All Black trio help Cure Kids launch
All Blacks Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock and Sam Whitelock have helped announce a multi-million-dollar investment in research into child and teenage mental health.
A large donation by Briscoes managing director Rod Duke and family has enabled Cure Kids to establish a dedicated senior research position — known as a chair — attached to the University of Auckland.
The charity says at least one in four Kiwi children and adolescents will experience a significant mental health issue. The Cure Kids Duke Family Chair in Child and Adolescent Mental Health will allow a world-class researcher and a small team to dedicate their time to finding answers in the area.
Yesterday the three All Blacks spent time with Cure Kids ambassadors who live with a range of serious health conditions, including mental health conditions.
The university will conduct an international search for the chair, although Cure Kids says the intention is that the successful candidate be a New Zealander.