Name: Rick Harley Position: Chairman, Neil Sachse Foundation, Consultant, Hunt & Hunt Rick Harley is a Senior Consultant to the Commercial and Property Department of Hunt & Hunt  in Adelaide.  Hunt & Hunt is a leading Australian law firm with offices across Australia and overseas, providing a range of services to the government, the private sector and non-profit organisations.

Rick Harley is a Senior Consultant to the Commercial and Property Department of Hunt & Hunt  in Adelaide.  Hunt & Hunt is a leading Australian law firm with offices across Australia and overseas, providing a range of services to the government, the private sector and non-profit organisations. 

His community involvement began more than twenty years ago with Adelaide Workmen’s Homes Inc, an organisation helping to provide working people with subsidised rental accommodation, of which he is a trustee.  Rick has also been involved with Enterprise in the Community for over fifteen years and is the current Chair of the board.  And to further encourage youth enterprise, Rick is a mentor for the South Australian Youth Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES). 

Rick has been a board member of the Neil Sachse Foundation since 2001, and was first elected as Chairman in 2005.  Since working with the Foundation, he has helped broaden the organisation’s vision, from focussing on one major research project to building a network of people who have the expertise in identifying, evaluating and helping special projects reach the trial stage. The board decision in the last 12 months to change the name to the Neil Sachse Foundation has increased public awareness, levels of fundraising and enabled us to set bigger goals for the future.

How did you become involved in the Neil Sachse Foundation?

I first met Neil not long after his accident when he was fund raising for Bedford Industries and we kept in touch. 

Why did you become involved in the organisation?

I have always been impressed by Neil’s selfless commitment to improve the quality of life for sufferers of spinal cord injury and his quest for a cure.  When he asked me three years ago to help him to advance the Rush research into human clinical trials, I unhesitatingly agreed.  I believe it to be a worthwhile cause.

What do you like to do on weekends?

I enjoy participating in and watching a range of sports, pottering around the house and spending time with family and friends.

Name: Neil Sachse
Position: CEO, Neil Sachse Foundation

In 1975, Neil Sachse was a football star. He had just moved to the VFL to play with Footscray after having a successful career with North Adelaide and South Australia.

He was playing his second game for Footscray when he sustained a spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic and changed his life forever.

Before founding the organisation (now named the Neil Sachse Foundation), Neil was a successful fundraiser with Bedford Industries, working his way through from being a trainee and earning 11c per hour to a fulltime staff member and the Fundraising Manager.

Now, an interview with Neil

Why did you start the Foundation?

I began the organisation in 1994 because there was little being done in Australia regarding finding a cure for spinal cord injury. Because of the way I had my injury, I felt I could play a part in helping gain funds to invest in research to find a cure. I did not realise at the time the difficulties I would find in this endeavour. I am very confident a cure will be found as the difference in the industry between now and when I started, in 1994, is phenomenal. It was generally accepted that spinal cord injury cannot be fixed and once you’re in a wheelchair, you’ll be staying in a wheelchair. But now, that attitude is changing. It is now accepted that a cure in now possible.

These days, there is a number of organisations worldwide working towards finding treatments and we are moving reasonably quickly towards this goal. Positive research outcomes are being spoken of all the time which makes me more and more hopeful of a cure in my lifetime. However, the cure will not be for me. We are working hard for the next generation. For our children and grandchildren.

What is the next step?

We are working towards applying research through clinical trials. It is the next step to finding treatments. At the moment, there are not many trials being undertaken in humans, most of the knowledge comes from research in the laboratory. Technologies that are successful in the laboratory may not translate to humans and so, we need to move these technologies into clinical trial.

Tell us something you do on weekends

I like to spend time with my 5 grandchildren on the weekends. When they come and visit, its like a whirlwind when they arrive and a whirlwind when they leave! It’s really good to see them, but it certainly increases the volume in the house! I live on the beach so go for a wheel on weekends down a path next to the beach and drop by the kiosk and playground for coffee for us and some hot chips for the kids – the kids like that.