We have met someone, who knows someone, who researchers
cuttlefish! I, in fact find cuttlefish very interesting.
So the tour has started, and we have interviewed a number of
key Professors who are researching Alzheimer’s/ Dementia. Their research leads
them to look for a cure or an opportunity to alleviate the condition in the
sufferer and provide ‘life longevity'. Alzheimer’s is not always a killer, but
it can lead to life’s final conclusion, through other medical conditions. In
the main, to understand the condition, researchers are on a long road to reach
their HOLY GRAIL.
There have been developments in understanding, and with
understanding you can provide a remedy. In the main, there is still a long way
to go as research takes a long time. The process and protocols that ensure
safety in a medicines final use, means that those researching this condition
have to have patience and are extremely motivated to maintain their grand
vision.
There is a hierarchy in medical conditions, and we can all
probably name other illnesses that are much higher in our consciousness.
Currently Alzheimer’s has taken a step forward in being more understood by the
research community and by the wider public. There is a long way to go, but it
is more embedded in everyone’s mind. This is the start of a good thing.
BRACE, the charity that the tour is
supporting, endeavours to not only help raise awareness but also create funds
that are then used by these researchers to do their work. Without organisations
like BRACE there is a reduction in the level of research. There is also a need
to encourage more keen professionals in this research area, as without new
blood the potential opportunity for a solution may take even longer to
obtain.
What has also struck me, is that those that are researching
are like me. They have been directly touched by the condition; a family member
or friend. It is quite true that this has led them to utilise their skills and knowledge to use for the
good to combat this condition.
The research is diverse, and although you may think this
condition is cerebral, you also need to suspend belief and think about
cholesterol, fat deposits, and expanding waistlines as research is being
conducted to into whether there is a direct correlation between these
factors.
This may all seem dower, but in truth there is a very
positive atmosphere within the community in search for the cure, and to create
an understanding of the condition.
We have started the production of our video bank of
interviews and BRACE will be able to use these in their efforts to build
awareness and create funding opportunities for the future. We are onto the next
part of our European leg of this tour, and we feel sure that this will provide
even more insight with a Soupcon of Gallic flavour!
