The grandparents of a child with a debilitating Epilepsy have donated $33.7m to fund cannabis research at a University in Sydney, Australia.
Joy and Barry Lambert’s took the action after seeing the benefits of using cannabinoids to let their grand-daughter have a better quality of life. Katelyn Lambert has a rare disorder called Dravet syndrome which can cause many hundreds of seizures a day.
Speaking about using cannabis as a medicine, Grandfather Barry said “The experience of our granddaughter … has opened our eyes to the extraordinary possibility of cannabinoids treating not only her condition but a range of chronic illnesses that don’t often respond to conventional treatments,”
Hoping to excel Australian research “Our vision is to make Australia a world-leader in researching how to realise the powerful medicinal potential of the cannabis plant,” said Mr Lambert and added “We believe this investment in the future of Australian science and medicine will provide the much-needed evidence to rapidly advance the use of medicinal cannabinoids in the treatment of childhood epilepsy and other serious illnesses.”
Barry Lambert is estimated to be worth around $350 million after selling his financial planning firm in 2011.
University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Dr Michael Spence acknowledged the potential of the donation “The Lamberts’ unprecedented gift holds the promise of achieving innovative and effective new medicines to alleviate the suffering of countless numbers of people,”
“It enables research across a broad range of applications from addiction, cancer, obesity, childhood epilepsy and chronic pain to dementia and mental health disorders. Their generosity recognises the University’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research that can achieve life-changing outcomes. It is our privilege and responsibility to respond.”