Story Bridge to turn teal for World Alzheimer's Day
The Story Bridge in Brisbane will turn the colour teal to honour World Alzheimer's Day.
21st Sep 2016 5:04 AM
BRISBANE'S Story Bridge will turn the colour teal today to honour World Alzheimer's Day and help raise public awareness of the debilitating disease.
In total, 353,800 Australians - 66,600 of which are Queenslanders - are living with dementia and in the absence of a significant medical breakthrough that figure is expected to grow to almost 900,000 by 2050.
"The figures are truly disturbing," said Alzheimer's Australia CEO Victoria Beedle.
"Not everyone realises that dementia is fatal and is actually Australia's second leading cause of death. There are actually more than 100 different types of dementia but Alzheimer's disease is by far the most common."
Dementia is a disease of the brain. Most people associate it simply with memory loss but there are many different symptoms, including loss of inhibition and loss of physical functions.
"For people living with dementia and carers it can be a very difficult road," continued Ms Beedle.
"We not only need to raise awareness about the disease but we need funding to finance more research into finding new methods of treating the disease.
"Common perception is that it's simply a disease of the elderly but people in their 30s, 40s and 50s can also get the disease."
Statistics show that 46.8 million people around the world are living with dementia and the global cost is estimated to be $US1 trillion in two years' time.
For more details visit www.fightdementia.org.au.
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