Message from Princess Yasmin Aga Khan
for the Centenary Year of Alzheimer's disease 2006
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan is president of ADI and the daughter of Rita Hayworth, the actress, who had Alzheimer's disease.
Now in 2006, as we commemorate the 100th year since Alzheimer's disease was first diagnosed, we have the opportunity to look back on the advances made in care and treatment over the last 100 years but also to look forward and assess the needs of the 24 million people living with dementia worldwide.
Dementia indiscriminately takes loved ones away and places a great burden of care on family members and carers. I know this through personal experience after my mother, the beautiful actress Rita Hayworth, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1981.
Last year we found out that a new case of dementia arises every seven seconds. The repercussions of these alarming new figures will be substantial. Each person with dementia needs constant care and those caring for them are no less in need of advice and support. Governments must prepare now for the projected increase of people with dementia - by 2040 there will be over 80 million people worldwide affected with the disease which in turn will put a great strain on health services.
This year Alzheimer's Disease International is working with members worldwide to raise the profile of dementia and to call governments to action. We must work together to put dementia high on the international health agenda, something that we hope to launch through our international postcard campaign to the UN. We will also be running a series of international events to raise awareness throughout 2006 such as a photography competition entitled 'Living with dementia' which will aim to produce a library of photographs that portray a more positive image of the disease. Activities will culminate with the 'Ascent for Alzheimer's: World Team', a hike up Mount Kilimanjaro on World Alzheimer's Day on 21st September, and with ADI's 22nd international conference in Berlin in October.
I am sure that this year will motivate us to work even harder for our cause. We now have all the tools to make a difference to public and governmental perception of dementia: let's get moving, there is no time to lose.
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan
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