Peter Couche Foundation
Every 10 minutes, someone in Australia suffers a stroke, making it the leading cause of disability in Australia. Over 250,000 Australians are currently living with the aftermath of a stroke. Peter Couche, a stroke survivor himself, established his foundation in 2010 to raise funds to support research into novel stroke therapies and prevention.
Foundation Chair, Stephen Couche (left) and Founder, Peter Couche (right)
The Peter Couche Foundation is housed within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Together, we raise funds to support stroke research and build awareness of stroke in the community.
Through the foundation’s support, medical researchers are investigating the use of adult stem cells to repair the brain after stroke. The foundation invests in the next generation of stroke researchers and supports visits to South Australia by international stroke experts. As the foundation grows, we aim to diversify our support in providing funds for the purposes of furthering stroke research.
Peter Couche’s story
In 1992, Peter Couche was a healthy 42-year-old when he suffered a stroke on a work visit to Singapore. A father of three and business professional; Peter has since lived with “Locked-in syndrome”, which despite an active mind, has left him paralysed. Over 13 years, he wrote Lifelines, a story about his struggle for a normal life after the stroke and the hope provided by stem cell therapy. This led to him being featured on Australian Story.
In 2010, he established the Peter Couche Foundation and was awarded the Pride of Australia Medal for Courage.
The foundation aims to make a difference to those who are affected by stroke. 100% of funds donated to the foundation go directly to research.
Contact
For more information on the Peter Couche Foundation, please contact:
Josie Gray
Research Fundraising Officer
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Phone: +61 8 8313 9939
Email: josie.gray@adelaide.edu.au
www.petercouchefoundation.org.au