Peter Meyer Fund

Launch of the Peter Meyer Fund for research into schizophrenia

The Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW is delighted to announce the launch of the Peter Meyer Fund for research into schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a devastating illness that targets young people in their prime. Those promising young people who have had much to offer society, and much to look forward to. Peter Daniel Meyer was no exception.

He was born in 1964, and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1987 at the age of twenty two. Despite twenty unbelievably difficult years when he lived with the debilitating symptoms of this illness – when he imagined his enemies lurked at every corner, and a dreadful band of Nazis was about to target his precious eyesight – he managed to complete his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Sydney University, a media writing and editing course at RMIT, and during the last year of his life he worked hard to produce some significant drawings and paintings at St. Georges TAFE. Peter was a student of Sydney Grammar.

On the 1st January 2003 Peter Meyer took his own life because of the torments of schizophrenia. He was 38 years old. Within days of his death his parents Rosalind and Bob Meyer set up the Peter Meyer Fund, through the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW. The aim of the Fund is to offer small grants to young researchers working specifically in the field of schizophrenia.

The Peter Meyer Fund was established with some very generous donations from family and friends. Rosalind Meyer has also written two books. The first - A window into schizophrenia, was published in 2004 and highly commended. It featured Peter’s drawings and some of his essays. Her second book Rosie’s War – escape from Singapore 1942 is about the Japanese attack on Singapore. The proceeds from both books have gone to support the Peter Meyer Fund.

The Peter Meyer Fund is calling for its inaugural applications for a grant of $5000. The Fund focuses on all aspects of cause, treatment and support for schizophrenia and is open to researchers under 35. The very first of the Peter Meyer grants will be presented to a worthy young researcher on the 5th November, 2010 at the Schizophrenia Fellowship 25th Anniversary Dinner.

By some strange coincidence this day would have been Peter’s 46th birthday.

Click here to download further Grant Information

For more information please contact the Fellowship on 9879 2600