Pratchett opens new dementia centre

By cfoster

Bestselling author Terry Pratchett today opened a new centre dedicated to dementia research and treatment at Bath's Royal United Hospital.

The 60-year-old former journalist famed for his fantasy novels unveiled a plaque at the new £2 million headquarters of RICE - the Research Institute for the Care of Older People.

The Discworld creator who once worked for The Bath Chronicle was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease last year and has since been supporting the charity along with other organisations connected with the illness.

Mr Pratchett said: "I have first-hand knowledge of the work of the institute and am delighted to formally open the new building here in Bath."

He said it had been "a very strange year"

"For as long as I can remember I used to type very well. I could touch type from about the age of 13.

"But a year and a half ago things started to go bad. I'm quite articulate but that's because there are a lot of things going on in my head.

"I'm a writer that can't write any more. But I'm lucky enough to have found ways round it, like spellcheck which does much of my work for me these days."

The new centre has space to enable RICE - which was previously based at St Martin's Hospital at Odd Down - to expand its research programme.

Staff are already involved in new research including a two-year study to look at the quality of life for those affected by dementia.

The team will be continuing to develop and fund drug treatments as well as non drug-based therapy such as memory rehabilitation.

The new facilities will also allow scientists to carry out more research into Parkinson's disease and strokes.

Last month Mr Pratchett handed in a petition to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

The petition, which called for an increase in dementia research funding, was signed by scores of politicians from all parties, and 20,000 members of the public.

Britain's official funding for dementia research lags behind that of other countries, especially the USA.

The author said: "It never occurred to me to deny I've got it. I decided to speak my mind. There's a saying 'you should never let them see you bleed,' but that's wrong. If no one sees you bleed, no one is going to offer you a bandage.

"I was born in the generation of baby-boomers and we are getting older. The whole population is getting older.

"Baby-boomers do not believe dementia should be part of old age. We are an ageing population. In the next two decades if our Government doesn't wake up to this, the country will be in a very bad way.

"Here is a problem with no cure and not much help. A lot more RICEs are going to be needed in the future."

RICE has been involved in the research that enabled the licensing of the current drug treatments used to treat Alzheimer's disease, both in the UK and worldwide.

The charity's director Professor Roy Jones said: "We are thrilled that Terry was able to formally open the new RICE Centre and to join us on this special occasion which gives us an opportunity to thank our donors for supporting the building project."