About Us

Our Story

Gawie and Hannelie with patient
"We recognise the day-to-day challenges of both sufferers and carers and will continue to develop specialised products to assist dysphagia patients and carers of those within every age group and level of disability."
Dr. Gawie Roux

Dr. Gawie and Hannelie Roux have been working together in General Practice and Aged Care for nearly 20 years. Dr. Gawie Roux is a Medical Doctor and Hannelie is a Registered Nurse.

Lifemere was originally known as Bayro No 1. Undergoing a rebrand in 2017, with the RoseCup product ranges as a primary focus.

The design, development and refinement of the RoseCup, the innovative attachments and thickened fluid food range, has been ongoing for 7 years.

The Roux's and their team care deeply about aged care and specifically about finding solutions for people with nutrition and swallowing difficulties.

Carer education is also important to the Lifemere team. By providing educational materials they aim to increase awareness and encourage professional diagnosis to assist those suffering from feeding and swallowing difficulties.

Lifemere continues to work closely with Speech Pathologists, Nutritionists, Carers and other professionals to provide safer swallowing solutions to support carers and those experiencing difficulties swallowing.

At Lifemere we embrace and celebrate the value of every life.

Meet our team

Dr. Gawie Roux
Managing Director

Dr. Gawie Roux

Dr. Gawie Roux is a man of many talents and accomplishments, underpinned by a compassionate heart and a desire to support and celebrate the value of life. He works closely with his wife Hannelie (a registered nurse) to research and develop products that make a difference in the lives of those who struggle with eating and swallowing difficulties, with a focus on the elderly. Dr. Roux works as a GP in Toowoomba, with a special interest in dysphagia and skin cancer.
Hannelie Roux
General Manager, Registered Nurse

Hannelie Roux

Hannelie is the heart of the Lifemere team. She is a multi-talented and beautiful person who people tend to gravitate towards. Her heart for people and drive to actively make a difference in people's lives is lived out in her daily life. Hannelie qualified in South Africa with a degree in Nursing and Psychiatry and has previously worked as a registered Midwife. She has a special interest in skin cancer and dysphagia.

Whether she is assisting Dr. Gawie in the medical practice in her role as Registered Nurse, organising Lifemere event logistics, talking strategy or product development, or sharing her creative flair through her beautiful flower arrangements, photography or gardening, it is clear that she is a woman of purpose and passion. Alongside Dr. Gawie, she has worked towards providing products in the Lifemere range, that offer hope and support to dysphagia sufferers and the elderly. Hannelie was the President of the RDAQ - Rural Doctors Association of Queensland - Family Network for three years.

Rose Palmada

To fight for food and life

The RoseCup Story - by Dr. Gawie Roux

I became the GP of this charming lady, Rose and her astute husband Louis at the turn of the century in a small village in rural Queensland, Australia. Indeed a colourful and most interesting couple. Salt of the earth they were...

Inspired by people affected by Dysphagia

Difficulty or discomfort when swallowing

Dysphagia is associated with a wide range of medical conditions and is a result of damage to the nerves and muscles used for swallowing. Symptoms of dysphagia include choking and coughing on swallowing and food sticking & causing discomfort.

Normal swallowing
Dysphagia
Swallowing using RoseCup

Dysphagia is a serious condition – there is a high risk of food and/or drink passing into the airways if not managed properly which can cause pneumonia. People with dysphagia are also at risk of poor nutrition because of the effort required to eat and/or drink.

People with dysphagia frequently require modification of the texture of food (soft, minced and moist or smoothly pureed) and/or their fluids to be thickened in order to make swallowing as safe as possible.

If you or a family member has dysphagia, a specialist medical practitioner or speech therapist will advise you on the modification level that is right for you.

Clinical Trials and Testimonies

"My client has PSP and a severe oropharyngeal dysphagia characterised by significantly delayed transit of a liquid bolus, compounded by poor head movement for oral intake.

The Rose Cup has increased her daily hydration intake, she’s drinking far more than she ever could before the Rose Cup. The Rose Cup is easy to use and hold, she can independently have a drink without spillages, she can access all the drink from the bottom of the cup with the straw and the volume of each bolus is controlled which has reduced coughing with inconsistent and unexpected bolus sizes.

It’s been a game changer and helped stabilise and halt her weight loss as she is drinking high protein and dietician certified nutritionally complete moderately thick drinks over the course of the day independently.

Her daughter has also enjoyed being able to take the Rose Cup on coffee and lunch outings and avoid messy spills and challenges with café cups/mugs when the last 1/4 of the drink would be left in the cup due to inability to move head to access the last of the beverage.

Most importantly it’s a safe way for her to drink and she enjoys drinking from the Rose Cup."

South Australia, Speech Pathologist

Media & News

Let's get old with quality and dignity

“Doc you know, dad was one of the top bank managers in the state and just look at him now! And mum was always at his side, cheerful and energetic. And look at the two of them - just a shade of what they have been... ”
Let's get old with quality and dignity
The RoseCup has been developed in Australia and is a TGA registered, Class 1 Medical Device. It has been designed to assist with access to nutrition and hydration for anyone struggling with feeding and swallowing or who has been diagnosed with dysphagia.