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M uch of the life-changing brain research the Neurological Foundation has been able to fund was made possible by gifts included in Wills. These quiet, powerful acts of giving have funded breakthrough discoveries, supported generations of researchers, and brought hope to countless families. One of those generous supporters is Rosemary Jennings, who has supported the Neurological Foundation for more than 25 years and has also included a gift in her Will. “I’ve seen what research can do, and now I’m living with Parkinson’s, donating is a practical way to help others,” she says. Her late husband, Garth, lived with Parkinson’s disease for six years, and during that time, Rosemary received the devastating diagnosis herself. “I’ll never forget 2015 – it was tough. I had to put Garth into care, and both my parents died.” Even though research may not have helped whānau and friends, Rosemary hopes one day there will be a breakthrough. At a recent Neurological Foundation event, Rosemary met Professor John Reynolds – a Parkinson's researcher who received his first Foundation grant in 1996. For Rosemary, it was powerful to see first-hand what long-term support for research can achieve. Professor Reynolds is working on a promising treatment using ultrasound brain stimulation to help restore movement and function for people living with Parkinson’s disease. “It’s nice to know who my money went to – and how it’ll be used to advance science,” Rosemary says. “"Giving during your lifetime means you get to see the impact and claim a third back, so your donation goes even further.” Leaving a gift in your Will doesn’t require wealth – just the wish to leave something meaningful behind. This September, we invite you to take that small step, and leave a legacy of hope for generations to come. Visit: neurological.org.nz/support-us/leave-a-legacy/ CREATING A LEGACY September is Wills Month – a time to reflect on acts of generosity that can reach far beyond our lifetime. Left: Rosemary Jennings, who has generously left a gift in her Will to the Neurological Foundation, with Parkinson’s researcher John Reynolds. Headlines 19