An interview with Shake It Up Australia on July 11, 2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Biography
Shake It Up Australia is a not-for-profit organization established in 2011 by Australian entrepreneur Clyde Campbell. In partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), Shake It Up Australia promotes and funds Parkinson’s disease research in Australia aimed at better treatments and ultimately a cure. Since 2011, we have co-funded 71 Australian Parkinson’s research projects at 22 research institutes to the value of $27.7M. Founder Clyde Campbell wanted to ensure that 100% of all donations received went to Parkinson’s research. This commitment is made possible by our founding directors funding all the administration and overhead costs of the foundation.
Please tell me a little about Shake It Up Australia.
Shake It Up Australia Foundation is proud to have a small but dedicated and talented team, working hard to raise awareness for Parkinson’s and raising money to find better treatments and ultimately a cure.
OUR VISION
Our vision is a world without Parkinson’s.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to accelerate innovative research and treatments to slow, stop, and cure Parkinson’s.
OUR VALUES
Trust
Commitment
Collaboration
Innovative
Agile
Accountable
Driven
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
When Clyde was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 44, he decided not to sit back and wait for the rest of the world to find a cure for Parkinson’s but to join the action. In 2011 he launched Shake It Up Australia Foundation with one mission – to increase awareness and funding in Australia targeted at finding better treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson’s. Clyde’s search led him to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) in the United States and the remarkable work they do to fund medical research targeted at finding better treatments on the path to a cure for Parkinson’s disease. The approach MJFF takes to assessing, funding and project managing the world’s best research all over the globe eliminates redundancy, ensures efficiency, and unites the global community in the quest to find a cure. Clyde realized that funding Parkinson’s research in partnership with MJFF was the best thing that he could do to help himself, his family and the 150,000 other Australians living with the disease.
What effect can Shake It Up Australia have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
Shake It Up’s mission is to fund research to slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s disease. Every single one of the research projects we fund is helping to progress this goal and make a real difference to people living with Parkinson’s disease (and their loved ones) now and into the future.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
Our vision is a world without Parkinson’s – this is being made possible by the generous support of our donors, whose support allows us to fund ground-breaking research that is identifying ways to slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s disease.
What events do you participate in?
Shake It Up Australia is an active participant in the Parkinson’s community. Recently our CEO Vicki Miller presented at the Fight Parkinson’s Research Symposium, a significant event bringing together Parkinson’s researchers and neurologists to discuss exciting developments in both Australia and abroad, in collaboration with The Florey and WEHI. This event was a fascinating exploration of clinical advances, particularly in relation to Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease and gender.
Last month, founder Clyde Campbell spoke at the Clinical Trials Innovation Summit 2023, an event which explores how life sciences organizations are building more patient-centric clinical trials by improving patient diversity, engagement, retention, and recruitment. He will join 40+ speakers and 250+ senior-level clinical research, operations, and trial design leaders at Roche headquarters in Basel. And both Vicki and Clyde attended the 2023 World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona, an exciting opportunity for the global Parkinson’s community to join and hear from scientists, health-care professionals and people living with Parkinson’s about the latest breakthroughs and perspectives on research, treatments, and care. Shake It Up was thrilled to support an esteemed group of early career Australian researchers to be at the forefront of innovation at WPC 2023 with a series of travel grants provided to 30+ Honors, undergraduates, MD and PhD students and early-career researchers.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
Parkinson’s disease affects the whole family, not just those who are diagnosed. This is especially true if you are the primary caregiver for a spouse, parent or other loved one with the disease. The information on this page provides guidance on what to expect from Parkinson’s caregiving and how to care for your own health. See https://shakeitup.org.au/understanding-parkinsons/caregiver-information-parkinsons/
Top Tips for Caregivers
- Try to be patient. You may feel overwhelmed, anxious and overwhelmed with new information and incredible uncertainty. Give yourself and your loved one with Parkinson’s extra time, space and compassion.
- Get or stay active. Whether on your own or with your loved one, exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind.
- Get support. Make an effort to stay well-connected with family and friends who can offer emotional support. If helpful, consider seeing a therapist or joining an online support group. Also ask for help where useful – perhaps another member of your family could pick up groceries or help with errands.
- Take care of you. Taking care of yourself is one of the most important (and sometimes most difficult!) things you can do as a care partner. Consider scheduling regular breaks, social time (coffee chats or book clubs, for example) and exercise.
- Find a “pet” project. Some people and their care partners find it fun and helpful to take on a project together – anything from selecting a recipe and making dinner together, doing a jigsaw puzzle, playing cards, board games or gardening to name a few.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
Whether you are fundraising for Parkinson’s, becoming a regular donor, taking part in an athletic event, participating in research trials or joining us as a corporate partner, there are plenty of ways you can make a difference for Parkinson’s. Together, we can find a cure.
https://shakeitup.org.au/get-involved/
https://shakeitup.org.au/podcast/
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
Everything we do at Shake It Up is in pursuit of one vision – a world without Parkinson’s. We passionately believe that everyone has the power to make a difference and help us to achieve that vision.
About Clyde Campbell
Clyde Campbell is the founder of Shake It Up Australia Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and has an entrepreneurial spirit and a vision for the future. Clyde decided not to sit back and wait for the rest of the world to find a cure for Parkinson’s but to join the action. In 2011 he launched Shake It Up Australia Foundation with one mission – to increase awareness and funding in Australia targeted at finding better treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson’s.
Clyde also wanted to ensure that 100% of all donations received went to Parkinson’s research. This commitment is made possible by Clyde and his brother Greg funding all the administration and overhead costs of the foundation. Since 2011 the foundation has co-funded over $22 Million into Parkinson’s Research in Australia and are now the leading non-government funder of Parkinson’s research across multiple institutes.
On 26 January 2021, Clyde was appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) in the Australia Day Honors List, in recognition of his significant service to community health, particularly to people living with Parkinson’s disease.
About our Partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation
Clyde’s search led him to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) in the United States and the remarkable work they do to fund medical research targeted at finding better treatments on the path to a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
The approach MJFF takes to assessing, funding and project managing the world’s best research all over the globe eliminates redundancy, ensures efficiency, and unites the global community in the quest to find a cure. Clyde realized that funding Parkinson’s research in partnership with MJFF was the best thing that he could do to help himself, his family and the 150,000 other Australians living with the disease.