About Emma's Chosen Charity - Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. They campaign for change, fund research to find a cure and support people living with dementia today.
What is their mission?
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. Someone develops it every three minutes and there’s currently no cure. Alzheimer’s Society is facing dementia head on. They are working to build a movement, inspired by voices, they are leading the way in support, society and research.
Support:
Too many people face dementia alone. The Alzheimer's Society provides a wide range of support services to ensure nobody has to face dementia alone. These are services, such as: Dementia Connect, Dementia Connect Support Line & Group Services.
Society:
Cracks in our health and social care system are growing. There is a lack of understanding about dementia and how urgent the situation is.
The Alzheimer’s Society are making it part of their mission, that by 2022 the public will be aware of the challenges posed by dementia and people affected by dementia will be in control and able to make choices about the care and support they access.
Research:
There hasn’t been a new drug for dementia introduced in 15 years. The drugs that exist can’t slow dementia down or stop it from getting worse.
As dementia is a disease of the brain, this means with enough research we can beat it. The Alzheimer’s Society are aiming to turn relevant research into a cure and these findings will be used to improve care, treatment and information.
Why did you choose this charity and what does their mission mean to you?
I have witnessed dementia first hand and it has highlighted to me how little we all know about the disease. As the UK’s leading dementia charity, it means a lot to me that the Alzheimer’s Society is raising awareness and that it is a key part of their mission to do so.
The main fact that took me by surprise and that I think is important to share, is that the early warning signs can start younger than you would expect. We all assume that only the older generation can get dementia but it’s this sort of thinking that leads to us missing some of the key early warning signs, such as:
Memory Problems
Difficulty Problem Solving
Language & Communication Changes
Poor Orientation
Visual-Perceptual Difficulty
Changes In Mood or Emotion
Have you completed any fundraising for this charity before and do you have any fundraising plans for the future?
I haven’t completed any fundraising yet, but once I am back from my maternity leave I am planning on getting involved with some of their fundraising efforts. Ways to get involved are linked here!
Why do you think people should support this charity?
I think people should support this charity because there is currently no cure for dementia, a lack of understanding of dementia and funds are needed in order to carry out life-saving research.
Donations to the charity not only fund research but also fund support, training and campaigning for rights of people living with dementia. Last year, donations helped over 200,000 people who were affected by dementia.
If you would like to donate to the Alzheimer’s Society then follow the link here or if you fancy learning more about the charity then head over to their website.
