Gibb Challenge for Sarah Shellabear Incubator Stroke Fund

Sarah was a beautiful mother, daughter, sister and friend to so many. She loved her animals and big cups of tea. She lived a healthy, active life which was cut short by stroke in 2019.
Together with the Perron Institute and the University of WA, our family is aiming to establish the first Chair of stroke medicine in WA. Tubs is riding 660km along the Gibb River road and I have shaved my head to contribute!

Read on for more details:

· Stroke is the second biggest killer of Australian women

· Stroke is the 2nd leading cause of adult disability and the 3rd leading cause of death globally.

· There is a one in four chance of having a stroke over the age of 25.

· Stroke affects Indigenous Australians more frequently and at a younger age.

· Regional people have a 20% higher risk of Stroke and double the risk of associated disability.

· Stroke is PREVENTABLE and treatable.


Western Australia is extremely fortunate in having one of the world’s leading academic and clinical neurologists, born, educated, living and working locally. It also has the Perron Institute, both a centre of excellence in neuroscience, and a leader in delivering research outcomes to the international community.

However, funding for research in critical fields of medicine is highly competitive with most leading experts obliged to generate a large proportion of their own funding. The best and brightest minds currently spend a large proportion of their time grant writing, on top of their academic and clinical roles, leading to burn-out, high levels of attrition, reduced outcomes, and a vast waste of potential. The opportunity cost of this broken system is extreme in terms of damaged lives.

UWA and the Perron Institute have come together to create a ‘Chair in Stroke’ to focus specifically on academic and clinical initiatives in Stroke in Western Australia. Specifically, it will create a platform for Professor Graeme Hankey, one of the world’s leading experts in Stroke, to lead and grow a world class team dedicated to improving stroke outcomes globally. Philanthropic funding is required to match UWA’s $3m allocation for the Chair in Stroke, to enable its operation in WA in perpetuity.

The Potential: What could be achieved with a Chair in Stroke in Western Australia?

The creation of a centre of global excellence in the specific study of Stroke; in achieving breakthrough research outcomes and translating them to clinical treatments for the benefit of the local and international community.

Help us, help others!