Our Story

The Brain Foundation was established in 1970 by members of the Australian Association of Neurologists and the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia to reduce the incidence and impact of brain, spine and nerve disorders, diseases and injuries through the provision of support, community education and research.

Professor James Lance AO CBE, one of the founding members of the Brain Foundation, and his associates have devoted themselves to the understanding and treatment of migraine and other headaches since 1965.  Headache has always been a vital part of the work of the Brain Foundation.  In 1996 the Brain Foundation established the Migraine Foundation of Australia and from this has evolved Migraine & Headache Australia.  Read more about the organisation and The Board.

Mission

Migraine & Headache Australia’s mission is to:

• Fund research into migraine and headache related disorders and disease.
• Provide reliable and trustworthy information for patients and their families
• Advocate and support the patient community

Read more about where your money goes.

Objectives

The objectives of Migraine & Headache Australia are to:

• Raise public and government awareness of headache disorders, their prevalence and impact, and of the Brain Foundation, through Headache Australia, as the only public organization representing those affected by headache disorders and whose work specialist neurologists support.
• Develop public education and support programs aimed at those affected by headache including a specific program for children.
• Develop education programs for health care providers at all levels.
• Partner with other agencies to deliver programs and services.
• Promote and encourage headache & migraine research.
• Undertake advocacy on behalf of those affected by migraine & headache disorders, to gain the support of government.
• Raise funds to support the programs emanating from these objectives and so benefit those affected by migraine & headache disorders.
• Recruit as many as possible to  National Headache Register to keep registrants informed about developments and and important research resource for those who volunteer.
• Build the National Headache Register.  Why?

The Brain Foundation currently receives no government funding for its headache and migraine programs, which are funded by monies secured through fundraising.  Current programs include:

• Handbook, fact sheets and other information material.
• Development of headacheaustralia.org.au website.
• Headache & Migraine Awareness Week.
• Media campaign to raise awareness of headache and migraine and the dangers of long-term self-medication.
• Research projects to ascertain working days lost due to headache and most frequently used medication for acute treatment.
• Annual funding of headache research from nationally competitive applications.

All Information Material is Endorsed by Leading Neurologists.

Headache is a major public health and social issue.  There is an urgent need to expand the headache and migraine services of the Brain Foundation.  Government, corporate and individual support is needed to achieve this.