Sir Cliff strikes gold and raises £50k
Date published:
Wednesday, November 19, 2008News source:
Alzheimer’s Research TrustRegion:
United Kingdom 
As Sir Cliff Richard celebrates his golden anniversary of chart success, a TV appeal fronted by the Peter Pan of Pop has raised a staggering £50,000.
The film screened in October formed one of the BBC1 Lifeline’s monthly national TV appeals and over 1000 people donated towards the Alzheimer’s Research Trust’s (ART) total. The appeal has made a major contribution to the charity’s voluntary income and has secured funding for dementia researchers at Newcastle University for a full year.
Sir Cliff, a Patron of ART, was moved to take part in the campaign after losing his mother Dorothy to Alzheimer’s disease last year. In the film, Sir Cliff spoke of how he and his sisters “were slowly robbed of the vibrant woman we once knew - and the fact that nothing could be done to stop it was almost unbearable.”
Featuring two women affected by Alzheimer’s, the film went on to show how the disease takes effect from diagnosis, before moving on to the devastating later stages that see patients requiring constant care. Chair of ART’s Science Advisory Board, Professor Simon Lovestone, also appeared to explain the urgent need for funding into dementia to help head off an estimated doubling in Alzheimer’s cases forecast in the next generation.
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, explained why Sir Cliff’s support was so important: “We were absolutely delighted that Sir Cliff continued his support of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust by fronting our appeal to the nation. By openly sharing his personal experience of the disease, he has clearly struck a chord with the public and generated a great deal of support for dementia research. This appeal has encouraged many people to help us find an answer to this terrible disease and put a stop to the misery it causes.”
700,000 people in the UK live with dementia.
Similar entries
- Sir Cliff Richard presents BBC Lifeline appeal
- Funding boost for Alzheimer’s research in Cambridge
- 25 million affected by dementia, as Terry Pratchett steps-up fight against the disease
- Funding boost for Alzheimer’s research in Bristol
- Funding boost for Alzheimer’s research in Bristol
- £30 million hope for dementia research
- Pratchett demands politicians take action on dementia research
- Funding boost for Alzheimer’s research in Bristol
- Nottingham scientists search for Alzheimer’s blood test
- Specialist Training Could Reduce Use of Anti-Psychotics by Half
