David Cameron appointed president of Alzheimer’s Research UK

25 Jan 2017 News

David Cameron, the former Prime Minister, has been appointed as the new president of Alzheimer’s Research UK today, and has written a column in The Times calling for more funding for dementia research. 

In an announcement made on his personal Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning, the former Prime Minister said that he was “delighted to join Alzheimer’s Research UK as its president – supporting its vital work driving medical research to defeat dementia”. 

During his time in office, Cameron launched the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge in 2012 and launched Alzheimer’s Research UK’s £100m Defeat Dementia fundraising campaign during a G7 event in London in 2014. 

In 2012, Cameron called dementia “one of the biggest challenges we face today – and one that we as a society simply cannot afford to ignore any longer”. 

Cameron resigned the office of Prime Minister on 13 July 2016, following the referendum on the UK’s continuing membership of the European Union. 

‘Cancer and stroke research deserve funding, but dementia shouldn’t be so far behind’

In an article written in The Times today, Cameron called for more resources to be put towards dementia research, saying it “shouldn’t be so far behind” funding for cancer and stroke research. 

“We must win the battle of priorities,” wrote Cameron. “Cancer research and stroke research deserve all their funding – but dementia shouldn’t be so far behind. After all, dementia remains one of our greatest health challenges.”

The UK must, he wrote, win “continued support for scientific research that must be properly funded and promoted”. 

He also wrote that “a deeper understanding” of the disease was needed, “with too many of us writing off dementia as an inevitability of later life, rather than being caused by diseases of the brain that we can overcome with medical research”. 

In a separate statement issued by the charity, Cameron said “I’m delighted to take up the presidency of Alzheimer’s Research UK, an ambitious charity driving medical research to fight this devastating condition. 

“As well as being a world-leading research organisation, the charity is also fighting the misconceptions of dementia that persist in society. Dementia is not inevitable and research is our greatest weapon against it. 

"I’m committed to helping Alzheimer’s Research UK transform the lives of those affected by this life-shattering condition.”

Hilary Evans, chief executive of ARUK, said: "David Cameron’s support of our work will help us continue our positive growth and further bolster our research efforts, through which we will end the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia.”

According to its last set of published accounts, Alzheimer’s Research UK had a total income in the year ending 31 August 2015 of £17.7m. It’s next set of accounts for the 2016 financial year are due to be filed with the Charity Commission in March. 

 

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