Alzheimer's campaign set for global events

PR Week UK 16-Sep-05

Alzheimer's disease groups are gearing up for World Alzheimer's Day on 21 September, with campaigning taking place under the slogan 'We can make a difference'.

The day is being co-ordinated by London-based umbrella organisation
Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), which is calling for countries'
health ministers to give greater priority to the care offered to

dementia sufferers.

Events are planned in countries from Argentina and Armenia to Venezuela
and Zimbabwe.

ADI provides country organisations with advice on how to bag coverage
and offers them a press release template.

World Alzheimer's Day launched 11 years ago with the support of the
World Health Organisation. It was used to raise global awareness of
dementia and the activities of Alzheimer's associations.

Last year the ADI used the day to point out that the number of people
across the world with dementia is set to nearly double in the next 20
years.

The Alzheimer's Society, which held its own awareness week across
England and Wales in July, is holding 'memory walks' across the
country.

Next year is likely to see deeper collaboration and a larger PR campaign
as 2006 marks 100 years since Alois Alzheimer first described the
disease.

The ADI does not receive backing specifically for World Alzheimer's Day
from pharmaceutical companies, it said.