'Columbia University Libraries/Information Services'
Doi
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders constitute the single greatest source of the global burden of disease, but it seems that philanthropy and advocacy aimed at supporting research to alleviate the burden of these disorders often are overshadowed by corresponding efforts in many other areas of medicine. For example, the United States public donates five times more money to cancer than to mental health research, and for the United Kingdom public, the equivalent figure is a staggering 900 times more. In this context, it is particularly sobering that we recently lost two towering mental health advocates and philanthropists, Constance E. Lieber and Theodore R. Stanley. These two individuals made an enormous and enduring impact through the initiatives that they created and sustained, through their personal contributions, and through their ability to mobilize others. For the editors, editorial board members, and editorial committee members of Biological Psychiatry who constitute the authors of this commentary, the losses are personal. Each of us has received research support made possible through the actions of these unique individuals. In acknowledging our gratitude, we hope that our collective efforts to advance the understanding of mental illness and its treatment are a lasting testament to their impact
