High Five for Life: In Memory of Axel Hallinder

‘High Five for Life – In Memory of Axel Hallinder’ is a clinical research study through the partnership with StepStone and Imperial College London. The collaboration aims to initiate a research project to introduce the FINGER-model tailored for younger individuals to investigate attitudes towards and knowledge of brain health in people aged 18-25. We hope to invite students at Imperial College London to participate in this study.

StepStone has donated $25,000 towards the initiative to support our total goal of £100,000 to fund the study in Axel’s name. Donations through this page will go directly towards the ‘High Five for Life – In Memory of Axel Hallinder’ initiative, funding the clinical study, run by Imperial College.

For more information on this project, please contact Tindie Kalsi, AGE Research Unit Manager - j.kalsi@imperial.ac.uk and Dr Pramod Puthumanapully, Head of Development (Faculty of Medicine) - p.puthumanapully@imperial.ac.uk

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About Axel:

High Five for Life is a project set up in memory of Axel Hallinder, who sadly passed away in March 2023. Axel was the son of Helena and Anders Hallinder, and Helena is a member of the Ageing Epidemiology Research Unit at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. As a research coordinator and occupational therapist, she has dedicated her career to brain health and dementia prevention research.

Axel was a respected and well-liked young professional at StepStone Group, a global investor in private markets with a substantial presence in London, where Axel was based and developed an early interest in investing in healthcare. The team at StepStone is supporting and fundraising for the project in Axel’s memory.

The following link provides more on Axel’s story: "When Life Changed Forever: Axel's Grief-Stricken Farewell in the Wake of Swift Decline" and a letter, written by his family and friends.

Brain Health and the FINGER Trial:

Brain health and the importance of preserving your memory and function as you age is a growing health concern world-wide. More and more people are developing memory and functional problems as a result of dementia, a syndrome that is associated with progressive decline in brain function as you age.

It is expected that by 2050, there will be around 139 million people living with dementia globally. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia. Research indicates that up to 40% of dementias, including Alzheimer’s Disease, can be linked to 12 modifiable risk factors. Awareness around these risk factors early on in life can help build healthier habits that in turn can help maintain brain health and function later in life.

The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (known as the FINGER study), is a randomized controlled trial designed to assess the impact of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on cognitive health in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. The trial aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a lifestyle-based intervention in reducing the risk of cognitive decline.

The FINGER trial stands as a pioneering accomplishment, providing the first global evidence that lifestyle modifications can proactively forestall memory-related issues and safeguard brain health. Additionally, it underscored the significance of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle approach in enhancing brain health. It stands as an endorsement that it is never too early and never too late to start activities to maintain your brain health.

The Project: “High Five for Life – in Memory of Axel Hallinder”:

As well as being a driven professional, Axel possessed a steadfast commitment to self-care, recognizing the importance of maintaining his physical and mental well-being. Through his diligence in maintaining a balanced lifestyle, he exemplified resilience and determination, inspiring those around him to also strive for excellence.

The objective of the ‘High Five for Life – In Memory of Axel Hallinder’ project is to inspire younger adults to implement healthy lifestyle habits early on, in line with the FINGER-model, to support and boost brain health throughout their lives and preserve function as they age.

With over 10 million new cases of dementia diagnosed each year worldwide, implying one new case every 3.2 seconds, it is clear that optimizing brain health through the life-course with the goal of preventing dementia is an urgent priority. However, the availability of brain health and dementia prevention initiatives targeting younger people is currently lacking.