The seven ATLANTIC FELLOWS programs and ATLANTIC FELLOWS community were funded by the late billionaire philanthropist, CHUCK FEENEY through his Giving While Living philosophy of philanthropy. Having given away his fortune during his lifetime, the Atlantic Fellows equity-focussed global programs were the “last big bet” of ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPIES, the organisation he founded to disperse his funds.

The programs came to life after several years of consultations, discussions and dedication among the staff of Atlantic Philanthropies, not least its board members and CEO.

As part of our series which features conversations with people closely involved with the original intent of the mission and vision of the global community of Atlantic Fellows, MARY McDONNELL, talks with former members of the board of Atlantic Philanthropies and its CEO about what was on their minds during those years of planning to create and develop the most appropriate equity-focussed programs and the Fellows who would comprise the global community.

Author of OUR FOUNDING STORY about the origins of the programs, Mary is in a unique position to introduce the following conversation which she hosted in 2022 at the Global Annual Convening of Fellows.

MUSIC: Thoughts in G, CHEYENNE MIZE, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health www.gbhi.org/profiles/cheyenne-mize & cheyennemize.com/

https://www.atlanticfellows.org/

CHUCK FEENEY, the billionaire philanthropist who gave his fortune away during his lifetime died a year ago, at the age of 92 on October 9, 2023. One of the last big bets of the donor organisation he founded, ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPIES, was to create seven global ATLANTIC FELLOWS programs, each committed to the eradication of inequities.

One of those programs, the ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR EQUITY IN BRAIN HEALTH program is housed in the GLOBAL BRAIN HEALTH INSTITUTE at two sites, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO and TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN. BRIAN LAWLOR is currently Site Director of the Trinity program and in reflecting on the late CHUCK FEENEY’s contribution, he begins by describing the impact Chuck had on the Irish city of Limerick where Brian grew up.

MUSIC: Thoughts in G, CHEYENNE MIZE, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health www.gbhi.org/profiles/cheyenne-mize & cheyennemize.com/

www.atlanticfellows.org/

On the first anniversary of CHUCK FEENEY’s death, VICTOR VALCOUR, Site Director for ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR EQUITY in BRAIN HEALTH at the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO (UCSF), reflects on the contribution the founder of ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPIES made in setting up the program, one of seven equity-focussed programs around the world.

The billionaire philanthropist who decided to give his wealth away during his lifetime in order to better humanity, died at the age of 92 on October 9, 2023. In this podcast, VICTOR begins by describing the first time he met Chuck with CHRIS OECHSLI, President & CEO of ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPIES, at the GLOBAL BRAIN HEALTH INSTITUTE at UCSF which houses the ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR EQUITY IN BRAIN HEALTH.

MUSIC: Thoughts in G, CHEYENNE MIZE, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health www.gbhi.org/profiles/cheyenne-mize & cheyennemize.com/

www.atlanticfellows.org/

DEMENTIA & HOPE

In this podcast, we join ATLANTIC FELLOW MELISSA CHAN (https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/melissa-chan) from Singapore in conversation with PETER ESTROP, who lives with dementia, and his wife, EVON, and RUTH WONG from DEMENTIA SINGAPORE. Ruth runs the VOICES FOR HOPE programme which empowers people living with dementia and their care partners to share their experiences.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at https://www.atlanticfellows.org/.

DEMENTIA AWARENESS IN SOUTH AFRICA & ZIMBABWE

In this podcast, we join ATLANTIC FELLOWS LEBO MOLETE (https://tekano.org.za/tekano-fellow/lebogang-molete/) from South Africa and MAUREEN SIGAUKE (https://afsee.atlanticfellows.lse.ac.uk/en-gb/fellows/2018/maureen-sigauke) from Zimbabwe as they discuss the awareness of dementia in their respective cultures.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at https://www.atlanticfellows.org/.

TECH FOR LIVING WITH, CARING FOR & WORKING WITH DEMENTIA

In this podcast, we join ATLANTIC FELLOWS KHANYO NGCOBO (https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/khanyo-ngcobo) from Durban, South Africa, and MELISSA CHAN (https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/melissa-chan) from Singapore in conversation with DAVID DE JONG from The Netherlands and TEMITOPE FAROMBI (https://www.linkedin.com/in/temitope-farombi-md/) from the BRAIN HEALTH INITIATIVE in Nigeria to discuss how technology can be used to improve the quality of life of those living with dementia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at https://www.atlanticfellows.org/.

MUSIC THERAPY FOR DEMENTIA

In this podcast, we join ATLANTIC FELLOW LEBO MOLETE (https://tekano.org.za/tekano-fellow/lebogang-molete/) from South Africa in conversation with DAN COHEN from RIGHT TO MUSIC (https://righttomusic.com/) in New York about how music can transform the quality of life of those living with dementia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at https://www.atlanticfellows.org/.

CARING FOR AND LIVING WITH LEWY BODY DEMENTIA

In this podcast, we join PROFESSOR IRACEMA LEROI (https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/iracema-leroi) from the GLOBAL BRAIN HEALTH INSTITUTE (https://www.gbhi.org/) in conversation with KEVIN and HELENA QUAID. Kevin lives with LEWY BODY dementia (https://lewybodyireland.org/), and his wife, Helena, is his care partner.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at https://www.atlanticfellows.org/.

LIVING WITH A DEMENTIA DIAGNOSIS

Welcome back to WALKING THE TALK FOR DEMENTIA.

In 2023, ATLANTIC FELLOWS (https://www.atlanticfellows.org/) joined people living with dementia, practitioners, researchers and caregivers in SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain, for a walk along the Camino followed by a symposium. This was a conference with a difference. Over the course of a week, participants walked and talked together to better understand each other’s experiences so that collectively they could create change. You can hear the story of that week in the opening podcasts in this series.

In the following podcasts, we catch up with conversations from that week between Atlantic Fellows and some of the participants.

We begin with PROFESSOR BRIAN LAWLOR (https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/brian-lawlor) from the GLOBAL BRAIN HEALTH INSTITUTE (https://www.gbhi.org/) in conversation with LAURIE WATERS from the US and BERRIE HOLTZHAUSEN from Namibia, both of whom live with dementia.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on, and subscribe to the series wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to learn more about ATLANTIC FELLOWS and their work for equity, please go to our website at www.atlanticfellows.org/.

CONVERSATIONS ALONG THE CAMINO | OMNIBUS

In May 2023, ATLANTIC FELLOWS from several equity-focussed programs around the world, joined the WALKING THE TALK FOR DEMENTIA along the Camino in Spain, ending in SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA. They were able to do so because of grants awarded by the ATLANTIC INSTITUTE in Oxford which supports Fellows from the seven global Atlantic programs to connect and collaborate for change.

WALKING THE TALK FOR DEMENTIA was the brainchild of three people, including two Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, Fernando AGUZZOLI-PERES from Brazil and Clara DOMINGUEZ from Santiago de Compostela. They, along with Brazilian Gustavo SAN MARTIN, wanted to organise a conference with a difference where, over four days, people living with dementia, practitioners, researchers, caregivers and Atlantic Fellows walked and talked together to better understand each other’s experiences so that collectively they could create change.

The ATLANTIC INSTITUTE is based in Oxford, England and works to promote connection and collaboration among Fellows from the seven Atlantic equity-focused programmes around the world in the pursuit of fairer, healthier, more inclusive societies.

https://www.atlanticfellows.org/