On the Road – NeuRA travel to the Southern Highlands – A Farewell

15/02/2018 Leonie Harle Leave a comment

By Leonie Harle

Dear Readers,

NeuRA’s Bequest Manager Leonie Harle loves being on the road, travelling the countryside to visit important NeuRA bequest givers. We joined Leonie on her recent trip to the exquisite Southern Highlands to ask her about this important role she has played for the last ten years.

How often do you travel to meet with a Bequest giver?
“I often travel to see these beautiful people, who have decided so graciously to leave a bequest. In these travels, I have gone all over the country; Berry, Canberra, the Blue Mountains, Perth, Adelaide, Orange, I could go on. And no matter where I am, or who I am with, I am always warmly welcomed, almost like family. In a way, we are family though, a part of the greater NeuRA family.” Leonie said

Tell us about your trip to Bowral
In my most recent trip, I met with three lovely ladies, Marj Webb, Gill Graham and Courtney Clark OAM. All have most generously decided to leave a bequest, and over tea, walks through the vineyards, and within their own homes, respectively, they always share with me their passion for neuroscience research. They always want to know how our research is going and if I have some hope to deliver

What research project did you talk about on your last trip?
In my most recent trip, I informed the ladies about our upcoming new Parkinson’s research, projects and the arrival of the new dementia group at NeuRA led by Prof Kaarin Anstey, whose research focuses on dementia risks and prevention. These fields of research are particularly important to Marj, Gill and Courtney as they have been affected by these diseases, either directly or as a carer, and they hope that with these and further research, will lead to better treatments and eventually cures.

NeuRA would like to acknowledge the tireless work of Leonie Harle over the last ten years and wish her all the very best in all her future adventures.

“I am truly humbled by the generosity of such wonderful people. They are as passionate about finding a cure as I am, and for me, to be able to sit with them to hear their stories of why they want to support NeuRA has been a real honour.” Leonie said.