is a major health issue in Australiathat affects not only the person who receivesa diagnosis, but every member of that person’sfamily, young or old.“We look forward to working together topromote greater awareness and a range ofpositive initiatives for the WA community.”The partnership with the Cerebral PalsyAssociation WA was launched on 6 May firstlyat the Swanbourne Primary School and thenat the Association’s headquarters at the SirDavid Brand Centre in Coolbinia.Ambassadors Troy Cook and Jeff Farmer werethrilled to become associated with CerebralPalsy and at the launch had the opportunity tomeet with Swanbourne Primary School studentsConrad Morris and Ewen Robinson who wereecstatic to meet their Fremantle heroes andpose for photos and have a kick to kick.At the Sir David Brand Centre, Jeff and Troymet three year old Lennard and two year oldLuke, who despite having Cerebral Palsy enjoysport and are mad Fremantle supporters. Lukedid not hesitate to immediately challenge theWiz to have a go on the slides while Lennardwas eager to show his favourite player TroyCook he had been practising his tackling skills.The establishment of the partnership aimsto promote understanding and awarenessof Cerebral Palsy and increase the profileof the Association.Cerebral Palsy Association of WesternAustralia General Manager of CorporateDevelopment, Anita Ghose said theAssociation was extremely grateful forthe support of the Fremantle Football Club.“This is a great opportunity to make adifference to the lives of people withCerebral Palsy in Western Australia and thecommunities within which they live,” she said.Jeff Farmer and Troy Cook were special guestswhen the Cerebral Palsy Association held theirannual Sponsor/Supporter thank you breakfastat the Burswood-On-Swan function centre.Chief Executive Officer Cameron Schwaband the Minister for Disability Services andSport and Recreation, the Honourable Mr BobKucera were guest speakers. Both spoke ofthe remarkable impact West Australia sportspeople can have on others and Mr Kuceracommended the Fremantle Football Club fortaking on a pro-active role with the CerebralPalsy Association.Nation’s Biggest HealthProblem EmergesIT HAS RECENTLY been estimated thatnearly 52,000 people will be diagnosed withdementia by the end of this year in Australia– 1000 people every week. Dementia is set tobecome the nation’s biggest health problem asthe number of cases is set to exceed 730,000by the year 2050.The disease currently affects one in fourAustralians aged over 85 and is expected tobecome the number one cause of disabilityin Australia ahead of depression and otherchronic illnesses by 2016.Dementia is used to describe the symptomsof a group of illnesses which causes aprogressive decline in a person’s mentalfunction. These symptoms include the loss ofmemory, intellect, rationality, social skills andnormal emotional reactions.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common formof dementia and accounts for up to 70 percentof all cases. It is a degenerative diseasethat begins with symptoms such as memoryloss and vagueness before progressing tobrain deterioration, behavioural changes andeventually death.Although dementia is most commonly causedby Alzheimer’s disease, it can also be causedby a range of other diseases includingParkinson’s disease, Vascular Dementia(multiple strokes), Pick’s disease and AIDS.The chilling fact about Alzheimer’s diseaseand dementia is that it can happen to anyoneand although it is more common after the ageof 65, there have been cases where peoplein their 30s, 40s and 50s, diagnosed withyounger onset of dementia.There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’sdisease.In Australia, dementia currently costs around$6.6 billion, making it the most expensivemental health item in Australia. Researchersalso expect the cost to double by mid-centuryand place a severe strain on our economyif there is a lack of investment in dementiaresearch, care and awareness.Resources are also needed to providedementia specific services and quality care topeople with dementia while funds are neededto raise the profile of the disease in thecommunity especially in regional WA.For more information, visit the Alzheimer’sAssociation website at www.alzheimers.asn.au.16 Docker July 2005 fremantlefc.com.au