Know someone affected by dementia?

Many of us do. A grandparent, a loved one, or a friend. Dementia has impacted my family profoundly in the past two years, with my Mum unexpectedly diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in just her mid 50s. Reduced to round the clock care home dependency, total loss of personality, and severe physical deterioration, the rapidity of her condition leaves behind regrets of the memories we never got to share.

Getting to a diagnosis of her condition proved a painful process with her misdiagnosed and passed between multiple institutions, hospitals and health professionals without getting the medication and care she needed.

Unfortunately dementia in all its forms continues to impact the lives of many, but lacks meaningful prevention, treatments and cures. My aim is to raise money toward these endeavours.

Making an impact in this area can change the outcome and quality of life for the millions of people who suffer from such conditions, and advance our understanding of the brain.

Backed by passionate scientists and supporters, Alzheimer's Research UK is challenging the way people think about dementia, bringing together the people and organisations who can speed up progress, and investing in research to make life-changing breakthroughs possible.

They also just so happen to be the partner charity for Dyson, where we have been funding the Dyson Fellow, Dr Claire Durrant, to research a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. She is looking for a solution and has pioneered a new approach to understand the role of tau, a key protein implicated in both frontotemporal (behavioural) dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.