Remembering Mike Schapiro: A friendship that shaped research and redefined ageing

Heidi Douglass | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au 

Ask Michael Schapiro how he was doing, and he’d flash that cheeky grin and say: “All things being equal, I’m okay. All things being unequal.… I’m still okay.”

That line – both philosophically silly and emotionally resilient, captured Mike perfectly - sharp, witty and determined to see the best in every scenario. It also reflected the spirit that guided his lifelong curiosity. His love of learning eventually led him to Professor Henry Brodaty, Co-Director of UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), and to participation in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

“Mike never treated volunteering as just turning up,” recalls CHeBA Senior Lecturer Dr Katya Numbers and former Study Coordinator of the Memory and Ageing Study. “He came prepared, engaged, and ready to contribute. He asked the hard questions, gave real feedback and offered suggestions that genuinely shaped how we run research today.”

For twelve years, Mike participated in CHeBA’s Memory and Ageing Study (MAS), before stepping into new roles as advisor, focus group member and lived experience board member. He wasn’t content to fill in surveys and attend appointments; he wanted to shape the work itself. His insights influenced recruitment strategies, study design, and protocol development - changes still in place today.

Yet the impact of Mike’s involvement can’t be measured only in research outcomes. His partnership with Dr Numbers became a symbol of what CHeBA strives for: meaningful intergenerational collaboration that challenges stereotypes about ageing.

People often tried to categorise what they were seeing: a young researcher and a much older man scribbling notes in public. “Your grandfather?” strangers would ask. “Your patient?” Sometimes, just to save time, she’d say “colleague.” But more often than not, the answer was simply, “My friend.”

Mike wore his “LEGEND” hat proudly, but his real legend was in proving what 95 could mean - spark, curiosity, humour and generosity. For Dr Numbers, he was the reason she studies self-perceptions of ageing, stereotypes, and stigma. “Our coffee dates shaped my research direction,” she says. “Mike reminded me that the best way to know what older adults want from research is to ask them. That insight became foundational for how I approach every project.”

A Life of Tenacity and Integrity

Mike’s life beyond CHeBA was no less remarkable. Born in Johannesburg in 1932, he grew up in poverty, often going to school without shoes. His father died young, but even as a boy Mike showed a fierce sense of responsibility toward his family. Despite leaving school at 14 and struggling with dyslexia, he built a glittering career in advertising, eventually leading South Africa’s largest agency and later serving as Managing Director of Kellogg’s for the entire African continent.

His values of honesty and integrity defined his leadership. In an era when business in Africa was driven by bribery, Mike refused to compromise. Distribution channels opened under his watch without a single bribe changing hands. He mentored colleagues across continents, championed underdogs and even helped a young Black manager buy a home in an all-white suburb during apartheid.

Inspired by academic Tim Noakes, Mike returned to study later in life, graduating cum laude with a degree in nutrition. It was one of many examples of his insatiable curiosity and refusal to stop learning.

Family, Community and the Joy of Living

Alongside his professional success, Mike built a family life full of love and humour with his wife Norma, to whom he was married for 63 years. Together they raised children Geoff and Kim, travelled widely, and were blessed with five grandchildren: Chelsea, Georgia, Davin, Jemma and Brooklyn.

He ran more than 100 long-distance races, including 21 City2Surf events, the last at age 86. He played golf most weekends with his childhood friend John Simon, their rivalry spilling into debates about politics and life. His commitment to health was fierce - diagnosed with high cholesterol at 50, he transformed his diet and lifestyle, even if he occasionally snuck a chip when he thought no one was watching.

After immigrating to Australia in 1997, Mike threw himself into community life once more, volunteering for Greenpeace, Centennial Parklands, Emanuel School Security and mentoring countless individuals behind the scenes. His generosity was often unseen but always felt.

A Legacy of Connection

In his final years, even while battling mesothelioma, Mike’s spirit remained undimmed. He lived two years beyond his prognosis, still finding purpose in family, friendships and research.

“Mike’s legacy at CHeBA is about more than data or protocols. He proved that ageing can mean growth, engagement, and contribution. He showed us that participants can be collaborators, and that wisdom flows in both directions across generations,” said Dr Numbers.

His son Geoffrey captured it best in his eulogy: “For a man of such small stature, he has left a big hole in all of our lives.”

All things being equal, CHeBA has lost a remarkable collaborator. All things being unequal… many have lost a dear friend.