Recently Completed Grants
Nutrition Australia Victorian Division: Ageing with Dignity
Grant: $50,583
This project resulted in the production of the Healthy Food Guidelines: For Supported Residential Services ‘above-pension’ which has been distributed to all 182 SRSs in Victoria. SRSs are privately owned businesses providing accommodation and personal care for the frail aged and disabled who can no longer live independently at home. Although they cater for a range of age groups, the average age of those living in ‘above-pension’ facilities is 83.
The guidelines provide balanced and nutritious menu planning and include 22 recipes (designed to serve up to 35 people) that are age- and culturally-specific and will improve the health and wellbeing for residents in their care. Research has shown that many chronic conditions and wound management issues of the elderly are diet related. The Guidelines were developed in conjunction with SRS facilities, and Dairy Australia designed and tested eight of the recipes.
For more information please go to Nutrition Australia’s website
Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR): Development of a Novel Medical Treatment to Cure Ectopic Pregnancies
Grant: $36,000
This project evaluated a new class of drugs developed for cancer which should cause the ectopic pregnancy (conceptions implanting in the fallopian tube which can erode blood vessels causing fatal bleeding and death) to regress. The new drugs are free of side effects and have not been used before as a treatment for conditions such as ectopic pregnancies. A series of laboratory tests using the petri dish and also grown on the backs of mice were conducted to see how well they can target and destroy placental tissue. These experiments have now been completed with some very exciting results for a medication-based alternative, which could replace the need for surgery.
As a result of the this work funded by the Trust, MIMR has received a NHMRC Project Grant of $540,000 towards Laboratory Research to further develop the concept and an additional NHMRC Grant to undertake Human trials at two sites, namely Monash and Royal Women’s Hospital.
FareShare Australia: One Million Meals from Rescued Food
Grant: $25,000
www.fareshare.net.au
FareShare (formerly One Umbrella) provides free, tasty, nutritious meals to the hungry and the homeless using donated food not needed by markets, caterers, and retailers around Melbourne. This project aimed to recruit new suppliers of unwanted food so as to increase the number of meals prepared by FareShare and distributed to over 100 charities. The outcome was successful with Woolworths, Heinz, SPC Ardmona and Ward Mackenzie all coming on board as donors to FareShare. Production of meals tripled from 15,000 to 45,000 meals per month. FareShare was able to increase the diversity and nutritional value of meals. In addition to supplying more meals, they were also able to supply the charities with more fresh produce as well.
Florey Neurosciences Institutes: Pilot project: Improving Health Outcomes in Stroke Patients – A shared team approach between nurses and doctors
Grant: $20,000
www.florey.edu.au
Stroke is the second most common cause of death and a major disability in the community. This trial sought to test whether using Medicare-funded Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plans, along with nurse-assisted interventions aimed at long-term management, improved health outcomes in stroke patients. It aimed to change the way patients are cared for after their stroke in order to prevent second and subsequent strokes, and to improve the quality of life. The researchers gained essential insights from the trial enabling them to successfully apply for a much larger grant of nearly $1.7m from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for a much larger multicentre resarch study over a five year period.