Research into brain disease dementia more urgent than ever
The number of people with dementia in the Netherlands is growing rapidly. 1 in 3 women will develop dementia and the chance of dying as a woman from dementia is currently many times greater than the chance of dying from breast cancer, stroke or heart attack, for example. Dementia is a hugely impactful disease. Not only for the patient, but also for the informal caregiver, the family and ultimately the whole of society. Alzheimer Nederland is therefore starting the campaign ‘What alz… it is you’. With this campaign, the organization wants to draw attention to this brain disease. The organization makes every effort to bring a future without dementia closer.
“The urgency to find solutions to prevent, treat and cure dementia is greater than ever. The corona crisis has made the size of the group of people with dementia in the Netherlands visible to everyone. A vulnerable group of people that will rapidly grow to half a million in 2040. No treatment or medicine is available for these people. With our ‘Wat alz …’ campaign, we want to make people aware that dementia is not about ‘the other’, but that there is a good chance that you will have to deal with it yourself. Dementia is one of the greatest challenges of our time. How do we as a society deal better with all those people with dementia now? And: how can we together ensure that future generations no longer have to deal with this disease? ”, Says Gerjoke Wilmink, director of Alzheimer Nederland.
1 in 3 women develops dementia
The figures don’t lie: 1 in 5 people develop dementia and among women it is 1 in 3. Although the risk of dementia increases with age, there is a significant group of people younger than <65 years who develop dementia. It is public disease number 1, with a fatal outcome. The number one cause of death in women is far above other diseases such as heart failure and breast cancer. A survey by Alzheimer Nederland among the general public shows that many people are insufficiently aware of this. Half of the women, for example, estimate the chance that they will develop dementia themselves is low. In addition, most women expect breast cancer to have a much higher death rate. Gerjoke Wilmink: “Women with breast cancer now have a good chance of survival. Alzheimer Nederland would also like to have that prospect for dementia, there is no chance of survival there at the moment ”. The biggest fear that emerges from the research is that people with dementia will no longer recognize their own family and friends. And no less than 40% of the respondents indicate that in case of dementia life no longer makes sense for him / her. “That is a shocking outcome. It indicates how intense people experience this disease. And that a solution really needs to be found. ”
Put the puzzle together
Despite the urgency to find solutions for this poignant fatal brain disorder, the budget for scientific research still contrasts sharply with the budget for other diseases. And that while research can make the difference. For example, more and more cancers can now be cured and HIV / AIDS is no longer a deadly disease. Researchers are convinced that we can also cure and prevent forms of dementia. No body part is as difficult to investigate as the brain, but technological developments have yielded much new knowledge over the past twenty years. In this way we are able to make the diagnosis faster and more accurately and we gain more and more insight into risk factors. “More money for research means a better chance of treatment and cure, it’s that simple.” says Gerjoke Wilmink.
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